Reaction to new Housing Minister

Reaction to new Housing Minister

Former surveyor Mark Prisk has been welcomed into his new post as Housing Minister following this week’s reshuffle.

The Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA) has said they hope to work closely with the minister over the coming months to ensure consumers are better informed about the survey options available to them.

Alan Milstein, Chairman of the RPSA said too many home buyers are mistakenly led to believe that their lender’s valuation is a thorough survey of their future home.

Mr Milstein said: “As a chartered surveyor himself, Mr Prisk should be well aware of how buyers are being disadvantaged in this way.

“As he settles into his new role, we hope to work with the minister to ensure future home buyers are better informed when making their next property purchase.”

Chief Executive of Countrywide, Grenville Turner added to the sentiment saying more need to be done to help renters and buyers.

Mr Turner called on the minister to look at the health of the market as a priority.

He said: “As we have said on many occasions to date, we believe the government needs to act quickly and progress reforms which address the key issues affecting the housing market – deposit affordability and the shortage of appropriate housing stock at the right price in the right location.

“The Government needs to look at mortgage lending and should set minimum and meaningful mortgage lending targets to ensure more appropriate credit is made available to first-time buyers — a key driver for the rest of the housing market. 

The group is calling for the structure of the UK house building sector and restrictive planning laws to be reviewed and has many suggestions for improvements.

He added: “As we sell almost 1 in 10 of all residential properties in the UK and are the business that rents the most homes to peoplewe have a fundamental interest in a healthy and robust housing market, we have a fundamental interest in a healthy and robust housing market, not the boom and bust model.

“As such, we look forward to the chance to present our ideas to Mr Prisk and discussing these proposals and the housing market in more detail.”

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