How many super rich rent?

ninky_2

ivan_the_not-so-terrible wrote: »

That's ok princeofpounds I might of said similar a couple of years ago.

But that's the point surely? If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone? Yes we have a big family, but it's a well cared for and loved one. As for me personally, well, I'm degree qualifed and farming was once a good and noble career ... will be again I'm sure. So sure, perhaps I might have been better going into law or banking all those years ago, but I didn't. Anyway, if we all went into careers that pay well, they soon wouldn't, and who'd do the meanial stuff like producing our food, or taking what's left away? Yes I do have a big family (naughty me) ... years ago many people did, but they didn't have to be high earners to afford it! I'm perfectly able to understand economics too, so you don't have to explain to me that the housing situation was created not just by population growth, but population demographics, short sighted government and financial trends. I'm not being aggressive, but I'm not patronising either.

And nobody has yet answered my question ... How do others in high cost areas maanage to rent when on low incomes? There are very many low income families around here who are in private accommodation. I just don't see how they've managed to get it??? :rotfl:

years ago people would have managed on whatever income they had. they would not have lived in huge houses. those on low incomes lived in small overcrowded properties (as they still do in other parts of the world). they would have eaten simple food and often felt hungry or like there wasn't enough to go round. they didn't have televisions, cars, mobile phones to run etc. no central heating either.

as for those on small incomes managing to rent. do you actually know anyone on a low income privately renting the size of property you are after? i doubt it. why not live in a small property and let the children share? my OH grew up with five brothers parents and a grannie all living in one room. it's not ideal but it was the choice they made by having a large family.

poverty and large families tend to go hand in hand. simple economics.

princeofpounds

But that's the point surely? If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone?

Yes it can. Even a rich person with a big family could lose it all. I guess we all have benefits to fall back on eventually, even though for a whole variety of reasons we would rather not.

Anyway, if we all went into careers that pay well, they soon wouldn't, and who'd do the meanial stuff like producing our food, or taking what's left away?

Unfortunately in agriculture machines and eastern europeans will happily do a lot of jobs more cheaply. Eventually things will even out, but that's little consolation for people who are stuck in the middle of the transition, like the miners were at one time. It's no fault of theirs but they do have to be realistic.

I'm not being aggressive, but I'm not patronising either.

No, I think your tone comes across pretty well to be honest.

How do others in high cost areas maanage to rent when on low incomes?

I have wondered the same thing about many of the people renting here in London. Obviously it's more expensive but it still seems equally unaffordable that there are so many people able to rent 4 bedroom houses around here - even if they are in great jobs it must be at the limit of their earnings powers. I've never received a great answer myself.

fimonkey

ivan_the_not-so-terrible wrote: »

And nobody has yet answered my question ... How do others in high cost areas maanage to rent when on low incomes? There are very many low income families around here who are in private accommodation. I just don't see how they've managed to get it??? :rotfl:

You actually have two questions, the first is:
1. How do ppl on low incomes manage to afford to rent in high cost areas?
I think that's now been answered and the summary seems to be: With the help of benefits/second jobs/spouse employment and no/few kids.

The second question is:
2. How did they manage to get into their now rented accommodation?
Well that's also been answered, again the summary seems to be: With the help of a guarantor and/or phoning round private landlords.

If I may add my own two penneth worth,.. I suspect that the low income families now living in private accommodation may not have been that low income when they first moved there if they've been there a while. Its feasible they rented as a working couple, built up a relationship with the LL then went on to have kids and one partner give up work to look after said kids etc etc etc.

ivan_the_not-so-terrible

Ok, thanks everyone. I guess it's just a matter of looking a bit harder ... Of course our LL may not sell, so it might have be a pointless question anyway

Very frustrating to be caught like this though We very nearly bought somewhere in the late 80's to rent out, but we were gazumpted by an employee of the estate agent after we'd payed out for a survey! (It used to happen back then :mad: ). We should have persisted but lost heart; Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing ... not!

Ivan

PS. If the LL does sell up, we probably will move and go back to managing a farm somewhere. I doubt my self respect could take living in sheltered accommodaation!

silvercar

You may find that some landlords who advertise, "no HB. LHA" actually will take a working tenant who has a top-up on HB. What they don't want is someone where no-one in the family works and are totally reliant on benefits. If you have a guarantor and a deposit that should help your search enormously.

I also suspect that most landlords let out smaller properties where there is greater rental demand. To find a landlord operating in the HB market who has 4 bed properties may be difficult.

