Defend Council Housing speaks out ahead of John Hills' report » Housing » 24dash.com

Defend Council Housing is launching its new pamphlet tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon urging the government to invest more in affordable homes.

It will come hot-on-the-heels of a new report from Professor John Hills on the 'Role of Social Housing' for Secretary of State Ruth Kelly.

Defend Council Housing's pamphlet 'Dear Gordon: Invest in decent, affordable, secure and accountable council housing' is being launched at 6pm at Parliament.

A Defend Council Housing spokesman said: "We're hopeful that Hills will come to the right conclusions. There are high expectations amongst nearly 3 million council tenants and more than 1.6 million households on council housing waiting lists that this government will finally commit to investing in improving existing and building new council homes to address housing need."

To help Professor Hills, Defend Council Housing has issued the following statement:

The private housing market is failing the majority of people. Decent, affordable secure and accountable council (public) housing makes sense for the following reasons:

DECENT

The standard of house design is getting worse as the private sector dominates, according to Council for the Built Environment. Most homes failing the government's Decent Homes standard are in the private sector. Home owners may be 'asset rich' but many are too 'cash poor' to maintain their homes. Many owners (including the elderly and disabled) find the responsibility and organisational demands too much.

 AFFORDABLE

Rents in the private sector are very much higher than council rents (landlords expect a profit from their investment). RSL rents and service charges are significantly higher too. Mortgages on the smallest property are beyond the reach of most.

SECURE

Private tenants on short-term tenancies are at the mercy of their landlords. Eviction rates amongst RSL tenants are higher too. Repossessions have risen by 65% last year and the courts are taking on more judges to deal with cases before them. The council 'secure' tenancy is the strongest protection available.

ACCOUNTABLE

Council tenants uniquely elect our landlords. Several local authorities have changed political control after council tenants exercising their power at the ballot box. Many council tenants are members of Tenants & Residents Associations which take up individual grievances and work closely with ward councillors and senior housing managers.

Defend Council Housing says John Hills should recommend an increasing role for council housing and an end to government discrimination against it.

The group claims:

It is wrong that government has systematically been siphoning money out of council housing. Ring fencing all the income from tenants' rents and receipts from 'right to buy' and other sales along with a 'level playing field' on debt write off and gap funding would fund the 'Fourth Option' of direct investment that tenants, the Labour Party conference and a broad alliance of councillors, MPs and trade unions demand. The hype over home ownership is overplayed. Shelter's research showed that 72% put 'affordability' and a safe neighbourhood above 'ownership' in their list of priorities. Most so-called 'affordable' housing is not affordable for the vast majority. Public subsidies of £47,000 for key worker shared ownership schemes are expensive and many schemes are undersubscribed because the homes are still beyond reach. Many prefer to rent - particularly if they can get first housing that they can actually afford, is secure and has a landlord they can hold to account for management, maintenance and other responsibilities. The government cannot claim to support 'choice in public services' and then deny council tenants the right to choose to remain with the council and have their homes and estates improved. The government cannot create 'sustainable communities' if they force tenants to move on and out against their will by imposing a time limit or introducing a means test on their tenancy. It would turn our estates into massive hostels with a transient, not sustainable, community!