UK’s Housing Crisis Deepens as 1.4 Million Homes Sit Unbuilt

Cornerstone Tax reveals that 19% of tenants have been forced to move five times in less than five years due to landlords exiting the market
David Hannah, Group Chairman of Cornerstone Tax, urges the government to focus on addressing the wider housing affordability crisis by incentivising landlords
The government’s plan to develop 12 new towns is set to rely significantly on corporate landlords to meet its ambitious housing targets, with build-to-rent homes expected to comprise up to a quarter of the total properties. Each new town will feature at least 10,000 homes, and the growing shift towards build-to-rent is driven by developers prioritising long-term rental income over high sale prices, which are increasingly constrained by buyer affordability.
As the build-to-rent sector sustains its growth, doubling in size since 2021 and reaching 110,000 completed units, this could offer a viable alternative to the traditional housing market, which continues to face significant challenges. However, as 1.4 million approved homes left unbuilt, David Hannah, Group Chairman of Cornerstone Tax, calls on the government to reconsider its housing reforms and provide serious incentives for landlords to remain in the market.
David highlights how a record number of landlords are leaving the rental market, contributing to serious issue of supply and demand within the UK. Cornerstone’s research reveals that 19% of tenants have had to change rental properties five times in less than five years through no fault of their own as landlords are forced to either exit the market or pass on these record high mortgage costs onto their tenants. Moreover, as demand continues to outstrip supply within the market, 17% of tenants have also admitted that they have lost out on a property that they wanted to rent in the last two years due to a bidding war.
David also emphasises that the UK government has missed key opportunities to tackle the country’s growing housing crisis. These include failing to reduce the second home surcharge to, decreasing stamp duty thresholds, and not reinstating Multiple Dwellings Relief. Exclusive data from Cornerstone Tax further underscores the impact of these stamp duty reforms, revealing that 26% of Brits already aren’t unable to purchase property due to unaffordable stamp duty costs. Meanwhile, 15% of landlords are considering selling due to rising expenses, and 18% of prospective buy-to-let investors have been deterred by increasingly complex regulations.
Group Chairman of Cornerstone Tax, David Hannah comments:
“This year, the government must urgently recognise the ever-pressing need for drastic changes to the housing market. The previous government’s decision to abolish Multiple Dwellings Relief (MDR) was beyond counterproductive and will result in fewer new homes being built, with a significant drop in both domestic and overseas investment into housing delivery.
“By removing a critical tax break such as MDR and failing to incentivise landlords who are fleeing the market, the government’s refusal to reverse these policies undermines the build-to-rent sector, which relies heavily on such incentives to maintain and expand the housing supply. Furthermore, the increase in the second home surcharge and Stamp Duty thresholds reforms will not only reduce the stock of homes in the UK, but will make it harder for first-time buyers to get onto the property ladder.
“New policies need to promote affordability, accessibility and support for businesses building in Britain. The government must now listen to property firms and industry stakeholders to solve this vitally discouraging situation for Brits, otherwise this crisis will continue to cause chaos for years to come.”

EAN Breaking News

Breaking News from the team at Estate Agent Networking. Have a new story to share with us? Then please get in contact today! When and where we can we will refer to third party websites with a 'live link back' where news was released first.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Sellers of larger homes make £122.5k average capital gains, crushing the gains from flats

Sellers of detached homes made £122,500 in capital gains when selling their home over the last 18 months while flats yielded an average gain of £27,000 Sellers in England and Wales made an average gain of £72,000, a 38 per cent increase in value from when they bought the property The average seller in London…
Read More
Breaking News

London’s second homeowners face £16,446 CGT bill

London’s second homeowners face £16,446 capital gains tax bill, but prime London sellers escaping unscathed The latest research from Enness Global has found that whilst the London property market remains subdued, the city’s second homeowners could still be hit with significant costs when exiting their investments, with the average seller now facing a capital gains…
Read More
Love or Hate Rightmove
Estate Agent Talk

Rightmove launches new webinar to equip agents with market leading insights and business-boosting strategies

Rightmove, the UK’s largest property platform, is launching a new webinar to equip agents with the latest market intelligence and profit-boosting strategies to accelerate sales and improve conversion rates. The webinar titled, ‘From pitch to profit: Competing on more than just fee’, will take place live on Friday 17th October at 1pm, exclusively for Rightmove…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

60% of homeowners admit to stress & sleepless nights

Managing your mortgage and mental health as 60% of homeowners admit to stress and sleepless nights The latest insight from award-winning mortgage adviser, Alexander Hall, has shown that for the majority of homeowners, their mortgage is their single largest financial worry, with 60% stating that their mortgage worries have impacted their mental health at one…
Read More
Commercial Agent Talk

Improve Tenant Satisfaction with Expert Commercial Property Management

In the world of commercial real estate, tenant satisfaction can make or break a property’s success. Happy tenants are more likely to renew leases, recommend the property to others, and take better care of the premises. However, achieving and maintaining tenant satisfaction requires more than just a well-maintained building—it takes expertise, communication, and a strategic…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 15/10/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Genie blends property inspection tech with professional surveyor support   Property inspection app Survey Shack has launched a new service as part of its Premium package. Genie adds expert post-inspection support from a professional surveyor to the app-guided property inspection experience. Survey Shack is already on point…
Read More