I’m starting this petition because I’m tired of watching Leeds being sold off, one flat at a time, to landlords, overseas investors, and “buy-to-let” companies — while ordinary people who work and live here can’t afford a home of their own.

Almost every new flat being built in Leeds is advertised as “Investor Only” or “Buy to Let.” That means people like me — local residents, first-time buyers, young professionals, families — are being pushed out of the housing market. These homes aren’t being built for us. They’re being built for profit.

Developers sell entire buildings in bulk to investors who will never live here. The result? Empty apartments, sky-high rents, and a city where communities can’t grow. Leeds is becoming a place you can only live in if you rent forever — and even that’s getting harder to afford.

We demand a change:

Reserve a percentage of all new flats for local first-time buyers.
Ban the practice of marketing homes as “Investor Only.”
Introduce rules that prioritize housing for people, not investment portfolios.
Make developers contribute to actual communities, not just luxury buildings with no soul.

This isn’t just happening in Leeds — but we can start the change here. If enough of us speak up, the Council and Government will have to listen.

Sign this petition if you believe homes should be for people, not profit.