Would you march for more affordable housing?

carolt

Yes

captainhaggis wrote: »

What's wrong with Aberdeen?

I'm sure it's lovely for people who have any links to Scotland or a job in Aberdeen. Or who wish to be near Hamish and ISTL. Or who like really cold weather most of the time.

I don't personally fall into those categories, but I'm sure there must be someone who does.

I can't actually think of any reason why anyone would wish to move there, unless they work in the oil industry. Are there any?

IveSeenTheLight

No

captainhaggis wrote: »

What's wrong with Aberdeen?

Aberdeen is not a Utopia area, but it is a very nice place to live and bring up a family

carolt wrote: »

I'm sure it's lovely for people who have any links to Scotland or a job in Aberdeen.

It's true, in general people prefer to stay close to family / friends etc. There are others who are willing to sacrifice that for a better quality of life.
Having sampled life in London, I can see how it is attractive to some people, generally in my opinion a younger generation with drive and ambition to be in the countries capital.

In my experience, families prefer to have a different way of life, with more space and fresh air etc.

carolt wrote: »

Or who wish to be near Hamish and ISTL. ?

Doubt there are any people on here I actually know, let alone are relatives of.
It might be beneficial to move closer to relatives, but I wouldn't move just to be nearer a friend

carolt wrote: »

Or who like really cold weather most of the time.

If you prefer warmth you could move further south where it is generally warmer than where you are now :rolleyes:
I've found that Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Singapore have a very static warmth throughout the seasons at roughly 32 degrees centigrade

carolt wrote: »

I can't actually think of any reason why anyone would wish to move there, unless they work in the oil industry. Are there any?

It's a fact that generally most people moving to an area have employment in their thoughts.
As to reasons while it is desireable to move to Aberdeen, I wont divulge in case it tempts you

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

No

carolt wrote: »

I can't actually think of any reason why anyone would wish to move there, unless they work in the oil industry. Are there any?

Plenty......

Aberdeenshire offers the best quality of life in Scotland for its residents, according to a survey.
More than nine out of 10 people were said to be in good health, workers had relatively high incomes and almost 75% owned their home.

The area also had good results for employment and school qualifications, and rain and sunshine levels.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/8421193.stm

Only 13% of employment in Aberdeen is with the oil industry and it's supply chain.

We also have significant green energy companies, biotechnology companies, and are a world leading centre for life sciences.

Add in two universities and a large regional college, some of the best agricultural land, produce, and fishing in the country, tourism, and the fact that we are the regional hub for the North East of Scotland, not to mention outstanding natural beauty.

And of course, one of the countries best performing housing markets.;)

carolt

Yes

Glad you're both happy there.

Can't say I'm tempted. I don't know anyone further north than Sheffield, so I'd find Aberdeen pretty miserable.

Each to their own.

Should add that one of the most annoying people I've ever worked with came from Aberdeen. But I won't assume he was necessarily typical.

baby_boomer

Hamish - what sort of Scot are you?

You missed out that Royal Aberdeen is one of the best golf courses in the world.

Get a grip man .

BTW what are the extra heating costs involved in living that far north at this time of year?

jojo1964

carolt wrote: »

I can see your points, but disagree.

I think there's plenty they can and should do to sort out the mess they've created.

1. Build loads and loads of social housing.
2. Bring back security of tenure and rent limits for tenants.
3. Remove tax perks for landlords.
4. Insist on income multiples for mortgages.
5. I could go on for hours, but I'll leave it there.

So who would subsidise the limits on rents? the hard working, home owning taxpayer again.

carolt

Yes

Can you explain that sentence?

It's the hard-working taxpayer (both home-owning and non-home-owning, BTW - non home-owners DO pay tax, you know), who currently subsidize the v high amounts paid in housing benefit to landlords who frankly take the mick out of the public purse.

Take the example on here recently, of a large family placed in 2 houses (I think it was 8 kids and 3 adults) - one house was costing the taxpayer thousands every week, at a rent which was twice the going market rent previously when it had been let as a private let.

Think of the fortunes saved in housing benefit!

I assume you're talking about those on benefits, as if they're not, their rents aren't subsidized by the taxpayer.

Can you make sense of your comment, please?

jojo1964

carolt wrote: »

Can you explain that sentence?

It's the hard-working taxpayer (both home-owning and non-home-owning, BTW - non home-owners DO pay tax, you know), who currently subsidize the v high amounts paid in housing benefit to landlords who frankly take the mick out of the public purse.

Take the example on here recently, of a large family placed in 2 houses (I think it was 8 kids and 3 adults) - one house was costing the taxpayer thousands every week, at a rent which was twice the going market rent previously when it had been let as a private let.

Think of the fortunes saved in housing benefit!

I assume you're talking about those on benefits, as if they're not, their rents aren't subsidized by the taxpayer.

Can you make sense of your comment, please?

If rents set artificially low, they are being subsidised, and if rents paid through social housing are ridiculousy high, then again they are subsidised, if a low income family rent, then they are probably getting help with housing costs, again subsidised, all paid for by the tax payer.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

No

baby_boomer wrote: »

BTW what are the extra heating costs involved in living that far north at this time of year?

Well our houses tend to be built for it and well insulated. It was minus 13 the other day and I did put the fire on as well as the C/H, but other than that not much change.

My joint electric and gas for a 3 bed terrace is somewhere around 2400 a year, but my work is based from home and so I do heat it during the day.

I don't know how that compares to those living elsewhere in the UK. I don't think theres much of a difference between the weather in Scotland and the North of England. Although I imagine the very Southern bits of the country must be cheaper.

carolt

Yes

jojo1964 wrote: »

If rents set artificially low, they are being subsidised, and if rents paid through social housing are ridiculousy high, then again they are subsidised, if a low income family rent, then they are probably getting help with housing costs, again subsidised, all paid for by the tax payer.

Why so?

Who are they being subsidized by?

Private rents are paid for by the private renter. No-one is subsidizing them.

On the other hand, at the moment, we are all subsidizing many imprudent home-owners who took out mortgages they could ill afford, through various mortgage support schemes, that continue for up to 2 years. This applies no matter how unnecessarily large the property is or how expensive.

Moreover, all of us hard-working, non-home-owning taxpayers are subsidizing homeowners by having to put up with the lowest rates in history on our savings, just so those who foolishly took out stupid mortgages can not go under.

I'm sick of subsidizing fec kless home-owners.

And whilst I agree with you that we do indeed subsidize those on housing benefit and low incomes, lowering the rents would mean we'd subsidize them much less, not more!