Should the bedroom tax be scrapped? please vote

[silverfox1961]

Time to stick my tuppence in.

 

In principal the idea of moving people out of a home to big for them is good but the putting of it into practice has been a total 'f 'up.

 

The ConDems (mainly the Cons) see profit as the way to rebuilding this country but they fail to realise that the people with the money are keeping it rather than letting it trickle down to the people that need it.

 

By penalising people for living in a home that is too big for them through no fault of their own, this government (deliberate little 'g') shows just how much it really cares for the little people.

 

Before any cuts came in the government (whomever they were at the time) should have ensured that there were adequate properties to move into. Enabling councils to restart home building would have been a start and allowing them to borrow funds on their existing stocks would have raised plenty for starters. By employing workers (rather than subbies) to build the homes should have kept the costs down as well and improve the jobs market as private building would still continue. There is also the option of 'Stick Builds'. Wood homes built in a factory and shipped to site. This does happen in this country. Build times would be reduced significantly and the frame build would be more exacting.

 

Remove the right to buy! If you want to own a home, buy one. Don't remove it from the housing stock.

 

Rent Caps. This happens in the US but it can be abused. If a private landlord wants to let out his (or her) house to social tenants, why should they get excessive profits from it. I know of one man who owns a huge portfolio of houses but refuses to keep them to a standard.

A home is an investment yes but the costs should cover the mortgage and the repair costs, not give the owner a nice living from it. It's all about profit rather than social responsibility.

 

Some councils offer financial incentives for people to move out of the area or to move to smaller properties but as has been mentioned, where are the smaller properties? I believe that even with financial incentives, there would still be people who would not be able to cover the costs of removals.

 

Long term plans and not short term measures. Stamping down on the lower/middle classes shows just how much this government actually care. Look after No. 1 first.

 

I'm sure I will get some criticism for this post but I have a thick skin and I don't take offence that easily

[Nystagmite]

Another problem for some of us is, where we live now, is where our support network is. If I moved out now, I'll have to change doctors, I may be moved quite far away from my parents, friends, etc. If I change doctors, I may be right at the beginning again with referrals and stuff.

[firstship]

Silverfox1961 your tuppence worth makes a lot of sense,I think that all councils that need their tenants to downsize as their current property is now under used,need to pay all of the costs of moving and decorating,to me this seems sensible.

 

The right to buy needs to be scrapped.We have seen from the Thatcher era this was a mis-managed disaster,my own close family paid £12000 for a 3 bed council house which they have just sold for £295000

 

FS

[ee-bee]

Another problem for some of us is, where we live now, is where our support network is. If I moved out now, I'll have to change doctors, I may be moved quite far away from my parents, friends, etc. If I change doctors, I may be right at the beginning again with referrals and stuff.

 

agreed !!,if I moved to another area I would have to, change hospitals,doctors,consultants etc and I need to be close to my family,my daughter who lives with me would have to change jobs,if I stay in the area and rent a 2 bed privately its actually more expensive than the three bed I`m in !!

[osdset]

To see the real scale of the problem country wide http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4775006

 

For example

 

SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL:

1. How many 1 bed properties do you have available to Let? 22.

2. How many tenants are deemed to be under-occupying, and need 1 bed accommodation? 9504

3. How many people are already on the waiting list for 1 bed properties? 48, 262

[Nystagmite]

That doesn't surprise me. I won't be surprised if that's true for most councils.

[bedofweeds]

Another problem for some of us is, where we live now, is where our support network is. If I moved out now, I'll have to change doctors, I may be moved quite far away from my parents, friends, etc. If I change doctors, I may be right at the beginning again with referrals and stuff.

 

And???? Isn't that the case with most people - even those that own their own property?

 

I moved my family over 300 miles away from everything - family, friends, schools and even employment.

 

Friday we packed up what we needed after putting the house on the market that afternoon and drove 300 miles to a rented property. The two children were taken out of school and put in another. We left everybody behind including my job.

 

3 months later I found another job, and started a new life.

 

Why? Because I believed that in moving away, it would be better for the children and the family in the long run.

[bedofweeds]

To see the real scale of the problem country wide http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4775006

 

For example

 

SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL:

1. How many 1 bed properties do you have available to Let? 22.

2. How many tenants are deemed to be under-occupying, and need 1 bed accommodation? 9504

3. How many people are already on the waiting list for 1 bed properties? 48, 262

 

Why then do I see in many of the cities I go to from Liverpool to London and beyond that there are wholesale tower blocks of flats that are empty. You only have to go the Elephant & Castle in London to see huge blocks that are all empty. Why aren't people moved about to where the properties are instead of expecting property to be available where people want it?

 

http://www.derelictlondon.com/houses.html

 

The Heygate Estate or the Ferrier Estate, Kidbrooke, just down from the northbound entry to the Blackwall Tunnel

Edited September 27, 2013 by bedofweeds

[osdset]

And???? Isn't that the case with most people - even those that own their own property?

 

I moved my family over 300 miles away from everything - family, friends, schools and even employment.

 

Friday we packed up what we needed after putting the house on the market that afternoon and drove 300 miles to a rented property. The two children were taken out of school and put in another. We left everybody behind including my job.

 

3 months later I found another job, and started a new life.

 

Why? Because I believed that in moving away, it would be better for the children and the family in the long run.

 

I dunno about 'in the long run' on the run sounds more like it.

[osdset]

Why then do I see in many of the cities I go to from Liverpool to London and beyond that there are wholesale tower blocks of flats that are empty. You only have to go the Elephant & Castle in London to see huge blocks that are all empty. Why aren't people moved about to where the properties are instead of expecting property to be available where people want it?

 

 

 

http://www.derelictlondon.com/houses.html

 

The Heygate Estate

 

Blimey! You're well travelled aren't you? Do you do this on a daily basis? Weekly? Or just use Google maps?

All those tower blocks are probably up for demolition, that's why they are empty.

[Nystagmite]

And???? Isn't that the case with most people - even those that own their own property?

 

I moved my family over 300 miles away from everything - family, friends, schools and even employment.

 

Friday we packed up what we needed after putting the house on the market that afternoon and drove 300 miles to a rented property. The two children were taken out of school and put in another. We left everybody behind including my job.

 

3 months later I found another job, and started a new life.

 

Why? Because I believed that in moving away, it would be better for the children and the family in the long run.

 

I moved away 200 miles for uni. I knew one person when I moved there. I had to change doctors and had to get a referral to a new hospital. The new hospital didn't have the 13 years+ of medical records of mine.

 

As it was, I couldn't cope there at all. I spent the last 3 months of uni with severe depression. I am not willing to risk that again. I am now back home. I'm settled here and I have social groups I meet up with regularly.

 

Moving a child 300 miles away disrupts their schooling. Not good ig they're in their final year of A Levels or GCSEs.

[RaeUK]

Blimey! You're well travelled aren't you? ...

There appears to be no end to what this amazing man, his family and friends can achieve or suffer.

[ee-bee]

There appears to be no end to what this amazing man, his family and friends can achieve or suffer.

[bedofweeds]

Blimey! You're well travelled aren't you? Do you do this on a daily basis? Weekly? Or just use Google maps?

All those tower blocks are probably up for demolition, that's why they are empty.

 

Yes I get around quite a bit.

 

As for Heygate Estate, it should be put back into use. There is no point in knocking it down when it could house say 800 families for it to be replaced by houses for 300 familes.