London affordability, first-time buyers and heat pumps – what #UKhousing has been talking about this month
Jess McCabe picks out the most interesting housing-related conversations that happened across social media over the past month
Guardian columnist @chakrabortty sparked a discussion on inner London becoming a “child-free zone”, with families unable to afford to live close to the centre, driving the closure of schools. The problem affects social housing tenants as well, despite the protection of social and affordable rents. Aditya Chakrabortty quoted one single mother of two children who is now paying Peabody £1,400 a month for her two-bedroom flat – while she is bringing in only £1,600 through her job as a teaching assistant. She is another who is soon to leave London.
Response to the column on social media makes clear that this is far from a one-off story. “I am in social housing myself & rent keeps going up. We can’t afford to move into a bigger flat. 3 of us in one bedroom,” replied author @RowenaMacdonald. And @davidbrad1991, chair of the governors at a school in Battersea, added: “Worth saying this is also a key reason why retaining teachers in central London is so difficult – they can’t afford to stay and have a family!”
In related news, many teachers were sharing stories of how they were able to quickly buy a home after they qualified – in the 1990s. @alomshaha said: “My story [is] very similar to this. Becoming a teacher in 1997 changed my (and my siblings’) life for the better. I also bought my own home in my NQT year and reap the many accompanying benefits. Tragic that young people today cannot do this.”
My story very similar to this. Becoming a teacher in 1997 changed my (and my siblings’) life for the better. I also bought my own home in my NQT year and reap the many accompanying benefits. Tragic that young people today cannot do this. https://t.co/aKkJg5BniD
— Alom Shaha (@alomshaha) April 14, 2023
With more news of a housing market slowdown this month, housing expert Neal Hudson (@resi_analyst) posted an interesting Twitter thread about how first-time buyers are still buying, and taking out very long-term mortgages (of 35 years compared to, say, 25 years) in order to afford it.
The housing market has been more resilient than I thought possible in recent months. And it appears first time buyers are responsible.
— Neal Hudson (@resi_analyst) April 14, 2023
Clearly the rental market is in a terrible (insert swear word of choice) state and so buying is still preferable. But how are they affording it? pic.twitter.com/AiVHqF2HAT
“This makes a lot of sense in as much as what a lot of first time buyers are essentially buying is secure tenure. They might not be building equity at a reasonable rate, but they are buying not having random 25% bumps in rent for a bedroom every 6 months,” replied @jhattoncomedy.
On LinkedIn, Dr Jan Rosenow shared a graph from the International Energy Agency which shows that heat pump sales are now “crowding out” sales of fossil fuel-based heating systems in some countries. In both France and the US, heat pumps breached 50% of heating system sales in 2022. The UK, though, didn’t even merit a mention in the report. As one commenter, Sally Thomas, noted: “Last year roughly 50,000 heat pumps were installed vs over 1.8 million fossil fuel boilers in the UK. It would be interesting to know what France is doing that we are missing in the UK and then try and replicate a successful model.”
Spotlight on ministers
Housing secretary @michaelgove was in a Twitter spat with The Guardian’s food critic Jay Rayner (@jayrayner1). It started with Mr Rayner tweeting: “Listening to the new Tory Govt policy announcements, each more desperate than the last, I think it’s fair to say we have reached the ‘Cones Hotline’ stage of this administration.”
This was a message the housing secretary felt compelled to quote-tweet: “What is it about fixing unsafe buildings, giving tenants in social housing more rights, ending no fault evictions, empowering metro mayors, tackling rogue landlords, extending childcare and new schools for children with special educational needs which is ‘desperate’?”
Mr Rayner replied: “You’ve had 13 years to sort all this. Indeed, in 2016 you specifically voted against a bill that would have required landlords to make rented homes fit for human habitation. Why were dangerous homes of the sort that contributed to the death of Awaab Ishak fine by you then?”
Mr Gove said: “The provisions in that bill are now law – indeed being strengthened under this Government. Over the last 13 years we’ve also raised school standards, extended universal free school meals, reformed agri subsidies to reward environmental goods and so much more #dokeepup.”
Mr Rayner responded: “Missed this because I’ve been busy. But a) the law he voted against is now law. Can’t imagine what changed apart from the death of a two-year-old. B) free school meals extended because more children in abject poverty and c) apparently school standards have improved. He says.” Here ended the exchange.
Conservation volunteers at Rural Housing Association (@ruralhousingni) have been creating a community garden for tenants in Eglinton.
The Conservation Volunteers have been working hard on creating a growing space for our tenants in Eglinton, through the creation of a community garden. The garden includes a wildflower meadow, heritage trees, raised beds and a polytunnel. #GreenSpaces @TNLComFund @TCVtweets pic.twitter.com/YyFVboKKQd
— Rural Housing (@ruralhousingni) April 17, 2023
Who to follow
@ArchitectsCAN – architects tweeting about climate change and their role in cutting emissions
@Board_Member_PW – Twitter account of Pathway to Board, the project by several Cardiff landlords to address the lack of ethnic diversity on boards
@JasBainsHafod – group chief executive of Hafod
