Buy-to-let conundrum continues for first time buyers

06-Aug-2007

First time buyers considering their options as they look to get onto the housing ladder are conflicted when it comes to buy-to-let, a new study suggests.

An Ipsos MORI poll of 2,000 Britons found that six in ten said they thought buy-to-let was having a negative impact on the availability of affordable housing, but almost 50 per cent said they themselves would invest if they had the money.

Furthermore, 40 per cent asserted that private investment helped to improve the quality of living in poorer areas.

A study by Instant Access Properties, meanwhile, has seemingly debunked the myth that buy-to-let investors were keeping properties vacant, with just 3.1 per cent of respondents to its own survey saying they deliberately did so.

"Whatever people think about buy-to-let though, there are clearly plenty of people eager to get in on the action if they can," commented Ipsos MORI head of housing research Stephen Finlay.

Last month the National Landlords' Association similarly suggested that buy-to-let was not having a detrimental effect on the London market.

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