Housing benefit cap.
Discussion
Another "let's blame landlords for the benefits bill",
When demand for social housing vastly outstripped supply who did you think would take up the slack?
Call me what you want but I have about a 1/3 of my portfolio let to HB tenants and you wouldn't believe the demand that comes my way, councils are desperate to house people, and are trying schemes like buying back at market value what they sold off for peanuts years ago, paying bonds for tenants and even paying for the maintenance and damages if you take on some of the more troublesome folk. Rent is also paid direct to landlord.
Forget about the HB figure for a minute, I dread to think how much is being paid for temporary accommodation like B&B's etc. It really is a desperate situation.
The ONLY way to balance things is to build new houses, lots and lots of them, and to have a more stringent immigration policy as the numbers entering the uk are vast and uncontrolled.
When demand for social housing vastly outstripped supply who did you think would take up the slack?
Call me what you want but I have about a 1/3 of my portfolio let to HB tenants and you wouldn't believe the demand that comes my way, councils are desperate to house people, and are trying schemes like buying back at market value what they sold off for peanuts years ago, paying bonds for tenants and even paying for the maintenance and damages if you take on some of the more troublesome folk. Rent is also paid direct to landlord.
Forget about the HB figure for a minute, I dread to think how much is being paid for temporary accommodation like B&B's etc. It really is a desperate situation.
The ONLY way to balance things is to build new houses, lots and lots of them, and to have a more stringent immigration policy as the numbers entering the uk are vast and uncontrolled.
dazwalsh said:
The ONLY way to balance things is to build new houses, lots and lots of them, and to have a more stringent immigration policy as the numbers entering the uk are vast and uncontrolled.
Exactly. It's strange how this clear and obvious fact eludes many. The sheer numbers entering the country over a number of years (encouraged by Labour), is not just having a significant effect on the housing market, it's the NHS, the jobs market, the roads and general quality of life when conditions become crowded. Later of course, there'll be pressure on pensions.sooperscoop said:
Build more houses - lots more, especially multi-occupancy. Build up!
Make Buy-to-Let mortgages illegal. The only landlords should be corporate/charity/housing associations.
Punitively tax non-primary dwellings. Second home? You'll be paying 3x the council tax.
None of this will happen, or even close, we'll just bumble along being squeezed dry until we die broke.
Make BTL illegal? People can own property outright you know. Make Buy-to-Let mortgages illegal. The only landlords should be corporate/charity/housing associations.
Punitively tax non-primary dwellings. Second home? You'll be paying 3x the council tax.
None of this will happen, or even close, we'll just bumble along being squeezed dry until we die broke.
Should never have sold off council houses how was that ever going to help? I'm too young to know the reasoning behind it.
I agree councils should be building 1 and 2 bed flats not skyscrapers but 4 or 5 stories just for council tenants.
dazwalsh said:
Another "let's blame landlords for the benefits bill",
Rent is also paid direct to landlord.
Those days are numbered.Universal benefit means it's up to the tennant to pay their own rent out of their benefits, and it's not been an oustanding success where it's been trialed!Rent is also paid direct to landlord.
BoRED S2upid said:
Should never have sold off council houses how was that ever going to help? I'm too young to know the reasoning behind it.
I agree councils should be building 1 and 2 bed flats not skyscrapers but 4 or 5 stories just for council tenants.
It was a political move by the then Thatcher government. Councils were obliged to sell of housing when tenants reached certain criteria. They were sold at a loss and the councils were banned from replacing stock lost. I agree councils should be building 1 and 2 bed flats not skyscrapers but 4 or 5 stories just for council tenants.
Councils have, down my way, bought derelict properties and converted them to flats, or helped other agencies to do so, but it seems that these too will have to be sold off in many cases. Councils are obliged to house the homeless in their area. Without stock, they have to go on the open market. Very expensive.
I agree that councils should be building affordable 1 and 2 bed flats. I don't think my rates should go towards building flats and houses for people to buy at a knock-down price.
xjsdriver said:
It is only in the UK the we have a fixation on owning property. All over Europe the numbers of people that rent far outstrip those that own their properties.
If you cannot see that a generation or so ago, most working people could afford to buy their own home if they were of a mind to do so.....now being able to buy one's own home is out of reach to most working people on median salaries.
If you do not see this as a problem, then you are severely deluded, or simply have no bearing on reality.
Why do you see renting as the preferred option?If you cannot see that a generation or so ago, most working people could afford to buy their own home if they were of a mind to do so.....now being able to buy one's own home is out of reach to most working people on median salaries.
If you do not see this as a problem, then you are severely deluded, or simply have no bearing on reality.
If you own your home:
You are not paying out money you will never see again
You can make alterations as you wish
You set the rules
You can build the house to be different/unique/reflect your personality
You can sell it/mortgage it if you so desire
You can pass it to your children so that they do not have to worry about rent
sooperscoop said:
55palfers said:
My chum's lad and his wife are trying to get on the housing ladder and has been paying £1200 rent per month for years.
