22 June 2017
People are being priced out of Bath due to skyrocketing rents way above the regional and national average.
Research conducted by the B&NES Green Party has discovered that the current average lets in Bath are £1,201 per calendar month, nearly £400 more expensive than the average for the South West.
The numbers, based on the letting cost of properties currently advertised, paints a disastrous picture of the cost of living in Bath.
The current south west average of renting a property is £802 per calendar month making Bath £399 per month more expensive. This means that people are paying a bank breaking £4,788 more per year to live in Bath.
The Green Party's Eleanor Field has called the situation “scandalous” and “Forcing hard working families and young professionals out of the city.”
“My personal experience of renting a house in Bath is that it is expensive and there is not much choice. Too often families like mine, young professionals and the elderly are forced to pick the ‘best’ out of the ‘rest’.”
“The Bath housing market is totally broken and needs fixing. We need well-insulated warm homes for families, students and everyone. Rents need to be controlled, and landlords need to take responsibility to ensure that rental homes are safe, warm and affordable.”
This discovery comes right after the University of Bath has decided to increase the rent of its accommodation by an average of 5.5% next year, despite massive opposition from Students and the Students’ Union.
Eleanor Field was recently joined by Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas, in Foxhill to talk to residents about the impending demolition of their community. Caroline said:
“It was good to hear from the Save Foxhill campaign and all those battling to stop their homes from being destroyed by bulldozers. These families need security and they need a Green MP willing to listen to their concerns and stand up for what matters.”
Together they launched their housing policy pledges to Bath. Eleanor Field is proposing to introduce a living rent for all through rent controls, provide more secure tenancies for private renters, and introduce mandatory licensing for all landlords.
“The current rent prices are scandalous. Landlords, letting agents and private companies are forcing out hardworking families and young professionals and not enough is being done to keep those people inside our historic city.”
For more information refer to our housing pledge document here: bath.greenparty.org.uk/Green_HousingPledges.pdf
These prices fluctuate daily based on the current houses advertised, having also reached £1,241 pcm. These figures referred to, are from the home.co.uk and homelet.co.uk websites
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