‘Priced out, pushed out’ – why a bold social housing programme is needed
Phoebe Cox, Mansfield Socialist Party
The Socialist Party believes that the Tory and Blairite model of privatised provision of housing has failed working-class people – with mass working-class action needed to fight for an imminent solution.
We need a bold council housing programme to provide decent homes for all.
This documentary exposes the horrors of the housing crisis, along with pressures from the rising costs of living, as many working-class people are unable to afford rising rents, facing homelessness as a result.
Words such as “dehumanising”, “unfair” and “anxiety-inducing” were used by the interviewees throughout.
As the average house now costs more than ten times the average salary, and renting costs are higher than ever before, this documentary does not shy away from these realities and shows the fightback from tenants.
Thai from Bristol received support from Acorn (a campaign group) in her fight back, after she was issued with a 66.6% rent increase for a new six-month contract by her landlord for a ‘tiny’ flat in the city. This would take her £450-a-month rent up to a shocking £750 per month.
She said: “That’s not a rent increase. That’s a covert eviction.”
I agree.
Throughout the series, more stark facts are shown on screen. Including how ‘no-fault evictions’ are still legal in this country (this allows a landlord to evict a tenant without giving a specific reason, as long as the proper notice has been given).
And with figures such as “four in ten young people are spending more than 30% of their wages on rent”, and “eviction from a private property is the biggest cause of homelessness in the UK”, this shows why mass working-class organisation is needed, along with a strong socialist policy on council housing.
Many of the renters are unable to find affordable alternatives, resulting in poor mental health and financial pressures.
It is refreshing to see a documentary on a mainstream platform showing these realities, as it’s vastly different to your usual ‘positive’ and ‘polished’ property programmes.
Yes, this documentary does present a clearer picture of the housing crisis we face, but interviewing eight young people sadly only scratches the surface of a widespread problem plaguing working-class people of all ages, being pushed out by private landlords in ‘coveted evictions’.
It is well worth a watch, but I do hope this is just the start of what is a very topical, overdue and important conversation to have when it comes to the brutal reality of renting in modern-day Britain.
