11. Short Debate: Rent stability — Why we need rent controls to ensure private renters get a fair deal

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:34 pm on 16 May 2018.

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Photo of David Melding David Melding Conservative 6:34, 16 May 2018

I thank Jenny for bringing this important subject to our attention this afternoon. We have a very clear approach, I think, from the left side of politics and you make some interesting and powerful points. I agree with you on a couple of issues. The housing market is, in areas, certainly dysfunctional and there are a number of reasons for that. We have this phenomenon of generation rent, where people who formerly would've bought their own homes now have to rent. They have relatively high incomes, many of these people, but they do not have the capital to make a purchase or put a deposit down, and I think they need security of tenure as much as what you call fair and controlled rents.

What I think we should have is a comprehensive review of housing policy and how it relates to the new demands we have. We are facing a shortage of supply; I think we all agree with that. I think we do need some more models. The Dutch example is an interesting one; it's capturing more people than we would capture in terms of what social housing here is deemed to be for, and there are ways of doing that through housing associations, possibly, or new ways in terms of co-operatives being formed, which is also a model favoured in many continental countries. I think we need all these approaches, and, when we eventually get out of the financial crisis, I do hope that this phenomenon of people chasing the high returns you can get by investing in housing does stop, because I do agree with you—housing is beyond the normal economic good. It's much more fundamental. It's much more like health in that respect. So, there are issues here. I don't agree with everything you've said this afternoon, but you might be surprised by how much I do agree with.