NHIC highlights housing shortcomings in budget

A National Home Improvement Council [NHIC] product story

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Dec 13, 2005

NHIC says Chancellor has overlooked is the massive contribution which can be made by bringing back into use millions of non-decent homes around the UK.

The National Home Improvement Council says that whilst The Chancellor of the Exchequer's Pre-Budget Report Statement has many commendable features, it has passed-by several significant issues on the housing front.

NHIC Director, Graham Ponting, says: "There is little doubt that the demand for new homes grows more urgent as time goes by.

One almost instant solution that The Chancellor has overlooked is the massive contribution which can be made by bringing back into use millions of non-decent homes around the UK.

"These properties can be quickly and economically refurbished and their environments tastefully improved to provide high quality, much needed affordable homes.

Many of them are in urban areas where there is a significant demand for accommodation by key workers and first time buyers".

Ponting points out that the NHIC Annual Awards scheme is just one fine measure of what is being achieved in this respect by local authorities, housing associations and developers in city and town centres throughout the country.

He emphasizes: "There are superb, well-built properties virtually on every street in many urban areas that need only comparatively modest investment and some skillful attention to transform them into highly desirable homes for sale or rent.

Bringing them back into circulation avoids major planning permission delays and obviously does not interfere with the Green Belt land".

There was also disappointment amongst NHIC Members that The Chancellor had not alluded to reviewing the rate of VAT on all modernisation and refurbishment.

As Ponting suggests: "Nil, or at least a reduced rate of VAT would be a major incentive to all involved in renovation and be an even greater spur, not only towards maintaining the existing housing stock and but also to providing the greatly needed homes for the future." However, Ponting said that the NHIC was particularly pleased that the Government's Warm Front programme was to have a further injection of funds.

"The proposed additional GBP300m over three years will make a significant contribution towards insulating and improving the heating in thousands of pensioners homes.".