Increase in social housing waiting lists

01 March 2010

Written by Gavin Elley

Buy to let landlords in the private rented sector could be seeing more tenants after it was claimed many Brits are on social housing waiting lists.

According to head of programme at the Building and Social Housing Foundation Jim Vine, the government must prioritise spending on housing.

His comments follow reports from the National Housing Federation of an increase in social housing waiting lists in London.

Some 22 boroughs in the capital noted a rise in the year up to April 2009, while 11 saw a drop.

But predictions for a record 1.97 million households to be on such lists by 2011 has prompted calls for more to be done about housing.

"Investment in housing also keeps people in work and retains essential skills in the construction industry - both of which are essential in a downturn," Mr Vine added.

His comments echoed the findings of the English Housing Survey by Communities and Local Government, which last week revealed a drop in the number of owner occupied households.

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