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stoneman 10:05 Tue Apr 14
Right to buy.

So I live in a semi detached house, my neighbours have been living there for 10 years they are council tenants I am not.

In the 10 years I have paid out for new windows, kitchen, bathroom and guttering. Not been cheap.

In the same time they have had the same paid for by the council and the tax man
I pay a mortgage, they pay £300 a month in rent.

They can now but that house at up to 70% off the market value.

Where is the fairness in that? They have been a burden on the tax payers for 10 years and now they get rewarded for it.

New cars on the drive, Sky etc etc

Once again those that work hard and ask for nothing and make their own way in life get shafted.

Gavros 12:28 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

the stats on council built housing since right to buy came in show that it provides a massive disincentive to build, because all of the value added (and then some) is potentially taken by the person that takes the right to buy.

that suggests that at the very least the discount on right to buy should be reduced significantly.

the other major problem with building anything, is that you get people opposing development, especially if its more than about five stories. the number of 'affordable' units is always an issue too, usually done as a fig leaf to hide the self interest of those objecting to it.

There's also the ridiculous system that weve got that means once youve got a council house you pay a basic rent no matter what your future means. That's totally fucked up. You have to means test council housing, so that those that can afford to pay pay closer to the market rate for it. If they want to stay in their place, fine, more money for the council for other development, if the price pushes them to look elsewhere, fine, they can afford it.

So I would suggest:

-significant easing of planning laws to dilute the power of local objection to development
-means testing of social housing.
-if you have to have right to buy (which politically is inevitable) you reduce the discount such that it doesnt provide a disincentive for councils or housing associations to build.

Sue Perdupa 12:23 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

Another issue with money from sales being re-invested into new social housing is that the new housing would become available at a discount rate under the same right to buy scheme that was used to fund its build. This fatally undermines its value and removes any incentive to actually build these replacements – a point made this morning by the Head of the National Housing Federation in explanation of why the current replacement rate is so low.
A wider problem that has twice scuppered this policy in the past still remains though – the majority of Housing Associations have charitable status. The houses are therefore charitable assets. It’s not possible to privatise charitable assets at an undervalue.

whufcroe 12:17 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

goose 12:14 Wed Apr 15

No there has to be a balance and this is a good balance. It's designed to take "working" people out of the social housing system and supply more social housing & more affordable starter homes.

Still it's all very well on paper, in reality I doubt we'll ever find out.

goose 12:14 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

btu you said the money from sales was being re-invested into social housing?? surely the higher price you get the more social housing you can build.
if they are getting a 70% discount then surely it makes better economic sense to sell it at full price and build two houses when you could have built one??

whufcroe 12:10 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

"and if you wanna sell it off then put it on the open market and get a higher price for the tax payer."

That's also what they have planned

But you can't simply do just that because you are then not taking anyone out of the social housing system.

whufcroe 12:08 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

Northern Sold 12:00 Wed Apr 15

Spot on again, you're on fire Soldo

Some people want to live in a completely fair, utopian style society but that's not real life is it?

Life isn't fair

The right to buy plan is sound, we need more social housing and the way to do it is sell off existing housing to tenants and sell the best of the council houses when they become available to raise the money to fund building more, new and affordable social housing.

How else are we meant to solve the housing crisis?

goose 12:06 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

i fully understand that life isn't fair.
but that doesn't mean i can't point out what i believe to be an unfair system.

i completely agree that we need social housing, but how does selling it off ease the problem further down the line?? and if you wanna sell it off then put it on the open market and get a higher price for the tax payer.

Northern Sold 12:00 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

goose... just the way it goes... my MATE met a bird who had a flat on one of the housing association estates... to get her off their books they gave her £50k as a deposit... my Mate was well chuffed... oh they have a far better gaff than me now as well..

whufcroe 11:54 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

goose 11:49 Wed Apr 15

Life isn't fair or have you not noticed? My taxes go to plenty of things I haven't used or to give people a better advantage in life over myself like higher education for example.

All people can apply for social housing and in time you would get it.

So how are the lazy and feckless going to be able to afford any sort of mortgage?

goose 11:49 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

whufcroe 11:39 Wed Apr 15

sometimes yes.

why should someone who has relied on the state then be given the opportunity to buy a house at a huge discount when a similar person who has paid their way have to pay a higher price??

there was an example yesterday of two guys who earn very similar money and live on the same street. one rents privately the other is council. one cannot afford to buy a house the other can because he is given a huge discount on his council house. how is that fair??

whufcroe 11:48 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

Northern Sold 11:43 Wed Apr 15

Indeed and there are plenty of people on here that clearly haven't actually read what is being proposed because it makes perfect sense.

However as said before, actually putting these plans into practice is normally a very different story.

Lets be honest, Goose and the likes bang on about the lazy & feckless which I guess he means those that dont work and those on benefits who are not going to be able to buy their council house anyway.

Northern Sold 11:43 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

I can't see what the problem is... My Nan bought her Council House back in the 80's... her next door neighbour didn't... so is it not still just down to circumstantial choice?? If you can afford a mortgage do it otherwise stay as you are...

whufcroe 11:39 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

goose 10:31 Wed Apr 15

So it's only lazy & feckless people that live in council houses?

What utter shit people post on here

The Kronic 10:39 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

ornchurch ammer 10:27

Bang on.

goose 10:31 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

another kick in the nuts for the hard working average man on the street.
we live in a country tha rewards the lazy and feckless and encourages them not to better themselves.

ornchurch ammer 10:27 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

It isn't right to buy that is wrong in its base form of allowing council tenants to buy their home it is the way that it has been abused that is the problem.

It was probably expected that those people who had a house for life would buy that property and then take over the responsibility for maintaining it whilst staying there for life. However, greed kicks in and after staying for the amount of time necessary they immediately sell the property for a big profit.

You have to admire those that have remained as council tenants as they have stayed true to their principles rather than taking the easy money.

Joke Whole 6:40 Wed Apr 15
Re: Right to buy.

iMac Hunt 10:21 Tue Apr 14

Right to buy does nothing to improve workforce mobility, either. Not the cause of the collapse of the UK's manufacturing industry, but I don't see how it actually helped.

The Joker 8:17 Tue Apr 14
Re: Right to buy.

Less social housing = more people privately renting at an average of double council rents, while the state picks up the bill for what people can't afford. Short term boost for the economy that will be paid back in spades in the future by the tax payer.

From the party of economic prudence, it's a pretty fucking stupid and short-sighted idea.

BRANDED 8:09 Tue Apr 14
Re: Right to buy.

The only real issue is, are there enough homes for all the immigrants?

yngwies Cat 8:04 Tue Apr 14
Re: Right to buy.

Won't they run out of social housing? Never replaced the lot when, they first did it. Not that I can see going up. Just gated appts owned by Arabs and Chinese investors.

joe royal 7:17 Tue Apr 14
Re: Right to buy.

whufcroe 4:14 Tue Apr 14
Re: Right to buy.

Shirley you need one bed and a dungeon

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