Buy-To-Let Has Skewed Housing Market And Must Be Curbed

Private landlords have put home ownership beyond the reach of at least 2 million families, research shows, while Britain has built only half as many new homes as France over the same period. The radical report from the new Conservative thinktank Onward recommends ending or severely curtailing tax breaks for buy-to-let and private landlords, a stronger role for local councils and major reform of the planning system to allow communities rather than developers to lead the process. The report calls for government intervention in the housing market, including giving London councils the power to limit foreign ownership. Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/25/home-ownership-out-of-reach-for-2-million-uk-families-says-thinktank

May To Set Timetable To Reveal Foreign Owners Of UK Property

Theresa May will set out a timetable to break the secrecy surrounding the foreign ownership of British property worth billions after facing a House of Lords defeat at the hands of two Conservative peers. Lord Faulks, a former Tory justice minister, and Lord Hodgson have been calling on the government to establish a register exposing the beneficial owners of overseas companies and legal entities, and want it done within 12 months. The peers put forward an amendment to the sanctions and anti-money-laundering bill, which would have been likely to inflict a government defeat. Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jan/17/theresa-may-set-timetable-reveal-foreign-owners-uk-property