Do you remember MIRAS? Mortgage Interest Relief had existed in the sixties and seventies but the “At Source” aspect was introduced by Margaret Thatcher in 1983 and gave homebuyers automatic tax relief on their interest payments. It was widely seen as a middle-class perk, and I can remember having heated arguments with Conservatives who refused to accept that mortgage-payers were on a par with council tenants when it came to “subsidy”. Continue reading →

Today’s Housing Bill contains nothing that was surprising, except it is stuffed with omissions. Almost everything that could have been of interest is left to subsequent regulations by the Secretary of State. There is much of merit on rogue landlords and planning issues, and pay to stay is included, but I will focus on the three key issues that have exercised us over the past few weeks. Continue reading →

Like many people, I was puzzled by the alacrity with which the National Housing Federation made its Right-to-Buy offer. After all, the chance of this last-minute manifesto commitment going though the Commons and the Lords seemed far from certain. Continue reading →

It’s like being mugged by Private Walker from Dad’s Army. “There you go guv, special deal just for you. No pressure but I’m only in town for the week see, so you’ll need to decide soon otherwise the offer’s off the table.”

If the Twitter debate was anything to go by, there was a massive disconnect between those in the conference hall who appeared to have been lulled and seduced by the dulcet double act of Clark and Orr, and those outside the hall who seemed to be shocked by what was being offered up to the sector. I certainly was. Continue reading →