The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[peteblue]

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices...own-firemen-and-zebra-crossings-10182810.html

At last the Conservatives have an answer to the chaos caused by a lack of social housing. The solution is obvious, to sell most of it off so there’s even less.

This is the way all shortages should be dealt with. When the Red Cross take parcels of food to famine areas, instead of sharing it out equally like idiots, they should sell it off to the handful who can afford it, so they can get on to the rice ladder.

Even those who can’t afford it won’t go empty-handed, because they’ll get a lovely cherubic smile and an announcement that the good life is returning, which ought to cheer them up all day and make them forget about being hungry.

You were far less angry when you were a giraffe........I miss the giraffe........

 

[The Esk]

Yep. We sold one, with a Local Occupancy clause on it. We sold it at 80% of market value with a caveat that if it were to be sold for profit the remaining balance be paid. It resulted from years of strategic planning, not an off the hoof decision.

Our scheme provides affordable housing and I actually think very few of the current tenants would want to own the properties they are in outright. They are fully subscribed to what we are trying to achieve.

We are obviously going to have to agree to disagree on this one. As someone who has seen plenty of feasibility studies and reports on the benefits of social housing, with input from professionals in health, policing & education (to name a few) I am happy that your opinion is one I will never ever subscribe to.

I think we should also remember that not everyone wants to own their own home. There are people out there who do not want the responsibility of ownership and upkeep.

In your HA case though the benefits are so obvious. If the Conservatives were to gain a majority I hope you lobby strongly for an exemption in the Bill. Perhaps an exemption for local HA's under a certain size and with a specific raison d'etre such as yours. There must be similar HAs around the country?

 

[Pienaar's gloves]

I think we should also remember that not everyone wants to own their own home. There are people out there who do not want the responsibility of ownership and upkeep.

In your HA case though the benefits are so obvious. If the Conservatives were to gain a majority I hope you lobby strongly for an exemption in the Bill. Perhaps an exemption for local HA's under a certain size and with a specific raison d'etre such as yours. There must be similar HAs around the country?

Extremely good point. I'm not entirely sure I want to. The amount you pay is often 2.5x the value of your house over the course of a mortgage.

That is money that I could do with and the big banks don't need.

Very tempted to look into renting on a very long term. If I can't pay my rent then I might get moved out and have to re-locate somewhere cheaper but I won't have lost all of that capital I've poured in. In some ways it's actually more secure.

 

[Walken]

I think we should also remember that not everyone wants to own their own home. There are people out there who do not want the responsibility of ownership and upkeep.

In your HA case though the benefits are so obvious. If the Conservatives were to gain a majority I hope you lobby strongly for an exemption in the Bill. Perhaps an exemption for local HA's under a certain size and with a specific raison d'etre such as yours. There must be similar HAs around the country?

it is a very british thing to obsessed with owning a property, in a lot of other countries it isn't quite such a big hang up

 

[roydo]

Extremely good point. I'm not entirely sure I want to. The amount you pay is often 2.5x the value of your house over the course of a mortgage.

That is money that I could do with and the big banks don't need.

Very tempted to look into renting on a very long term. If I can't pay my rent then I might get moved out and have to re-locate somewhere cheaper but I won't have lost all of that capital I've poured in. In some ways it's actually more secure.

A mortgaged house isnt really yours till the mortgage is paid off. A rented place never is.

I have done both, and kind of prefer knowing that only I can get myself lobbed out if I dont pay the mortgage. And I can always sell the place.

But as I have said tons of times, the UK housing "market" is dysfunctional, gives folk an illusion of wealth, and is frankly currently bonkers.

 

[daylightrobber]

I think we should also remember that not everyone wants to own their own home. There are people out there who do not want the responsibility of ownership and upkeep.

In your HA case though the benefits are so obvious. If the Conservatives were to gain a majority I hope you lobby strongly for an exemption in the Bill. Perhaps an exemption for local HA's under a certain size and with a specific raison d'etre such as yours. There must be similar HAs around the country?

It shouldn't have to be an exemption though and all HAs have a raison d'etre - to provide affordable housing.

Social Housing plays an important part in tempering the housing markets. When there are large numbers of social housing it is harder for private landlords to inflate their rents. When there is very little social housing and private is the only choice, rents will rocket. The more properties can command in rent, the more expensive they are when up for sale. It's simple economics.

We should be doing more to increase the numbers of social houses not decrease them.

 

[Clint Planet]

I think we should also remember that not everyone wants to own their own home. There are people out there who do not want the responsibility of ownership and upkeep.

Yeah, like I said earlier, I have a colleague who doesn't envisage buying and is happy in her council house. Nat does, too. You can be "self-sufficient" without owning a home.

 

[roydo]

Yeah, like I said earlier, I have a colleague who doesn't envisage buying and is happy in her council house. Nat does, too. You can be "self-sufficient" without owning a home.

Yep. I think housing is probably the one issue we are 100% (ish) in accordance with Clint. It is a gigantic mess in this country. Has been for decades.

 

[Mozza1987]

Anyone seen the advert for the election on sky news? Very funny haha!

 

[TheFinnFan]

we are having very interesting situation here

two opposition parties are now two biggest ones...atm

 

[Toffeelover]

A mortgaged house isnt really yours till the mortgage is paid off. A rented place never is.

I have done both, and kind of prefer knowing that only I can get myself lobbed out if I dont pay the mortgage. And I can always sell the place.

But as I have said tons of times, the UK housing "market" is dysfunctional, gives folk an illusion of wealth, and is frankly currently bonkers.

Let me say a bit here. My first Wife and I bought a 4 bedroom house for 65K. We split up and I gave my share of the house to her and for my two sons. Cut the story short, she sold the house last year for 400K after 30 years living there. From the proceeds, she bought another house for herself and a house for each of our two sons and they are all mortgage free! and still has a huge amount of cash left.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

You were far less angry when you were a giraffe........I miss the giraffe........

Trying to out nasty the nasty party.

 

[daylightrobber]

Anyone seen the advert for the election on sky news? Very funny haha!

Very good. Still prefer Cassetteboy though.

 

[The Esk]

It shouldn't have to be an exemption though and all HAs have a raison d'etre - to provide affordable housing.

Social Housing plays an important part in tempering the housing markets. When there are large numbers of social housing it is harder for private landlords to inflate their rents. When there is very little social housing and private is the only choice, rents will rocket. The more properties can command in rent, the more expensive they are when up for sale. It's simple economics.

We should be doing more to increase the numbers of social houses not decrease them.

I agree totally with what you have written, unfortunately the Tory Party does not, hence my comment if Cameron was to be re-elected or form the next Government (let's hope not!) then you should have a strategy to defend the interests of at least certain types of HA's including your own.

 

[daylightrobber]

I agree totally with what you have written, unfortunately the Tory Party does not, hence my comment if Cameron was to be re-elected or form the next Government (let's hope not!) then you should have a strategy to defend the interests of at least certain types of HA's including your own.

Oh, absolutely. There will be plenty of lobbying (our likely MP has assured us he we will fight for us, we are hoping that he will fight for others too) and if necessary there will be legal challenges.