Forcing MPs to rent 'will save taxpayer over £1m annually'

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Forcing MPs to rent 'will save taxpayer over £1m annually'

Thu 14th May 2009

If MPs and lords are made to rent property rather than buy second homes in London, the purse of the British taxpayer will be around £1,267,000 lighter per year.

This is the claim of property website SmartLandlord.co.uk, which has calculated that renting accommodation close to their base in Westminster would save significant amounts of money in the long-run.

The sentiment is one shared by Conservative Party leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat head Nick Clegg, who have both called for rentals rather than second homes for MPs following a series of expenses scandals.

Managing director of SmartLandlord.co.uk Keshav Thukaram commented: "The saving should be even larger assuming parliamentarians have less scope to charge for renovations or flipping and some MPs can rent in cheaper Lambeth - but we're not counting on that."

One of the most controversial revelations to come to light concerning politicans' expenses was that former agriculture minister Elliot Morley claimed £16,000 for a mortgage which had already been paid off. He has since been suspended.

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