Major agency boss takes aim at Labour over housing policies

Winkworth CEO Dominic Agace has launched an attack on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer over the party’s housing policies.

He says Labour risks making the housing crisis worse if it doesn’t take action to address the issues of supply and planning reform.

“The dangers are already here and it now depends whether a Labour government will exacerbate them,” he says.

“Support for first time buyers is a positive step, but without actual action on supply and planning reform, this will be a one hit wonder – with future first time buyers facing an even steeper challenge.”

He also says the Conservatives have failed to deliver on their housing targets, and he hopes that if Labour came to power at the next election it would provide more homes as it promises

Same ground

“In some ways both parties are now trying to occupy the same ground, competing for the votes of the first-time buyer and generation rent with proposed incentives for FTBs and further regulatory reform to support tenants,” he adds.

The housing market is in crisis, Agace says, and rents are rising rapidly.

Their investments are underwater.”

“The big concern is the private rental sector where private landlords are starting to not see a future with rising costs of finance and tax changes meaning they pay tax on income they do not receive and their investments are underwater,” says Agace.

“The issue is if they do sell off, then rents will rise further and competition will increase.  The answer to this is not rent caps.”