The house he wants would mean a £1000 mortgage which he can clearly afford - but sadly he can't have a mortgage due to "affordability" criteria and the need to save a bigger deposit.
There is a housing crisis - how it is fixed - any ideas....?
Build more houses - lots more, especially multi-occupancy. Build up!The house he wants would mean a £1000 mortgage which he can clearly afford - but sadly he can't have a mortgage due to "affordability" criteria and the need to save a bigger deposit.
There is a housing crisis - how it is fixed - any ideas....?
Make Buy-to-Let mortgages illegal. The only landlords should be corporate/charity/housing associations.
Punitively tax non-primary dwellings. Second home? You'll be paying 3x the council tax.
None of this will happen, or even close, we'll just bumble along being squeezed dry until we die broke.
skyrover said:
xjsdriver said:
It is only in the UK the we have a fixation on owning property. All over Europe the numbers of people that rent far outstrip those that own their properties.
If you cannot see that a generation or so ago, most working people could afford to buy their own home if they were of a mind to do so.....now being able to buy one's own home is out of reach to most working people on median salaries.
If you do not see this as a problem, then you are severely deluded, or simply have no bearing on reality.
Why do you see renting as the preferred option?If you cannot see that a generation or so ago, most working people could afford to buy their own home if they were of a mind to do so.....now being able to buy one's own home is out of reach to most working people on median salaries.
If you do not see this as a problem, then you are severely deluded, or simply have no bearing on reality.
If you own your home:
You are not paying out money you will never see again
You can make alterations as you wish
You set the rules
You can build the house to be different/unique/reflect your personality
You can sell it/mortgage it if you so desire
You can pass it to your children so that they do not have to worry about rent
sooperscoop said:
<snip>
Make Buy-to-Let mortgages illegal. The only landlords should be corporate/charity/housing associations.
.
somewhat excessive and a bit 'urban75' Make Buy-to-Let mortgages illegal. The only landlords should be corporate/charity/housing associations.
.
Buy to let should not be in a position where it is a very attractive investment vehicle ... there needs to be some protection for 'accidental' land lord and militarty personnel who are required to move to the other end of the country or Cyprus / Germany for a number of years on posting ...
regulation of letting agents , control of excessive fees and registration of landlords ( primarily from a financial / governance point of view ) are a possibly more reasonable set of compromises ...
eccles said:
dazwalsh said:
Another "let's blame landlords for the benefits bill",
Rent is also paid direct to landlord.
Those days are numbered.Universal benefit means it's up to the tennant to pay their own rent out of their benefits, and it's not been an oustanding success where it's been trialed!Rent is also paid direct to landlord.
I give it 6 months before direct payments are allowed again on universal credit.
Negative Creep said:
Which is all well and good, but how is someone on £15-20k a year going to raise money for a deposit? Not to mention if you do own your own home you're responsible for the upkeep, whereas at least with renting you have some protection if the boiler packs up or the roof leaks
Ah yes, the "I dont give a f
k about maintaining my property" clause. daytona365 said:
Of course it should have been capped decades ago, why should unemployable third world undesirables plague the likes of Kensington & Chelsea ? Why should they be in London full stop, when decent people have to work hard to afford a mortgage on a nice house then watch its value drop as 'they' move in next door ?!......Utter lunacy.
"Unemployable third world undesirables plague?" You're not even slightly racist are you?.....Meh!!! 
MajorProblem said:
Negative Creep said:
Which is all well and good, but how is someone on £15-20k a year going to raise money for a deposit? Not to mention if you do own your own home you're responsible for the upkeep, whereas at least with renting you have some protection if the boiler packs up or the roof leaks
Ah yes, the "I dont give a fk about maintaining my property" clause. My salary in my first proper job was £13169, I stayed at home and saved up £17k I had to pretty much pay lodge, eat and have petrol for work, I sold my car (new 106Gti) and slummed it in a £350 polo fox for a few years untill I was in a better position with my work and getting used to having a house of my own.
That was in the early 2000s, if I'd been a couple of years older my first house would have been £35k, instead it was closer to £100k.
I think it's doable but in this day and age people seem to have mental aspirations. For example there's a guy at work moaning about not being able to afford a house, yet his and his mrs have new audis on the never never, draining their income of around £800 a month then add in running costs insurance (these are their first cars) they've lost over £1k before anything else.
Not to mention iPhone 6s on £50 a month contract, eating out all the time, getting "fking mortal" every weekend and taking at least two holidays a year.
Seems a common theme with all the younger people we work with.
That was in the early 2000s, if I'd been a couple of years older my first house would have been £35k, instead it was closer to £100k.
I think it's doable but in this day and age people seem to have mental aspirations. For example there's a guy at work moaning about not being able to afford a house, yet his and his mrs have new audis on the never never, draining their income of around £800 a month then add in running costs insurance (these are their first cars) they've lost over £1k before anything else.
