Government Failing to Address Housing Supply

The government is still failing to address the issue of housing supply, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). In its latest survey, RICS said the number of homes for sale had sunk to a record low. As a result, demand was outstripping supply, it said, and prices were likely to see further "sizeable gains". But the government insisted that more homes were being built, particularly on brownfield sites. Demand from buyers is rising at its quickest rate for 18 months, according to RICs. At the same time, the average number of properties for sale per surveyor sank to 47 in July, the lowest figure on record. Read more on the RICS website.