Keir Starmer responds to Metro readers’ questions about housing plans

Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wrote for Metro about his government’s plans to transform the UK’s housing system. He said mortgage rules would be relaxed, regulations would be cut, and new towns would be built in order to meet the ambitious target of 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament.

Our readers had lots of questions in response – so, we sent them over to Downing Street and asked the PM to answer them. Here’s the Q&A in full. Will we actually get affordable housing that people can afford? I’ve been on the housing list since 2014. I have an 11-year-old. There have been zero properties to bid for in the past 14 weeks. We have moved twice into private accommodations, which was unaffordable and in disrepair. The council still insist people can afford private rent. A private two-bed property in my borough goes for £2,000 to £3,000. I’ve been back at my parents’ nearly three years.

‘This is exactly why I am so determined to be ambitious on housebuilding. Seriously – everybody who opposes building homes should read about your situation, Alexa. It is unforgivable that the previous government let the housing crisis fester for so long. Having a secure roof over your head is a game-changer for families – I completely understand that.

‘I would say two things. ‘Firstly – we have a Renters’ Rights Bill going through Parliament that will fundamentally reform the private rented sector. This will give tenants protections against eviction, new powers to stop unreasonable rent hikes and we are regulating to make rental homes warmer and cheaper to heat.

‘Secondly – we are going to build 1.5 million new homes. It’s absolutely central to my Plan for Change. Within that target, we will deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation. And we have restored mandatory housing targets to make sure affordable homes are built in areas that really need them.’.

Do you plan to review the legislation about the renewal of leaseholders’ rights after the end of the leasehold period? Will it become cheaper for leaseholders to renew the leasehold period?. PANOS, BRIGHTON. ‘Yes. We will give homeowners greater rights, powers, and protections over their homes.

‘We are removing the two-year ownership rule for leaseholders. And we are beefing up powers so that leaseholders can take control of their buildings more easily and cheaply. This will help them to tackle spiralling charges and unacceptable poor service.

‘We are also introducing a new right to a 990-year lease extension for leaseholders of both houses and flats. And we will make extending a lease cheaper for leaseholders by requiring each side to pay their own process costs, such as valuation and solicitor’s fees.’.

You claim to be helping first time buyers, but at the same time introduce moves that harm us. Why did you lower the first-time buyer stamp duty threshold from £425k to £300k? This only makes it even harder to get on the property ladder, just as you claimed you wanted to help us buy our first home. As a result, I am 30 and I am stuck paying expensive rent, making it impossible to save. People who already have multiple properties are now buying more, while many of us are finding it harder even to buy one. Why can you not increase the stamp duty for those who already have many homes instead?.

ALEX BARMPAS, LONDON. ‘We inherited an unacceptable situation in the public finances from the previous government. And the state of public services was beyond belief. ‘The housing crisis is so acute precisely because Liz Truss thought she could introduce a raft of policies without properly funding them. That is what we inherited – and if we had not taken tough decisions, then the housing situation would have been a lot worse.

‘Now, I understand the frustration that you and many others in your position feel. You work hard and you make sacrifices because your first home represents not just a proud milestone, but a foundation to build on. ‘But because of our ambitious agenda on housebuilding and planning I am confident we will make it easier for people to own their own home. Indeed, our figures suggest we are already on track for 130,000 extra transactions over the next five years from first-time buyers.

‘And we are launching a new, permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme that will open the door to homeownership for more young people.’. Many tenants and homeowners across London suffer from poor quality new-builds with damp and mould, drafts, and a failure to adhere to fire safety standards. How will you ensure that Labour’s removal of so-called red tape doesn’t make this situation event worse, leaving people trapped in substandard ‘affordable’ homes?.

SARAH CHANEY, CHINGFORD. ‘I don’t take an ideological view on regulation. Sometimes we need red tape. Often, we don’t. ‘At the moment, we are trying to remove barriers to building, because people across the country – and certainly in London – need good quality, affordable homes.