Clive Jones, Liberal Democrat candidate

Bracknell News:

HOUSE prices are especially high in Wokingham. The rental market has also become unaffordable for many young people, they need support from the government to help them find and keep a home of their own.

The Liberal Democrats will: * Help people who cannot afford a deposit by introducing a new rent to own model where rent payments give tenants an increasing stake in the property, owning it outright after 30 years.

* Build more 1 and 2 bedroom properties on brown field sites with shared ownership.

* Improve renting by banning lettings fees for tenants, capping up-front deposits, and increasing minimum standards in rented homes.

* Help young people into the rental market by establishing a new help to rent scheme to provide government-backed tenancy deposit loans for all first-time renters under 30.

* Promote longer tenancies of three years or more with an inflation-linked annual rent increase built in, to give tenants security and limit rent hikes.

* Improve protections against rogue landlords through mandatory licensing and allow access for tenants to the database of rogue landlords and letting agents.

Russell Seymour, Green Party candidate

Bracknell News:

I AM deeply concerned about the housing crisis in Wokingham. Housing is a huge issue across the country, but the issue of prices rising astronomically beyond wages is critical in the South East. With many thousands of families on the waiting list for social housing, and more than 70,000 statuary homeless households in England, the Government’s policies are failing. According to the charity Crisis, there are also ‘unknown thousands’ experiencing ‘hidden homelessness’, dependent on the generosity of family or friends for a place to live.

In response to this growing problem, the Green Party will continue to fight for new investment in council housing and for councils to be allowed to build the homes we need, where local people want them. As an MP I would fiercely fight the sale of council housing and support innovative ways to get more homes built, from housing cooperatives to self-build.

I will campaign for smart rent controls and a living rent commission to make renting a home affordable. We will champion action to protect the rights of tenants, backing a register of landlords to improve housing standards and make five year tenancies standard.

John Redwood, Conservative candidate

Bracknell News:

I DO wish to see change to allow more young people buy their own home. There are four main ways to bring this about. First, I have lobbied for more money for our schools and colleges, as we need to help young people prepare for better paid jobs with high levels of skill and qualification.

The Conservative Manifesto has agreed to provide more cash for our local schools. Second, nationwide we need to build more affordable homes, which the Conservative Manifesto intends to do. We also need to protect our green spaces and environment by not overbuilding here, where Wokingham is already making a large contribution to the growing national build rate. Third, we need to control the rate of migration into our country by those seeking low paid work, to reduce the demand for more affordable homes. Fourth, we need to continue with the help to buy schemes to make it easier to raise the deposit and the mortgage to buy a home.

Andy Croy, Labour candidate

Bracknell News:

House building is at its lowest level since in the 1920s. Scarcity drives up prices.

A Labour government will build a million new homes over the next parliament.

At least half of the homes will council homes or affordable homes for rent or sale.

This will help to keep down private rents.

In addition, Labour will introduce controls on rent rises, making three year tenancies the norm and will cap rent rises to the level of inflation. We will also ban rip-off fees from letting agents.

We will keep free school meals for all our youngest children, as this helps with family budgets.

We will keep the triple –lock for pensioners their incomes will continued to be protected by a Labour government.