Agree with T.O.F.O's analysis.
stupid political point-scoring and window-dressing obscures the fundamental problem....
The demand for housing exceeds the supply.
25K will buy you a reasonable, habitable house in Burnley, Lancs.
there is the slight issue of paucity of jobs, and the simmering undercurrent of Race - many will remember the serious riots a few years back.
there are plenty of crumbling terraces and back-to- backs to be had there, for 10 to 15 K.....now, were these houses in the south East......
Only when we have fast, easy, affordable primary public Transport and properly planned financial incentives, will there be a likelihood of decentralisation to the Regions.
If the Political will really existed, London could be made an economically unviable business centre for all but the highest-earning,most prestige-concious firms.
The "forced" decentralisation of the BBC to Salford has made a modest upward shift in house-prices. the constant traffic-jam and permanent "road works" on the M6 ...(at least 6 years around Birmingham) and the preposterous rail fares mean this move is a lot less successful than it could have been.
A massive building programme is needed, only when demand matches , or preferably exceeds supply, will house prices reduce....but they aren't making any more land, so the price on this crowded, septic isle continues to escalate.
Prepare for a sharp increase in rents when the tax -relief stops!... the clowns have not stopped to work that one out! Landlords are not charities, they rely on capital growth, security of investment and return on capital.
higher gross costs will be passed straight to the consumer , who will find the money, even if it means sharing accommodation with a stranger.
some may remember the withdrawal of multiple mortgage tax-relief....all sorts of multiple -occupancy groups formed in order to buy a house and lock-in to tax-relief. they all managed to save money over their previous renting....but the whole fiasco fuelled an amazing rise in prices, as did the short-lived change to Poll-tax, instead of property -value based rates.