Not to mention iPhone 6s on £50 a month contract, eating out all the time, getting "f
king mortal" every weekend and taking at least two holidays a year. Seems a common theme with all the younger people we work with.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Ah right, that does raise another issue that you may be able to help with.I'm 43 - how do I rewind to 18, to live with my parents in rural Nottinghamshire? How do I subsequently meet my Irish wife in London if I'm living with my parents in said house and presumably she's living with her parents in rural Norther Ireland?
Even then, how do we both get jobs which subsequently allow us to save enough to buy a house in London where we both ultimately need to move to to find jobs?
I can afford my rent, I can afford to run a nice car, I can afford, to feed and clothe my son. I can even afford the frankly ludicrous cost of nursery care in London. But, after all that I can't afford to save the £40-50k deposit I'd need to buy the same flat I can afford to rent.
Sure, I could do without a nice car, but then I couldn't do my job.
I could have kids after I'd saved for the deposit but then I'd be too old and so would my wife.
daytona365 said:
Of course it should have been capped decades ago, why should unemployable third world undesirables plague the likes of Kensington & Chelsea ? Why should they be in London full stop, when decent people have to work hard to afford a mortgage on a nice house then watch its value drop as 'they' move in next door ?!......Utter lunacy.
Maybe because they are billionaires? Still, i would class Russia as 1st world if you are rich, a third world hell hole for the poor.vonuber said:
daytona365 said:
Of course it should have been capped decades ago, why should unemployable third world undesirables plague the likes of Kensington & Chelsea ? Why should they be in London full stop, when decent people have to work hard to afford a mortgage on a nice house then watch its value drop as 'they' move in next door ?!......Utter lunacy.
Maybe because they are billionaires? Still, i would class Russia as 1st world if you are rich, a third world hell hole for the poor.Hackney said:
Ah right, that does raise another issue that you may be able to help with.
I'm 43 - how do I rewind to 18, to live with my parents in rural Nottinghamshire? How do I subsequently meet my Irish wife in London if I'm living with my parents in said house and presumably she's living with her parents in rural Norther Ireland?
Even then, how do we both get jobs which subsequently allow us to save enough to buy a house in London where we both ultimately need to move to to find jobs?
I can afford my rent, I can afford to run a nice car, I can afford, to feed and clothe my son. I can even afford the frankly ludicrous cost of nursery care in London. But, after all that I can't afford to save the £40-50k deposit I'd need to buy the same flat I can afford to rent.
Sure, I could do without a nice car, but then I couldn't do my job.
I could have kids after I'd saved for the deposit but then I'd be too old and so would my wife.
I'm not trying to diminish your plight but a couple of comments on that;I'm 43 - how do I rewind to 18, to live with my parents in rural Nottinghamshire? How do I subsequently meet my Irish wife in London if I'm living with my parents in said house and presumably she's living with her parents in rural Norther Ireland?
Even then, how do we both get jobs which subsequently allow us to save enough to buy a house in London where we both ultimately need to move to to find jobs?
I can afford my rent, I can afford to run a nice car, I can afford, to feed and clothe my son. I can even afford the frankly ludicrous cost of nursery care in London. But, after all that I can't afford to save the £40-50k deposit I'd need to buy the same flat I can afford to rent.
Sure, I could do without a nice car, but then I couldn't do my job.
I could have kids after I'd saved for the deposit but then I'd be too old and so would my wife.
1) The decisions to move from Nottinghamshire to London, to marry, have a son, by a car and have nursery care, all in one of the world's most expensive city's are life style choices. They give you the life you have now with all the great stuff. However those decisions had an opportunity cost: you can't afford to buy a house. That is uncomfortable, but it might be worth considering that job + wife + child + car is a result in itself, and that expecting to buy a house in London or the SE might be pushing it unless you are on some serious dough?
2) Have you considered moving out of London? I lived in Oxford and commuted to High Wycombe. Like you, was settling down but couldn't afford to live in either place. Moved to Northampton where prices were 50% of the equivalent. I had to make the decision to suck up the 1hr15 min commute, but again it was a lifestyle choice. You pays yer money...
I don't mean to be glib, but it does appear that you find it unreasonable to not be able to have the whole shebang, when in fact what you have is pretty good, and with a change of expectation or lifestyle, could be better?
xjsdriver said:
Rents rocketing is something we've covered a fair bit - it's tied into house price rises, if since 1979, we'd been building properties to keep up with what were sold off by the councils - we'd be in a much better position than we are today. But all we hear is "it's been a long time since maggie's day - why are you still blaming her?" to which the retort is "because of her idiotic fking mantra of a small state at any cost".
You can always trust a lefty to blame Maggie.king mantra of a small state at any cost".Its so left wing saying we did not build council house to replace those sold to tenants. Are you suggesting the houses sold to tenants some how disappeared!!
No those house where still part of the housing stock and the same people lived in them. If they had not been sold then guess what the same people would have lived in them!!!
The sales made NO difference.
Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff