Dawn Foster’s article (Renters could redraw the political map, 6 March) promises much in its title, but fails to deliver anything of substance to move this forward.
There has been a huge loss of affordable council homes for rent since the introduction of right to buy in 1980. This is because money has been lost through selling homes at below market value and the ban of reinvesting a large part of the money in new homes for rent. When it was introduced, there were 6.5m council houses in the UK. There are now 2m. Currently 40% of homes sold to council tenants are rented out by private landlords. This situation is immoral and not in the interest of taxpayers. Scotland has recognised this and stopped the sale of council houses in 2016.
Significant numbers of people on low incomes will never be able to afford to buy their own home, and with diminishing numbers of council properties to rent they are forced to rent from the private sector at inflated prices, with restricted forms of tenancy and a lack of security.
The balance of opinion needs to change to recognise that renting is not second best to ownership. What is desperately needed is for the government and councils to provide affordable homes for rent but with some new imaginative forms of tenancy.
Robert Dark
London
• Dawn Foster does not address Conservatives’ assumption that everyone wants to own their home. As long as renters are subject to such poor security, excessive rents and lack of control on conditions, it is hardly surprising that ownership seems a nirvana. Fair, decent and secure rentals would provide positive alternatives. It works in Germany. If this government is determined to make significant and speedy improvements to housing, rather than build “affordable” (really?) houses, rent controls, landlord licensing and security of tenure must be introduced. This landlord would welcome it.
Marcus Cleaver
Malvern, Worcestershire
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