Government’s ‘missed opportunity’ to boost market

Housing and mortgage groups, including chairman of the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association John Heron and chief executive of the National Housing Federation David Orr, spoke before a Communities and Local Government select committee on the effect of the credit crisis on the mortgage market, and said the government had missed an opportunity to boost house builders and mortgage lenders. They argued that measures introduced in the Budget were insufficient to stop the downward slide affecting the markets. Mr Heron called for more support for buy-to-let lenders, while Mr Orr called for ministers to try to keep rents high, even if deflation occurs elsewhere.