A GOVERNMENT minister has accused the Conservatives of drawing up 'secret plans' to hike rents for people in social housing.
John Healey, the housing minister, told the party conference in Brighton he had obtained minutes of a meeting attended by four Tory council leaders, two deputies to London mayor Boris Johnson, and shadow housing minister Grant Shapps.
The minutes, released today, show that the 'priorities identified' included to 'equalise rents between sectors as current disparities are unhelpful'.
Mr Healey claimed that could see rents 'double or triple' for eight million people in council and housing association homes.
He has written to David Cameron, calling on the Tory leader to distance himself from the 'priorities'.
"If I am wrong, David Cameron can say so," said Mr Healey. "I challenged him two months ago and two weeks ago.
I challenge him again today to come clean."
"There are two faces of the Tory party. The spin, smiles and soft words of the leader frontman for a fresh Conservative brand. Then the harsh ideology of those behind him uncompromising, uncaring and unchanging."
The average weekly rent for a council house tenant in the north west is currently 51.26. The average private-sector rent is 94.85.
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Black Flag (29/09/2009 at 14:44)
Of Denton, Tameside (29/09/2009 at 15:15)
Rents should be charged at market value with personal circumstances determining whom gets help with their rent i.e. old people, those temporarily out of work (not those that have turned unemployment in to a career) etc.
Andanotherthing, Mcr (29/09/2009 at 15:31)
Black Flag (29/09/2009 at 15:41)
Andanotherthing, Mcr (29/09/2009 at 16:06)
Andanotherthing, Mcr (29/09/2009 at 17:54)
Black Flag (30/09/2009 at 08:27)
There's an element of reasonableness in that. There are definitely issues which arise because land is in fixed supply and the supply of houses is relatively inelastic, which is why I'm in favour of substantial increases in Council Tax.
However, I don't see what you think you'd be achieving by giving the people in "social housing" subsidised rents. You can't magically reduce natural market prices through subsidy.
markyboy, manchester (30/09/2009 at 09:15)
i live in rented social housing and i know that this year alone my rent went up by £9 per week to £83 for a 2 bed 2nd floor flat.
how do they come up witht he figure of £51 pw??.
4 years ago the rent was £62pw, so by my calcs it has risen by 33% under nu labour, more lies and spin from a labour minister.
Angie33 , Manchester (30/09/2009 at 10:55)
Knowall, stretford end (04/10/2009 at 19:08)
The figure is an average, some rents are less some are more thats what an average is, to be strickly correct it is the mean rent, its all the rental income added together and then divided by the number of homes.