Where can I find expert analysis on housing predictions?

[AtW]

Those that were due to sign new leases (I only do short term) signed them willingly when I pointed out that the other option was to find somewhere else.

As I said I think you are getting overconfident.

[Marina]

The rental market is bouyant. Only this morning i accepted an offer and took a deposit on one of my BTL's at the asking price which i have upped by 10% on the last tenancy. I even swiped the microwave from the property as mine has expired.

See what I mean about cheapskate fittings. I bet the one, if any, you left is a clapped out old piece of junk that takes five minutes to boil an egg!

[Marina]

.. Also, apart from my contractor lifestyle meaning I don't really consider one area of the UK my home anymore, I have a dream of retiring in the sun, which will inevitably be abroad somewhere.

Well I guess that would count as a slightly unconventional lifestyle, in terms of mobility. I think it's fair to say most Brits do still tend to stick in the same area throughout their working life, although less so than formerly.

[PAH]

See what I mean about cheapskate fittings. I bet the one, if any, you left is a clapped out old piece of junk that takes five minutes to boil an egg!

Scrambled egg more like.

[Mailman_1]

See what I mean about cheapskate fittings. I bet the one, if any, you left is a clapped out old piece of junk that takes five minutes to boil an egg!

One i left behind??? No comment.

[Marina]

.. In Europe majority of people rent - in this country stupid Govt made renting much more riskier - that was totally wrong (BTL brigade will obviously disagree). ..

No AtW, that's where you're entirely wrong. The rental market was thriving until the 1960s, with plenty of competition to keep prices down and even large-scale private sector residential building projects.

But then Harold Wilson's Labour Government brought in laws that made renting much _less_ risky (for the tenant), in fact so risk-free it was almost untenable for landlords. As a result these sold up in droves and got out of the business, and affordable private enterprise residential building slowed to a crawl. This in turn allowed the remaining landlords to raise rents and caused an acute shortage of affordable housing.

In short, as always, a Labour Government cocked everything right up for decades until the Tories introduced the Right to Buy legislation.

I think that's the gist of what happened, although rising population and increased immigration also obviously played a part. But I saved an interesting recent article from an London estate agent who worked in West London throughout that time, and if I get a chance will post this.

This article also points out that new Government proposals being discussed now will repeat many of the mistakes of the 60s. Quelle surprise!

[bogeyman]

No AtW, that's where you're entirely wrong. The rental market was thriving until the 1960s, with plenty of competition to keep prices down and even large-scale private sector residential building projects.

But then Harold Wilson's Labour Government brought in laws that made renting much _less_ risky (for the tenant), in fact so risk-free it was almost untenable for landlords. As a result these sold up in droves and got out of the business, and affordable private enterprise residential building slowed to a crawl. This in turn allowed the remaining landlords to raise rents and caused an acute shortage of affordable housing.

In short, as always, a Labour Government cocked everything right up for decades until the Tories introduced the Right to Buy legislation.

I think that's the gist of what happened, although rising population and increased immigration also obviously played a part. But I saved an interesting recent article from an London estate agent who worked in West London throughout that time, and if I get a chance will post this.

This article also points out that new Government proposals being discussed now will repeat many of the mistakes of the 60s. Quelle surprise!

Thanks for that Marina

Good and concise history of the rental / social housing sector.

This government will be out to screw private landlords (even the decent and honest ones) if they get another term.

[Mailman_1]

No AtW, that's where you're entirely wrong. The rental market was thriving until the 1960s, with plenty of competition to keep prices down and even large-scale private sector residential building projects.

But then Harold Wilson's Labour Government brought in laws that made renting much _less_ risky (for the tenant), in fact so risk-free it was almost untenable for landlords. As a result these sold up in droves and got out of the business, and affordable private enterprise residential building slowed to a crawl. This in turn allowed the remaining landlords to raise rents and caused an acute shortage of affordable housing.

In short, as always, a Labour Government cocked everything right up for decades until the Tories introduced the Right to Buy legislation.

I think that's the gist of what happened, although rising population and increased immigration also obviously played a part. But I saved an interesting recent article from an London estate agent who worked in West London throughout that time, and if I get a chance will post this.

This article also points out that new Government proposals being discussed now will repeat many of the mistakes of the 60s. Quelle surprise!

Best post of the day and it seems to have shut up the doom brigade.

[AtW]

No AtW, that's where you're entirely wrong.

I don't think I am entirely wrong on this one - I was talking about fairly recent changes in late 80s - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assured_shorthold_tenancy

These changes are seriously against tenants.

I don't know what was done in the 60s and it is entirely possible that Labour made stupid laws that made tenancy totally risk free for tenant - that was certainly wrong, but current laws are also wrong - they are way too pro-landlord.

Supply of homes to rental market can be regulated fairly easily - with taxation, if ther is a need to have more homes than taxes on those earnings can go down, or go up if too many homes are on BTL.

I don't defend here bad tenants who don't pay the rent or who damage the house and won't move or pay up, I am seriously annoyed that good tenants however have very little rights.

Right now the market is way too one sided even though it is the tenant who pays money - frankly there are not many markets where customer is put into such disadvantage.

[bogeyman]

As I said I think you are getting overconfident.

DANGER: IRONY OVERLOAD [whoop! whoop!]