Fire_Fox

ivan_the_not-so-terrible wrote: »

Anyway, if we all went into careers that pay well, they soon wouldn't, and who'd do the meanial stuff like producing our food, or taking what's left away? Yes I do have a big family (naughty me) ... years ago many people did, but they didn't have to be high earners to afford it! I'm perfectly able to understand economics too, so you don't have to explain to me that the housing situation was created not just by population growth, but population demographics, short sighted government and financial trends. I'm not being aggressive, but I'm not patronising either.

You may find these interesting: extracts from letters (dated 1816) from one of Devon ancestors asking for two shilling a week from her parish in Berkshire. She was a mum of five with a soldier husband in hospital, unusually for her class she could write. I would also note that postage cost a small fortune, at least half a shilling!
http://www.earsathome.com/letters/Previctorian/rates.html

" I duly read your letter with a pound enclosed as my ---- pay and you desire to know the names of my children and their ages. My daughter Elesabath is now just after 16 then the next was two twin boys and they are eleven next April the next is James He is nine next may them four I had when I was home which is now in the tenth year since and since that time I have had one boy and he is now in his third year.

Then I have to add concerning my boys there is a factory setting on and it is going on with lace and silk so that the children must appear clean and decent and the gentlemen have promised to employ my two children if I could get some clothes for them so I hope you will take it into consideration and send me a something more than my pay to help me with my family as they are fatherless."

My point is working class people have been struggling on low incomes for hundreds of years, you would be able to manage financially on your wage if you lived as they did - a whole family occupying in one room, sending your ten year old twins out to work in a factory once they had more than rags to wear. The daughter Elisabeth got married at 16, James became a soldier and the twin boys did indeed become lacemakers.[FONT=&quot]
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ivan_the_not-so-terrible

Blimey Firefox!

That's a really useful post! I suppose I shouldn't bother with antibiotics when ill either as they didn't have them back then? Do you really expect me to live in this day and age in one room with a family of seven and have my kids work? lol ... Of course not, but I get what you mean

Look; as I said, if I have too, I'll move us away and get a good farming job with a nice house ect ect. I used to get £30,000 and a detached farmhouse in a beautiful rural setting for free. I certainly miss it, but that's really not the point. I now work full time, do a usefull job (no other !!!!!! wants to do) and contribute to society. The sad thing is, society in this country is broken! Value is placed on work that produces nothing of "material" value, and the old traditional work that produced "things" has died. How long this flse economy can continue is anybodies guess ... but in the end, the production of food, clothing and actual stuff that you can hold in your hands will prevail ... Well maybe? (you can't eat money).

Ivan

Fire_Fox

ivan_the_not-so-terrible wrote: »

Look; as I said, if I have too, I'll move us away and get a good farming job with a nice house ect ect. I used to get £30,000 and a detached farmhouse in a beautiful rural setting for free. I certainly miss it, but that's really not the point. I now work full time, do a usefull job (no other !!!!!! wants to do) and contribute to society. The sad thing is, society in this country is broken! Value is placed on work that produces nothing of "material" value, and the old traditional work that produced "things" has died. How long this flse economy can continue is anybodies guess ... but in the end, the production of food, clothing and actual stuff that you can hold in your hands will prevail ... Well maybe? (you can't eat money).

Ivan

I agree completely that we should value your skills and experience more than bankers or office drones, but if we do then more and more of the things we produce in Britain will simply be imported. Food prices have gone up enough over recent years as it is, I am sure with a family of seven you feel that in your pocket! If we put up wages we put up prices, if we put up prices we have to increase benefits, if we put up benefits we have to raise taxes .... :eek:

IMO the problem is not so much what you are earning (although that is an issue ) as the fact that Sussex house prices and rental prices are crazy crazy crazy. But you are only seeing the south: you could have a detached farmhouse in a beautiful rural setting in Yorkshire for far less money. Five years ago, with my share of the equity in a cottage in the south, I bought a two bedroom flat up north .... outright. I will keep my fingers crossed for you to have the same luck.

WeirdoMagnet

I'd second/third the other opinion on letting privately. We searched for rented accommodation for 6 months - agents didn't want to know because we had, heaven forbid, a dog! :eek:

Eventually we printed off our own postcard sized ad, saying who were were, what we did, what we were after, and that we had a small, well behaved dog, and that refs were available etc. We put it in village noticeboards and within a couple of weeks, we had a landlord call us, and the rest as they say is history! Best of all the ad was free, and in my experience you'll pay less by renting privately too. :money:

Good luck with your house search.

Georgie