Party also pledges a tax raid on second homeowners and to limit rent increases
The Liberal Democrats would reintroduce energy efficiency requirements for landlords and only allow them to increase rent in line with the Bank Rate during a contract period if they got into power next year.
The party has also pledged to abolish the leasehold system, allow local authorities to apply up to 500pc council tax premiums on second homeowners and introduce Stamp Duty Land Tax refunds for house buyers who retrofit their properties within one year of purchase.
Last weekend, party leader Sir Ed Davey kicked off the Lib Dems’ annual conference in Bournemouth alongside the publication of various new policy documents – including one on ‘Tackling the Housing Crisis’.
Just 15 Lib Dem MPs currently sit in parliament, but the party has overturned a number of Tory majorities at by-elections – most recently Somerton and Frome.