Rental in Germany is seen a a viable, sustainable, sensible and affordable option, even for life. A lot of people never purchase property there and nobody bats an eyelid.
In the UK however, it is seen as a failing to be renting and renters are fair game for being ripped off, exploited and...
Nothing to do with immigration. Tory's won't allow more affordable houses to be built because the fewer properties there are, the more they can artificially raise the value of their own property portfolios. I think Labour were just as much to blame for the same thing.
Plenty of room to build...