Time to end house price roller coaster, says TUC

"'We need to put an end to the house price roller coaster, which has triggered the UK's current recession.

'We now have a unique opportunity to change the system. We need to restart the housing market by getting the banks lending again, but we also need to find a way to dampen speculation as the market starts to recover.

'Every UK citizen should have a decent home, which means that we must greatly increase the rate of house-building.

'We must also put an end to the myth that home ownership is the only desirable model. The Government needs to put its plans to give local authorities new powers to invest in social housing into place as soon as possible, and must ensure that all private sector tenants are treated decently.

'The Compass report is a timely contribution to the debate, and it asks the housing questions that Government finds difficult to answer - including the reform of the regressive council tax, which favours better off home owners.'