Number of Private Renters

I suppose it’s not a huge surprise, but it appears that since 2001, the number of those in privately rented accommodation has almost doubled.

According to figures from the Department of Communities and Local Government, those in privately rented accommodation had risen from 2.15 million people in 2001, to just over 4 million in the year 2011-12.

Interestingly, over the same period the number of those in social housing has actually remained rather static. In 2001, there were 4.23 million people, whilst in 2011-12 there were 4.03 million.

So what does this tell us?

Well, first and foremost, statistics are ridiculous. For example, working from these figures and taking the year 2006 as the baseline instead, I could equally have stated that the number of those renting social housing has risen from 3.91 million to 4.05 million in 2010-11.

And if I was Grand Duke von Twist II, an unelected figure of Parliament, being interviewed in a dimly lit television studio by a fierce bulldog of a presenter, and being pushed on my party’s manifesto pledge of increasing social housing- well, I would lean back into my chair, stroke my curly moustache rather smugly for a second or two, before declaring that these figures prove that there had indeed been an increase in the supply of social housing of almost 4% during our time in government.

I would then check my timepiece, pop it back into my waistcoat and tell the interviewer that I had to go on the grounds that as much as I would love to spend further time engaging the electorate, I actually had a previous engagement at my private members men club in Knightsbridge where there was a pressing game of backgammon in desperate need of attention.

I digress; though as the Grand Duke, I believe that I would be great at digressing. I’d like to think that I could steer a conversation seamlessly around the meandering maelstrom of how rubber is the perfect substitute for carrier pigeons to the relative merits of the humble shuttlecock.

Okay, I’m back.

It’s no real surprise that the number of those renting has increased over the last 10 years, and indeed, the trend will only continue upwards. Simple really; whilst the rate of increase in house prices outstrips that of salaries then it’s simple maths really.

My advice is- sell a kidney and buy a property. Failing that, steal a kidney and buy a property. Failing that, well, I suppose you’ll just have to come to terms with the fact that in all likelihood many of us will never realise the dream of home ownership. Ho hum…

In case you’re wondering, Grand Duke von Twist II says that if you want to own a house, maybe you think about working harder and having fewer children.