Reply to the comment left by "Annie Landlord" at "19/06/2017 - 16:15":

Thanks, Annie. Maybe someone else can find out the actual figures. I don't think the existence of a working group on it proves that it is a big problem. Remember the hotline for reporting unnecessary motorway bollards? (finding a solution and spending a lot of money on it, for a problem that didn't exist)

Reply to the comment left by "Luk Udav" at "19/06/2017 - 13:20":

You are right - people who have been lucky enough to rent social housing for a while in the richest part of London would be fed up if they had to leave.

However, only left-wing rabble-rousers would claim that, if accommodation is not available for them there, private property must be seized. Or claim that its very existence taunts the victims.

If my car was destroyed by fire would you give me one of yours?

You and Corbyn have misused the term land bankers in connection with empty properties. It just means those who buy and hold land.
.
And Giggsy and G Neville did not open up their building in Manchester - squatters took the initiative in October 2015. They were back on the streets by the end of January 2016, before the end of winter.

Reply to the comment left by "Appalled Landlord" at "19/06/2017 - 18:49":

I do actually think Buy to Leave is a huge issue in London. Its foreign investors (not landlords) buying up numerous properties at a time in order to leave them empty and sell when the market is right. To me, its inexcusable that successive governments have allowed that to continue when we have such a housing shortage. With regard to Corbyn's 'proposal' to 'occupy or requisition', that is surely inciting people to commit crime (the occupy bit). We will never begin to solve the inequalities in our society if people like Corbyn promote their own style of Robin Hood economics and actively set rich against poor. I'm sure K&C council could have rapidly contacted some landlords of vacant properties in the area and offered to rent them for 6 months to give bereaved and displaced residents some security in a time of crisis. But forcibly requisitioning property would set a very dangerous precedent. Then again, Corbyn would like the state to own everything!

The LSE doesn't think buy to leave is much of a problem:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/house-prices/almost-no-evidence-london-homes-owned-foreign-buyers-left-empty/

Don't worry Ros Red Theresa and the faux Tories won't let independent research from a well regarded institution get in the way of populist neo-socialist vote grabbing policies - taking their lead from Laurel and Hardy (Cameron and Osborne).

Reply to the comment left by "Dr Rosalind Beck" at "19/06/2017 - 20:57":

Well that's interesting isn't it! I had certainly read reports of high end apartments being left vacant, but maybe not. One was that ridiculously expense block One Hyde Park. But at circa £100 million per flat it probably wouldn't affect the average family anyway!

Reply to the comment left by "Dr Rosalind Beck" at "19/06/2017 - 20:57":

Re this LSE report: As the first comment so accurately says "Why is there no link to the LSE Report to see what they actually said as opposed to what the Telegraph would like us believe what they said? "

Looking further I found the report https://www.london.gov.uk/moderngovmb/documents/s58640/08b2b%20LSE%20Overseas%20Investment%20report.pdf
which is based on talking to .... estate agents and developers who specialise in selling to overseas clients. Hmmm, unbiased source there, not. "Honest Crispin, my children are going to Westminster in 3 years time and need a flat. Nothing to do with my money being stuck in that bank in Kazakhstan, honest."

The report also states that first time buyers ARE being squeezed out. I didn't see the Telegraph trumpet that.

Reply to the comment left by "Luk Udav" at "20/06/2017 - 12:38":

This is an area specific phemonenon though. My house in the north east of Scotland has been on the market for six months, in spite of the fact that's it's valued at £8000 less than when I bought it in 2007, and it's up at £2000 under valuation (which is as low as I can afford to go). The other first time buyer house in the area has been on the market for over a year. I am still anxiously awaiting the rush of first-time buyers that I have been pricing out of the market. 🙂

It seems that, at present, all roads lead to London!

Reply to the comment left by "Luk Udav" at "20/06/2017 - 12:38":

Where does it state that first time buyers are being squeezed out?

Reply to the comment left by "Appalled Landlord" at "20/06/2017 - 14:42":

That was part of the justification for S24 - we were buying all the properties that first time buyers wanted.