Housing Finance in Western Europe

Abstract

In this b ro c h u re an account is given ol' the m ain m ethods a n d techniques o f financing house building in m ost o f the countries oF W estern Europe at the present time. Also, as the detailed problems of housing finance can only be fully understood if a knowledge of general housing conditions and problem s has first been acquired, som e account is given of the general housing situation in the countries u n d er review. T he rep o rt is in two parts; in the first, the subject m atter is outlined in general term s; in the second, greater detail is provided by dealing with each c o u n try separately. T he inform ation given is as com plete, up-to-date and accurate as possible but some of the data required has not been obtainable and some o f the original data has proved to be conflicting. However, great care has been taken and slight omissions and inaccuracies should not detract from the general usefulness of the information provided. Inform ation on housing finance is plentiful b ut diffuse. A mass o fdata has been published relating to one or other of most European countries, but there have been very lew attempts to collate such inform ation in a conveniently concise form. Clearly such an a tte m p t is desirable. W ith h o u sin g finance, as w ith o th e r subjects, k n o w ledge o f the problems confronting other countries and o f the m ethods adopted elsewhere is a necessary prerequisite to closer understanding and co-operation between nations. It is hoped that this study will assist in the interchange o f ideas and, possibly, in the solution of certain com m on problems. It must be m ade clear at the outset that the following pages are intended to be informative ra th e r th a n critical —facts a re d escribed as they exist, w ith o u t ju d g m e n t o f a n y k in d being passed. The narrative has been written with the close collaboration of Co-operative H ousing Societies in all the countries u nder review an d than ks are extended to those Organisations for the many helpful com m ents and suggestions proffered. O ther inform a tion has been obtained from the most up-to-date publications available; in particular, free use has been made of the latest reports of the Housing Com m ittee of the Economic Commission for Europe