Shelter’s response to the Help to Buy announcement and Sajid Javid’s speech
October 3, 2017
Shelter’s response to the Help to Buy announcement and Sajid Javid’s speech.
Polly Neate, CEO of Shelter said: “Extending Help to Buy is the wrong priority at a time when over a million renters are struggling with crippling housing costs. Help to Buy has barely helped the first-time buyers it is targeted at and has done nothing to help those worst affected by our broken housing market and those at risk of homelessness. Moreover it has increased house prices and propped up a speculative development model in need of reform.
While we welcome the fact that Sajid Javid has recognised the problem of instability for families who rent privately, we’re sorely disappointed that he is talking about encouraging 12 month tenancies when half of all tenancies are already a year or more. For the millions of families moved from pillar to post at the whim of a landlord, 5 year contracts are the only way to ensure a stable future for those who need it most.”
You May Also Enjoy
Momentum gathers for retail investment as Bank Rate cut again
Demand to invest in retail property was up by 30% in Q3 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 The office market is also continuing to recover, with investment demand up by 31% over the same period, and leasing demand up by 7% Overall demand to invest in commercial property was up by 11%…
Read More Surge in first-time buyers’ preference for cheaper homes subsides as market adjusts to April’s stamp duty changes
Proportion of first-time buyers purchasing properties under £300k decreased to 64.3 per cent in September, following a peak of 72.0 per cent in May after changes to stamp duty thresholds Detached and semi-detached homes now make up nearly two-thirds of non-first-time buyer purchases, as ‘second-steppers’ look for long-term security Spending on mortgage and rental payments…
Read More UK House Price Index summary: August 2025
The average price of a property in the UK was £273,000 The annual price change for a property in the UK was 3.0% The monthly price change for a property in the UK was 0.8% The monthly index figure (January 2023 = 100) for the UK was 104.6 Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert, says:…
Read More Breaking Property News 22/10/25
Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. Why software audits matter for Proptechs In today’s hyper-competitive real estate technology landscape, scaling too quickly, or operating with outdated or inefficient systems can expose firms to risks far beyond lost opportunities. That’s why an increasing number of organisations are turning to a specialised…
Read More Demand for project properties soars versus general market
New research from The Property DriveBuy reveals that demand for fixer-upper properties is easily eclipsing overall market demand as homebuyers demonstrate a strong appetite for renovation projects amidst ongoing affordability restrictions due to stubbornly higher mortgage rates and slow but steady house price growth. Across England, there are currently an estimated 601,525 homes listed for…
Read More 5,600 sellers slash asking price within first 30 days
5,600 home sellers slash asking price within first 30 days of hitting the market, as market stagnates ahead of Autumn Budget The latest research from nationwide cash buying company and quick sale specialists, Springbok Properties, has revealed that as many as 5,559 home sellers have slashed their asking prices within 30 days of entering the…
Read More