Benefits capped

[Norman Verona]

OK, so it's Bob's fault. Maybe he should pay the rent 

[Norman Verona]

Graham, that's what we had, blocks of council flats. I grew up in one. The tenants were given the right to buy. The folk who lived in the block my parents lived in got their kids to buy them so the kids could make a profit when they moved out.

 

As the value of the property reduced the longer you had paid rent the real benefit came to the older folk who had lived in the flats for years. 

[stephenh]

 

 

Just remind me who sold off the council properties?

The district and borough councils sold off the council houses, Norman.    

[Mark (smokey mow)]

 

The reason is that there is a huge shortage of "social" housing. 

Really? We're currently building 35% of all new properties as Social Housing on all developments of greater than 10 properties if its in a town or over 3 in a village.

I don't have the latest figures but for Colchester alone In 2010/11 we built 673 new houses of which 192 were "affordable homes". Further, in the same period 76% of all the housing was either 2 or 3 bedroom dwellings.

[Graham0127]

Thanks for some hard facts Mark.I think some people really believe property development is a licence to print money.

I`ve a small plot of land and the council have indicated they may consider permission for development of affordable housing....I`m going to get a planning consultant on the case and would be more than happy for this type of development.Our village is crying out for some young blood,so a terrace of two up two down cottages would be welcomed I`m sure.

[ajpearson]

They are building loads of affordable local housing in Cornwall at the moment.  However they still need to compete with the holiday homes

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Thanks for some hard facts Mark.I think some people really believe property development is a licence to print money.I`ve a small plot of land and the council have indicated they may consider permission for development of affordable housing....I`m going to get a planning consultant on the case and would be more than happy for this type of development.Our village is crying out for some young blood,so a terrace of two up two down cottages would be welcomed I`m sure.

give me a shout if I can help with anything The goverment new homes bonus is a good incentive to release land for building and the incentives to local authorites are even greater when affordable housing is added to the council tax register.

[Graham0127]

Cornwall is so beautiful and that`s the problem....People with money who live in the UK who want a holiday home want it in a beautiful place.Don`t think that`ll ever change,but how has this affected prices lower down the ladder ?Has it kept prices stable in general ?

[Graham0127]

 

give me a shout if I can help with anything The goverment new homes bonus is a good incentive to release land for building and the incentives to local authorites are even greater when affordable housing is added to the council tax register.

 That`s really appreciated Mark,thankyou.

[M444TTB]

It seems to me that people have forgotten what the benefits system was meant to prevent. Perhaps a look back at the Victorian slums and poor houses would remind them. To give you a comfortable life it isn't and while it's sad that kids go without things that perhaps their friends have it would be nice to think this might spur them on in life.

[M444TTB]

On a related and rather selfish note I do hate the social housing round here. While no doubt 99% of the people are just fine it does drag some utter scum bags with it. Every spate of garage burglaries etc seems to end in some sort of 'extended family' getting nicked for it and moved back out of the area.

[Norman Verona]

Mark, are these low cost properties available to rent or only to buy?

 

My information from a planner in Sheffield is that there is a shortage of low cost rented properties and the private landlords are setting rents that match available rent benefits. Maybe it's regional. 

 

I've read that it's the same in London.

[FILFAN]

they built affordable housing on my estate for the housing association. they then sold them to private landlords. defeats the whole point me thinks

[Graham0127]

Even if homes are sold to private landlords the rents should still be affordable...affordable is relative to the area.If I develop my land ie.2up 2 down cottages,they will sell for about £210 and will rent for about £8/900 pm. House prices are fairly high where I live, with10 homes recently for sale in our village with 9 priced at over £1 million,so any properties I build would be relatively affordable.Hopefully this is how planning departments view it or villages like ours will die without new young blood.

[cast iron]

IMHO the problem with benefits is that it is paid as money.

It should be a voucher system, covering gas electricity groceries clothing etc, useable only by the named voucher holder (preventing them being sold for cigarettes etc)

Setting up the voucher system would be costly however it would create employment I would rather my taxes fund employement then dole wallers - win win