Andy Burnham officially took over as Britain’s new Prime Minister yesterday and is already being urged to address housing concerns.

Just minutes after replacing Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, Burnham (main picture) vowed to build more council homes and end rough sleeping.

He said he will set out a 10-year plan later this year.

It will be essential that the sector has a clear opportunity to engage with the UK Government on key housing issues.

But estate agents, trade bodies and membership organisations have their own ideas.

Nathan Emerson, chief executive of Propertymark, welcomed Burnham to Downing Street and said the estate agency trade body looked forward to “learning more about proposals aimed at addressing current housing concerns”.

He says: “There are many complex challenges that remain regarding the delivery of a sustainable mix of affordable housing across each region.

“Over the coming months, it will be essential that the sector has a clear opportunity to engage with the UK Government on key housing issues, helping to ensure that the manifesto commitment to deliver 1.5 million homes across England becomes a reality.

“Looking at the bigger picture, a diverse housing mix must be delivered with a regional focus and supported by robust local infrastructure. Building homes is the challenge, building well-designed, functional communities must be the goal.”

Justin Young, Chief Executive of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), adds: “The new Prime Minister takes office at a critical time for the built and natural environment. Increasing the supply of quality affordable homes, strengthening infrastructure, and supporting the transition to a lower-carbon economy will require stable, long-term and evidence-led policymaking.

A clear opportunity to make a practical difference to people’s lives is to improve the way homes are bought and sold.”

“A clear opportunity to make a practical difference to people’s lives is to improve the way homes are bought and sold.

“Purchasing a home should be straightforward, but transactions take too long and far too many fall through with an average transaction period of 120 days and one in three falling through reported in June. Buyers and sellers often face unnecessary costs, uncertainty and stress.”

He says the RICS will assist the Prime Minister to maintain the momentum behind the Government’s recently announced home buying and selling reforms and make their effective implementation an early priority.

Young says: “The Prime Minister’s commitment to reinvigorating council house building is welcome, but ambition will need to be matched by delivery capacity. Local authorities will need the professional skills, resources and professional support to turn that ambition into homes.

“Above all, financial investment, both domestic and international is crucial for delivering so much of this. Creating a business environment which promotes confidence for investors goes together with regulatory and planning reform. Clarity and confidence is the motor for investment and results, not just for house building, but across all sectors of the built environment.

“RICS will continue its work with the Government on these matters and the wider priorities for housing supply, infrastructure, devolution and skills.”

HELPING HAND

Nick Leeming, Chairman of Jackson-Stops, says: “Andy Burnham takes office having placed housing firmly at the top of his agenda. Building more homes is essential, but the health of the market also depends on helping existing homes circulate more freely, so that more people can make the move that is right for them.

“Our latest research suggests that removing stamp duty costs could bring more than 300,000 owner-occupied homes onto the market across England within less than a year. At the same time, 42% of those whose moving plans have been delayed cited economic uncertainty as a reason.

“The new Government therefore has an opportunity to restore confidence in the market by combining a clear commitment to housebuilding with stable economic management and a serious review of the upfront costs that continue to hold back buyers and sellers. If that can be achieved, we should see momentum return, more transactions progress and more people able to move when the time is right for them.”