To: The Rt Hon Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Make housebuying transparent and fair!
1) Make it compulsory to include all necessary information when advertising properties. This needs to be transparent and cite ALL factors in respect of a house, including:
• Type of construction (e.g. concrete?)
• Whether leasehold or freehold
• Length left on lease
• All associated costs
• All and any known or suspected defects
• Any Section 20 works and timescale
2) Change the law to use State-appointed officials to oversee the whole process and ensure it is is fair and there are no favouritisms towards "Investors" (landlords), e.g. holding back properties, failing to contact applicants until these privileged clients have had a chance to view and have turned down a property
3) Speed-up and broaden the scope of the abolition of the Lease System that maintains a grip on housing and land, making it impossible to plan Will and Probate for descendants, lest one should leave them problems
4) If 3 is NOT possible in law, grant an automatic Lease Renewal for all leases of under 99 years, and make the price fair, entailing only legal costs
5) Make it compulsory for Lay-readers to understand the documents they receive, and not obfuscate with "legalese", and make it a requirement that Solicitors itemise their costs, explaining where and why these are high.
Why is this important?
The current system favours privileged investors, with cash or large credit potential.
SOME Estate Agents have been known to only put properties on the maret after they have informed their privileged clients, with Letting Management contracts, so the Agents will benefit long term, and the Landolords will widen their portfolios.
Some go as far as not contacting those making enquiries, with excuses like "too busy" or "Covid". Estate Agencies need to hire lower level Admins to do the initial contact and book viewings as soon as contact is made.
Stop the practice of first getting back to those who book mortgage advice, or cash buyers.
Young families are struggling to find affordable properties, in the past 24 months the bulk of affordable homes has gone to wealthy individuals - or those intent and skilled at becoming so - to the detriment of the ordinary housebuyer.
Rents have been pushed to brutal limits in many areas because the buyers have only one objective: get rich quick!
