10
Sep
Government too focused on "easy tick-box schemes"
The government is too focused on "easy tick-box schemes" rather
than dealing with specific housing problems, one property expert
has asserted.
Andrew Teacher, spokesperson at the British Property Federation,
which aims to represent the interests of those involved in property
ownership and investment, said that the government has not heeded
pressure to look at the bigger picture.
His comments follow the publication of a report yesterday by
independent watchdog the Audit Commission, which found that
councils are being strongly encouraged to focus on building new
housing as opposed to improving existing properties.
"That is not how you fix the housing crisis - just by taking on the
point-scoring mentality that this government seems to [like],"
stated Mr Teacher.
The news comes after the most recent government figures revealed
the biggest annual increase in empty homes in England in 17 years,
with the figure rising from 672,000 in 2007 to 697,000 in
2008.
