MP SUPPORTS FAIRER DEAL FOR HOMEOWNERS RENTING ROOMS

4.04.17pm GMT Tue 2nd Mar 2010

Nick Harvey, MP for North Devon, is pleased to be supporting the Raise the Roof Campaign, launched by flat and house-share website Spareroom.co.uk. The campaign, also supported by Shelter and the National Landlords Association, is calling for improved tax breaks for householders who rent out spare rooms under the Government's Rent a Room Scheme.

Nick says, "This is an excellent initiative at a time when many households are struggling to make ends meet. The aim of the Raise the Roof campaign is to improve awareness of the Rent a Room Scheme and at the same time lobby the Government for a fairer deal for the hundreds of thousands of householders who benefit from the scheme, the value of which has slowly been eroded over time."

Through the Rent a Room Scheme, householders can receive an amount of tax-free income from renting out a spare room. The tax-free threshold currently stands at £4,250, and the Raise the Roof campaign is calling for the Government to raise this threshold to £9,000 per annum, which will encourage more people to take in a lodger and help many avoid arrears and repossession.

Matt Hutchinson, Director, SpareRoom.co.uk, comments: "The UK is suffering from a housing shortage whilst, at the same time, thousands of lower and middle income households are currently struggling financially. The Rent a Room Scheme offers a simple solution, providing a supply of affordable rented accommodation, and at the same time, and especially in this current economic climate, giving many households a financial lifeline.

"In order for the Rent a Room Scheme to encourage more people to take in lodgers, the incentive to do so needs to move with the times. By raising the threshold, which hasn't been increased since 1997, the Government is sending out a clear message, that renting a spare room is a positive option that benefits both householder and tenant."