Our views on the Welsh Government Housing Green Paper

The Bevan Foundation urges the Welsh Government to be clear about its housing aims in its Green Paper. 

The Welsh Government has asked people for their views about affordable rents in its Green Paper. The paper asks a lot of questions about how to decide if a rent is ‘affordable’ and what form, if any, controls on rents should take.

The Bevan Foundation’s response focuses on the implications of the Welsh Government’s options for low-income households.  Most importantly, the Foundation says that the government should be much clearer about the housing future it wishes to see, and in particular should spell out the role it envisages for the private rental sector.

The Bevan Foundation response also says:

• affordability is an important aspect of adequate housing but not the only one
• an affordable rent is one that leaves a household with enough income after housing costs to afford food, heating and other essentials (£120 per week per adult)
• all landlords should be required to share information about rents charged with Rent Smart Wales
• rent controls may have a part to play in ensuring adequate housing but they must sit alongside other levers including housing supply, managing competing uses for properties, taxes and incentives. 
• It is impossible to chose a preferred model of rent control in the abstract. 

Read our response to the Green Paper by clicking the download button. 

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