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London’s Housing Crisis: Standards of Housing Must Improve

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by Andrew Bassett, founder of The Invisible Painter . He has been in the painting industry for 10 years and has worked in both the commercial and residential  sectors.

In our work as painters and decorators we see first-hand how living conditions are at the moment in London as well as how they are gradually changing. The ever growing population in the city (expected to rise by a whopping 13% over the next decade, to make it the highest it’s ever been) means that demand for housing continues to outstrip supply. Although clearly beneficial to sellers, for tenants this means trouble as landlords and agents can afford to be lax as renters or buyers will still be forced to pay more for substandard conditions as they are forced to live in the capital for work.

385575_10151393150035456_628747768_nIt was Boris Johnson who said that “the finest city in the world deserves the finest housing”, and we fully concur with this sentiment. It shouldn’t be normal for those working hard to have to return home to see peeling wallpaper, flaking paint and damp on their walls. Yet because of the astronomical price of housing, this is the reality for many.

The term ‘substandard conditions’ means a variety of things. For example, in Britain, nearly one in five people are living in a space too small for them, which can lead to psychological issues such as stress, frustration and depression. We do more painting and decorating work in studios now than we ever have done, many of which have been created out of larger flats over the last few years, so we see this first hand. It was also interesting to note in April this year that it was estimated that 15% of people living in London were doing so in conditions that were actually detrimental to their health – cramped conditions being one factor. The NHS suggested that if these conditions weren’t so poor, that they could make savings of up to £140m on treatment for respiratory illness, mental issues and domestic injuries to name a few.

All this is made even more shocking if we remember that housing prices are at an all-time high in the capital, with the average price now more than a staggering £500,000, having doubled over the past 10 years. And on the renting side, we’ve heard from others of the situation being much worse. Landlords gaining quotes for major work to be done, then sitting on the quote for months before doing anything, then only finally arranging for work to be completed once multiple formal complaints have been made. The only reason they are able to do this is because they know that their tenants can be replaced at a moment’s notice should they decide to leave. This, in conjunction with ever rising rental prices across the capital which make tenants feel trapped, means they can delay capital expenditure without fear of losing any income.

There exist several associations in London put together to try to alleviate their suffering. For example, just earlier this year the Mayor implemented the London Rental Standard initiative to regulate landlords renting their properties to tenants. In order to receive the stamp of approval landlords must meet a total of 15 requirements, including promising to make themselves always contactable, promising to answer complaints and issues on the day they are reported and giving 24 hours’ notice before they access the property. This initiative has nonetheless been criticised for not making it obligatory for landlords to join the scheme, meaning that only those already doing everything right will join, so those with lesser landlords will inevitably continue to suffer.

As well as this scheme, London also has the L&Q Group. L&Q help people to buy or rent homes throughout London and the South of England as well as owning and managing over 70,000 homes all to a correct and proper standard.

There is also the Homes and Communities Agency – a government organisation which pledge to create ‘affordable homes and thriving places’, and G15 London – who create new ‘good quality, affordable homes of all types’ to alleviate the crisis.

As well as those mentioned, there are numerous other associations set up to try to help those looking for a home in London, however the crisis remains real and serious, worsening as the population continues to swell at a rapid rate.

An approach beginning to be taken by a lot of prospective buyers is to purchase a space perhaps smaller or less luxurious than they would like ideally, then employ a company to enhance and maximise the space. Essentially people are forced to take on little projects which will overtime result in there being an improvement in overall living standards across the capital. So the solution to the standards side of the housing crisis may well rest with aspirational first time homeowners who are forced to renovate properties not out of choice, but out of necessity.

 

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