The introduction of the Help to Buy scheme was the only very small bone of contention in this year’s successful Budget (successful politically, that is, in that no-one talks about it a month and a half later). The announcement itself was a political win for Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, who believes that the only problem left now is access to credit, over those in the Treasury who had, at one point at least, hoped to re-open the debate about planning regulations in order to increase supply.
It is too soon to tell, of course, whether the scheme itself will be a roaring success: it only celebrated its first completion a week or so ago. But today’s warning from Fathom Consulting, reported by the Times, highlights the risks that a successful Help to Buy could pose for the wider housing market.
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