Stamp duty cuts and a planning overhaul: Estate agents tell us their housing policy wish list
With Simon Clarke announced as the new housing minister, we asked top estate agents for their housing policy wish lists
Simon Tollit, Partner, Tedworth Property
With inflation at levels not seen for 30 years, we would like to see Liz Truss arrive at Number 10 with a decisive, robust and well thought out housing policy plan to deal with the ongoing issue. With the BoE’s recent predictions of an impending recession, this alone is enough to dampen sentiment and cause hesitation within the housing market, so a well thought out control strategy is key to providing the stability we need and allow those wishing to make a move the confidence to do so.
We would like to see two things from the new Housing Minister. Firstly, to introduce measures to expedite and protect the sales process both for buyer and seller, by ensuring all stakeholders are obliged to provide all necessary information within a fixed time period.
Secondly following the tragedy of Grenfell, the ongoing issue of ensuring residential buildings are safe (and saleable) needs rectifying urgently. It is not right that millions of people are unable to sell their homes through no fault of their own and this should be at the top of the new minster’s ‘to do’ list.
