CONTENTS

politics first | Leaders
The purpose of the Liberal Democrats
is at an all-time high
ADVERTORIAL
Changing the private
rented sector for good
September / October 2016 | www.politicsfirst.org.uk
Tim Farron MP,
Leader of the Liberal
Democrat Party
You realise how turbulent the times are when I am now
pretty much the veteran among Westminster party
leaders – even though last year’s conference was my
debut as leader of the Liberal Democrats. As the only
UK-wide party committed to protecting Britain’s place
in Europe, my priority is to preserve our most vital
links with the European Union. We must remain in the
single market to safeguard trade, but we also need to
guarantee free movement for Britons living abroad and
for EU citizens contributing to the UK. Worker rights,
environmental safeguards and cross-border security
are among areas we believe are best dealt with at a
European level. Much of that will be debated at our
conference, including specific areas such as how to
save ERASMUS.
It is now clear that there was no Brexit strategy
– or another £350 million a week for the NHS - and
ministers are desperately trying to stick back together
the vase they have just smashed against the wall. The
problem is that they do not seem to agree on how to
glue it back toegther, or, indeed, on whether to throw
what is left at the wall all over again.
I am delighted that Nick Clegg has agreed to return
to frontline politics as our Brexit spokesperson, and
over the summer he has been working on a series of
papers setting out the effects of Brexit, and asking the
government some very pointed questions. He has been
helped by a group of experts (experts are not derided
in our party). Grants for vital scientific research,
agricultural subsidies, EU funding for infrastructure
projects including the building of schools – so much
work in the UK has been thrown into doubt, and we are
pressuring Theresa May to protect it.
But despite massive uncertainty unleashed by
Brexit, this would not be a Liberal Democrat conference
if it were not brimming with further policy debate, both
domestic and international. Tackling homelessness
and corporate corruption, saving school governors
and university grants, reforming welfare and protecting
liberty while maintaining security, will all be debated –
and occasionally, no doubt, argued over.
My domestic priorities remain improving education
and tackling the housing crisis. There is clear
generational unfairness, with young people denied
opportunities which those of my generation enjoyed.
I was really proud that Liberal Democrats, in coalition,
delivered free early learning, the pupil premium (giving
extra money to educate disadvantaged children), free
school meals and a national apprenticeship scheme.
But it is time to go further.
To compete in a global economy that is increasingly
dominated by technology, young people need and
deserve better training. Their wages are lagging,
while renting – let alone buying – is increasingly
unaffordable. It is a small thing but I am passionate
about a Liberal Democrat campaign to stop estate
agents double charging tenants an - often very
expensive - arrangement fee on top of the one agents
have already charged landlords. But fundamentally, we
need to increase the supply of homes, including social
housing.
Internationally, I will step up my campaign to
enable 3,000 unaccompanied refugee children to
be allowed into the UK. Ministers responded to
pressure by announcing that they would allow in some
refugees, but of concrete plans, we have heard nothing.
Meanwhile, concerning the one EU initiative which
the government does seem enthusiastic about is the
sending to Turkey of huge numbers of refugees. Given
that Turkey has suspended human rights, that cannot be
justified morally.
So there are a vast number of crucial causes for we,
Liberal Democrats, to get stuck into. But we go into
the conference season in great spirits. While Labour
tears itself apart and Conservatives wrestle with the
consequences of their disastrous disunity which has
endangered our place in Europe, our Liberal Democrat
fightback is gathering pace. Scarcely a month after the
referendum result, 17,000 new members had joined
our ranks. That followed successful local elections,
which saw us make the most gains.
I do not underestimate the scale of our challenge.
But with a growing, confident party that has no
competitors in the centre ground of British politics,
the opportunities are immense for an optimistic, fair,
economically credible party. And with the future of
Europe and our young people at stake, the Liberal
Democrats have never had a stronger – or higher -
purpose.
Eoin Donnelly, Housing Director at Trinity, explains to
Marcus Papadopoulos that it is through combining
commercial business and charitable supported
housing that real improvements will be seen in the
housing market for generations to come
Q For years, the homeless sector has stayed fairly much the
same, providing housing and support using government
grants, subsidies and fundraising. Why does this have to
change?
The outlook for people at risk of homelessness is bleak and
getting bleaker. Rough sleeping has doubled since 2010 because
services have been closed due to lack of funds, while the traditional
model of supported housing - subsidised by grants - is no longer
viable.
We have found that we cannot rely on the government to provide
all the finance for the level of support which is needed for people
suffering the effects of homelessness - and neither should we.
Resources are scarce and supported housing providers need to
ensure that they can cover the costs of the services they provide,
regardless of future changes to government policy.
Q How can housing charities change their approach to
protect themselves from future changes to government
policy?
We have found that housing insecurity is no longer reserved
for the most vulnerable people in society - the housing crisis in
the UK effects everybody. PwC reported that, by 2025, more
than half of those under 40 will be living in properties owned by
private landlords, which means that the way private rented sector
operates needs an innovative new approach to remove the fear
and uncertainty from renting, for both tenants and landlords.
At Trinity, we have developed a new model, which uses
commercially successful private lettings to change how supported
housing is funded. That approach reduces the need for further
regulation of the market and ensures that homeless charities can
shield themselves from further reforms of housing benefit, which
would affect their ability to provide supported housing to some of
the most vulnerable people in society.
Q It seems counter intuitive to use the private rented sector
to end homelessness so how does it work?
What everyone wants from housing is the same: from the person
who is living on the streets to the landlord wanting to let out their
property - we all want a safe and secure home, trust between
tenants and landlords, good value-for-money and for there to be
no fear or uncertainty around lettings.
So, we have launched Parker Morris, a lettings agency which
embodies a sustainable future for housing in metropolitan areas
in the UK. We provide market value, excellent quality housing
to professional sharers whilst ensuring that landlords can feel
assured that they will receive a guaranteed income and that their
property will be well looked after by experienced and trustworthy
property managers. The profits from this business are reinvested
for social gain: they go to Trinity, to fund any shortfall in the funding
for their supported housing for people who have been homeless.
Q Parker Morris is an interesting name. Why did you choose
it?
In the 1960s, Parker Morris established a set of standards for
social housing to comply with, which became the benchmark
for the following decades and meant that people living in social
housing lived in an environment which allowed them to flourish,
aspire and achieve more in their lives. We found that intriguing,
especially as the government later abandoned the Parker Morris
standards in favour of letting the free market define the standards
for housing. Now, in 2016, we are establishing a new benchmark
for the housing sector: trustworthy, professional and honest
lettings whose profit is invested for social gain.
Q What does the future look like for the private rented
sector?
Without significant, and perhaps revolutionary, changes to the
national housing market, it is clear that the private rented sector
will grow and grow over the coming decades. We believe that
Parker Morris not only offers a new way of providing private rented
properties - giving both tenants and landlords what they want and
need - but also provides a real solution to funding shortfalls in
supported housing provision. By reinvesting our profits for social
gain, with a supported housing provider, we are joining the rest of
the community to end homelessness; this model can be replicated
to change the housing market for good in all metropolitan areas.
To get in touch with Eoin, email eoin@parker-morris.co.uk,
or visit www.parker-morris.co.uk; or, to find out more
about the work that Trinity does to end homelessness,
visit www.wearetrinity.org.uk
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