‘This is just ruinous’: the Britons unable to afford their homes
Millions are finding themselves priced out of renting and buying amid high inflation and mortgage rates Out of reach? The tool that shows where you can afford to buy or rent in Great Britain The cost of living crisis, spiralling mortgage rates and soaring rents have exacerbated property shortages in Britain to the extent that […]
‘It would really help us’: renters in the UK who want a 100% mortgage
No-deposit loan presents possible route out of rental trap to those deemed eligible When Skipton, one of Britain’s biggest building societies, launched the UK’s first 100% mortgage exclusively for renters last month, reactions varied wildly. While some commentators regard the first-of-its-kind home loan as a “revolutionary” way to get people out of the rental trap […]
Private renters ‘almost twice as likely to struggle with debt as UK general population’
Charity says stronger protections are needed or people will be left vulnerable to ‘hair-trigger evictions’ Private renters are almost twice as likely to be struggling with problem levels of debt as the general population, with a sharp rise in the numbers in serious financial difficulty since January, research shows. The figures come against a backdrop […]
UK households with communal heating facing 350% rise in energy costs
Surge in energy costs filtering through to low-income households on shared heat networks Lambeth council tenants ‘in precarious position’ after 350% service charge rise Residents in council homes and private flats with communal heating systems are experiencing a “nightmare” rise in their energy bills, with households scrambling to fund increases of up to 350%. An […]
Lambeth council tenants ‘in precarious position’ after 350% service charge rise
Price hikes of up to £300 a month for communal heating and hot water driven by rapid increase in energy costs UK households with communal heating facing 350% rise in energy costs Peter Shapcott is sitting in his council flat in Brixton, south London. As he examines the bills that have come out of his […]
Will The Housing Market Collapse In 2023?
When it comes to stocks and shares, I’ve never been a massive fan of (or very good at) predicting what the market will do over a period of 12 months or so. If it goes up, great, if it doesn’t- I’ll buy more and sit on it. With housing however, it isn’t quite that straight forward. For […]
Rats, mould, damp: one woman’s story reveals the ugly truth about the UK’s biggest housing association | Aditya Chakrabortty
A mother of three’s struggle with Clarion reflects a system rigged to favour asset-owners while renters are abandoned You will read the grim facts about Chanel Sultan’s life in a minute, but first let’s talk about her dreams. Like the law degree she has just started, or her hope to buy her own home. Like […]
Priced-out UK house-hunters turn to lorry-sized tiny homes
Trailer-like homes are attracting people struggling to buy or rent a house. Our writer went to size one up You might bump your head, and the wheels betray its caravan roots, but it’s yours – and that’s the key for a growing number of people fleeing the UK housing crisis in a “tiny home”. Factory-built, […]
Tell us: are you struggling with the process of buying a house in the UK?
We would like to hear from people trying to buy yet struggling to afford rising rents in the meantime, or those experiencing issues with getting mortgages approved As UK mortgage approvals have fallen to their lowest level since 2021, and as mortgage rates continue to rise, we would like to hear from people who are […]
The Guardian view on a property-owning democracy: Tory dream becomes a nightmare | Editorial
A housing price collapse may see a coalition of renters and mortgage holders emerge that would doom the Conservative electoral base The Conservative party has good reason to think that its vote is only as safe as house prices. Its 2019 victory could be ascribed to two homeowning demographics – outright owners and mortgage holders […]