Housing Ministers 17 – England 0

The UK property industry is facing its 17^th Housing Minister in 20 years, as Dominic Raab heads to the Brexit office.

Prime Minister Theresa May is facing a barrage of difficulties on all sides, as key members of her cabinet resign over Brexit implementation, the housing and construction industry are bringing her under fire for yet another change in the department for housing.

Kit Malthouse MP has been appointed as the 17^th Housing Minister in just 20 years, as the industry calls for cohesion and consistency. Property experts and construction industry members have accused the government of not taking housing strategy seriously with a ‘merry-go-round’ of Ministers affecting housing policy and strategy.

Minister of State for Housing, Kit Malthouse MP, said: “I am delighted to be appointed as Minister of State for Housing.

“Building the homes this country needs is a top priority for this government. I am keen to build on the real progress that has been made and start working with the sector so we can deliver more homes, restore the dream of home ownership and build a housing market fit for the future.

“I’m also committed to continuing the important work of supporting those affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy and ensuring people are safe, and feel safe in their homes.”

With a housing crisis currently underway and government ambitions to build an extra million homes within the next few years, political clarity and strategy are needed now more than ever.

Paresh Raja, CEO of Market Financial Solutions, commented: “With the resignation of David Davis, Theresa May has been dealt a significant blow in her attempts to create a workable, agreeable plan for Brexit. And yet it’s not just the PM who has been affected – the UK’s property sector will also feel the impact of Mr Davis’ decision.

“News that Housing Minister Dominic Raab is to now become Brexit Secretary means yet another MP takes hold of the reins as the Government attempts to address the housing crisis – Mr Raab’s successor will become the 17th Housing Minister in the past two decades, and at a time when the property market needs consistency and clarity in policy, this development could prove a hindrance to a hugely valuable sector for the UK economy. It’s vital the Government acts quickly to appoint a new Housing Minister and ensures it sticks to its strategy to help more people get on and move up the property ladder.”

Simon Bath, CEO and founder of proptech platform When You Move, says: “While it is of critical importance that the Prime Minister handles the Brexit negotiations with the strongest possible team around her, there remains a need to ensure that important – and time sensitive – domestic issues do not get left behind. Kit Malthouse will now inherit a department dogged by a number of issues ranging from the impact of Brexit on the property industry right through to the transparency of referral fees amongst estate agents and conveyancers. While some projects, such as the digitisation of Local Authority records, may take longer than some find comfortable, this new appointment must serve as a call to action across the industry to push for real change where it matters. In what has not been a seamless period for UK housing, including acute tragedies such as the Grenfell Tower fire, I hope that this will be the last change in post for some time to come, providing stability and security to one of the UK’s most important sectors.”

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