• NOTHING underlines the pressing need for more social housing than the news that some property owners are earning rental yields of up to 12 per cent by renting out their properties to their local council.

With new social housing building at rock bottom, private landlords are increasingly letting out properties directly to councils and housing associations, who guarantee rent on long-term leases and in some cases pay above market rates.

A key knock-on effect of councils having to lease private housing to make up for the lack of sufficient social housing is that it reduces the amount of housing for first-time buyers who typically buy an older house or flat to get their first step on the housing ladder.

Also, paying landlords over the odds to secure these homes is an expensive way of housing people in homes which in some cases are in poor condition.

Building more social housing not only helps families in housing need, it also helps first-time buyers and saves all tax-payers their hard-earned money.

CLLR PAUL DIMOLDENBERG
Labour, Queen’s Park ward Westminster City Hall,
Victoria Street, SW1