Affordable Houses

There is a severe housing problem in the UK at the present time. Spare land is scarce on a crowded island and the high rate of divorce means that there is more demand for homes, with many people living on their own. It's very difficult for first time buyers to find affordable houses. Some couples are even buying together with another couple just to get on the property ladder.

Having a mortgage has always been a priority in Britain, in contrast with mainland Europe where people don't seem as concerned with renting all their lives. The situation was worsened in the 1980s when Mrs. Thatcher's government launched a scheme whereby residents who were renting homes from the local authority could buy the property. This was part of the drive from the Prime Minister to have the whole population as homeowners. This depleted the housing stock that was available to rent, causing a shortage in the rental sector. It's not appropriate for everyone to have a mortgage and many working class families need affordable houses to rent.

Builders tend to build larger housing projects in order to maximize their profits. There is no encouragement or incentive from local or national government to build one or two bedroom houses or to construct terraces. Most new housing estates are detached or semi-detached with three bedrooms or more. Some building firms try to encourage young couples into buying their first property by filling the new house with cookers and washing machines etc. That is no doubt helpful to begin with, but when the couple wants to move on, they find that the white goods are all part of the value of the house and the selling price must reflect that. In other words, it's swings and roundabouts when it comes to affordable houses for people wanting their foot on the ladder.

There is a growing problem in London, where the cost of living is higher compared to other parts of the UK. The cost of property in the capital is way beyond the means of vital professionals such as teachers and nurses. It's extremely difficult for them to find affordable houses. Something must be done because the city desperately needs these occupations to be filled. There is a move in Britain to use more brown sites for building, i.e. to build in the inner city as opposed to never expanding green belt sites in the suburbs. This would mean more affordable houses and would rejuvenate a lot of deprived urban areas.

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