Against Landlords: How to Solve the Housing Crisis

Housing in the UK is a crisis, with more people living in private rented accommodation than ever before, rents rising without apparent reason, homes getting smaller every year, and nearly 20% of tenants living in hazardous conditions. The government's only solution is to promote homeownership, but Against Landlords shows that this crisis is not the product of happenstance or political incompetence. Government policy has intentionally split British citizens into homeowners and renters, two classes set on very different financial paths. Nick Bano argues that this environment set the conditions for the Grenfell Tower fire and means a life of anxiety for the nation's renters, and that building more housing is not the solution.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 26 March 2024
Publisher: Verso Books

Housing holds a multifaceted significance, representing prosperity and security for some, while simultaneously fostering poverty, precarity, and sickness for others. The landscape of residential arrangements has undergone a notable shift, with an increasing number of people opting for private rented accommodations. However, this trend is accompanied by a concerning rise in rents, without apparent justification. Homes are continually shrinking in size, and a staggering 20% of tenants are subjected to hazardous living conditions. Homelessness has reached unprecedented levels, casting a shadow over our society.

Yet, the government's sole response to this crisis is to promote homeownership, disregarding the root causes and exacerbating the divide between homeowners and renters.
In his groundbreaking book, Against Landlords, lawyer Nick Bano unveils a radical new perspective on the housing crisis, shedding light on how this environment ultimately contributed to the tragic Grenfell Tower fire and perpetuates a life of anxiety for renters across the nation. This problem extends far beyond the confines of London and possesses inherent racist undertones.

It is crucial to recognize that merely building more housing is not a panacea. Rather, Bano argues that the housing crisis stems from legal issues, and reforms are urgently needed to dismantle the landlordism that lies at the heart of this crisis and permeates British political life. Only through such comprehensive reforms can we strive towards a more equitable and sustainable housing system that ensures the well-being and security of all citizens.

Weight: 324g
Dimension: 220 x 150 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781804293874