We know the divide between wages and house prices in the UK is rather excessive, and we know the reason for this is that demand outweighs supply. A simple law of economics is that if there is more demand for goods that are in short supply, then these goods will automatically cost more.
Today, I wish to share an interesting article by Marc Da Silva of Landlord Today, entitled “More BTL landlords needed to meet demand from a growing population.”
“More BTL landlords needed to meet demand from a growing population.
Supply and demand are perhaps the most fundamental concepts of economics, and it is the main reason why UK house prices have increased so much in recent years, and why Britain’s growing population will almost certainly push property prices even higher in the medium- to long-term.
The latest forecast from the Office for National Statistics that predicts a 8.4 million rise in the UK’s population over the next 22 years from last year’s 65.6 million, eventually reaching 74 million in 2039, spells bad news for young people trying to get a foot and the housing ladder, and underlines the urgent
need for more private rented homes. That is why the government needs to reverse many of its recently introduced anti-landlord policies, such
as the scrapping of the ‘wear and tear’ allowance, phasing out of mortgage interest relief and the 3% stamp duty surcharge.
Jonathan Stephens, managing director of Surrenden Invest, said: “Whilst it’s wonderful that we can all enjoy a longer life and a larger population can positivity impact the size and capability of those of working age, it does also increase pressures on basic requirements such as housing – namely, where will
we all live?! “Successive governments’ record of building enough homes to meet demand we know has and remains
woeful with the creation of new homes, especially within the private rented sector which is growing rapidly, being funded more and more by individuals and private institutions.
“With population forecasts such as these, it would seem wise for landlord investors to be encouraged, not penalised through stamp duty reforms and tax hikes as we have seen over the past 18 months.”
So if you have a spare house or three, or intend buying one, you can help meet the housing needs of the UK population while at the same time maintaining your asset at no cost to you and gaining equity over the longer term. Now that’s what I call a Win
Win, all around