NEW: Reverse PRS policies or face ‘perfect storm’ MP warns Government

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Labour MP Chris Bryant has pleaded with the government to rethink its housing policies or face a “perfect storm of a housing crisis” in his Rhondda constituency.

He told the Commons that the frozen housing benefit cap was now “completely out of kilter with reality” for most ordinary properties and added that taxation rules for buy-to-let properties needed to be changed.

“Otherwise, we will simply lose the [private] rented sector in its totality in constituencies such as mine and perhaps in many other parts of the country,” said Bryant.

He also blamed the bedroom tax, rising mortgage rates for landlords and the burden of Welsh housing quality standards which small, 19^th century properties would struggle to meet.

“Some [private] landlords are now so nervous…that they now often insist on substantial deposits beforehand,” Bryant told MPs.

“We have heard of landlords demanding 12 months’ rent in advance. There is no way most ordinary people could possibly afford that.”

Temporary

Between 2019-20 and 2022-23, there was a 69% increase in temporary accommodation placements across the local authority, up from 598 a year to 861 and costing it £1,633,000, up from £514,000.

He reported that it was not unheard of to have 250 applications for a single social housing property as soon as it came into the system. “There is no way on God’s earth that the authority, try as it might, and as inventive as it tries to be, can meet the housing need.”

Bryant’s pleas met with a tepid response from Housing Minister Rachel Mclean who said it expected the provisions in the Renters (Reform) Bill to cover Wales as well as England.

She added: “We have delivered our £11.5 billion affordable homes programme in England, and I encourage the Welsh Government to follow in our footsteps.”

Read a guide to the Renters Reform Bill.

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