Quote Originally Posted by A Quiet Monkfish View Post
Developers sitting on land banks. Huge profits on new build, compared to cost of actually putting up jerry-built houses. Also prices pushed sky high because of help-to-buy etc. [20-40%] . In Wales that was a loan for up to 75%, so you can buy a Ł400k house for Ł100k investment. I don't suppose the Govt. considered that developers would inflate house prices as a result, but then the govt. never thinks .. 'what if......'
This country has a huge reliance on the housing market

The problem with that is there simply isn't enough low cost or reasonable rented housing out there

But low cost first time buyer housing has the drawbacks you point out

I would build as many council properties as possible but then unless you put sanctions in place people would buy them as soon as possible after the qualifying period

And then come crying to housing advice centres if they messed up their mortgage payments

The answer is to accept its ok to rent for a lower cost than a mortgage , you don't have to own your home , it's yours as long as you don't shoot the next door neighbour over parking !