It's time to fix the housing crisis

Oxford is now the most unaffordable place to live in the UK. Houses cost more than 11 times average wages, creeping up from less than 10 times wages only a year ago. The country and Oxford's council have a housing crisis on their hands.

Too often, people paying rent get poor service from rogue agencies and landlords. Greens want to take action to drive up standards in rented housing and to tackle the burden of rent.

We believe that access to housing is a human right – the council must do more to meet the housing needs of people in Oxford. Greens support increasing the number of council and social homes available to those who need them.

Here in Oxford, the Green Party is calling for:

• More proactive regulation of rented housing

The council should regulate all rented housing, to crack down on rogue landlords and push for tenants' rights to be protected across the city.

• A Council-run letting agency with no registration fees

Greens are pushing the council to set up a publicly owned letting agency – to guarantee a better deal for tenants and to be free from rip-off letting fees.

• Build and buy new affordable and council-owned homes

With more than 4,500 households on the waiting list in Oxford, we need to build new council homes. The council should also be buying houses to meet the need for council homes. Greens also calling for more affordable housing in sites across the city – including the new Westgate development.

• More housing to help people leave homelessness behind

Greens want to see the council provide more temporary accommodation to help people who are facing homelessness or are getting back on their feet.

• Insulate more homes to keep bills down

The council should fund insulation and energy efficiency measures for more people to help keep housing costs down.

Together we can make the council take action so that everyone has access to affordable housing.

Read more about what the Oxford Green Party are saying on Public services, the Local Economy, and Migrant Rights or read our manifesto.