So what's the solution?

tomterm8

Generali wrote: »

Anyone know what a 'vested interest' actually is? I know what the popular usage is but it's something that has been bugging me for a bit.

Good post BTW chucky.

'Vested interest' was originally a legal term, denoting a property right that is immediate or certain to come about. Contingent interests are property rights that depend on some other circumstance happening. Obviously the usage has changed over time, to the current usage.

System

Nationalise all housing and allocate it on the basis of need.

ukcarper

Generali wrote: »

If you want lower house prices, build more houses.

As CLAPTON says, that's not likely under current rules and they seem to be moving towards less not more building. I think it's idiotic myself but what do I know.

Where do you build all these properties in the worst affect areas for instance inside M25? . if you drive down the A3 from centrel London to the M25 you will see very little open land. The last town before you reach the M25 is Cobham where most of the large properties with large gardens have been pulled down and several smaller houses built on the plots yet Cobham still remains one of the most expensive areas outside London.

Hectors_House

The only solution I can think of that would help both sides of this is for working people to start getting decent pay rises again.

I think its now becoming apparent that there has been an effective freeze on pay for the last five years or so.

Those on the lower (so called 'average') wage started feeling it first and have had to take on massive debt to to be able get on the housing ladder. Those on higher wages (£40k upwards) are now starting to realise something is wrong too (if they have any sense that is).

How this wage freeze came about is anyone's guess but I suspect it was the move towards globalisation that was condoned by the last government. It has been very subtle and hidden behind the easy availability of consumer debt all that time.

And now we are officially in a recession I can't see employers looking to raise wages any time soon.

Really2

Clifford_Pope wrote: »

Nationalise all housing and allocate it on the basis of need.

Sounds great, why not do it with money also???????????????

One obvious point would be everyone you evict is then in need. So you put them straight back in the same house.

Must admit, not a lover of communist ideoligy.

How is that different to what happens now with council houses and people with 8 children? You know the ones that get the frothers going, they hate that so can't see why they would support this.
Oh hang on they may because they benefit this time for being needy..;)

CLAPTON

ukcarper wrote: »

Where do you build all these properties in the worst affect areas for instance inside M25? . if you drive down the A3 from centrel London to the M25 you will see very little open land. The last town before you reach the M25 is Cobham where most of the large properties with large gardens have been pulled down and several smaller houses built on the plots yet Cobham still remains one of the most expensive areas outside London.

many people who work in london don't live within the M25 so there is still plenty of land out there to build on without destroying the country side
planning permission is usually the issue rather than a lack of land.
e.g. easy reach of london: all the way to the south coast, hertfordshire, beds, bucks etc, essex etc etc.

better to try to create new industries and jobs outside the SE but that seems to be very difficult in practice.

lemonjelly

Social housing appears to be looking to build.
I note that both Exeter & Oldham haveannounced their first new council houses for 20 years.

Now, doesn't that sound a little interesting? We all know population has been increasing over the past 20 years. So why do we have LA's who have not built ANY properties for 20 years? Clearly they've not been keeping pace with local needs.

Kind of highlights how, since the time of Thatcher & the right to buy how successive governments, from both sides have neglected to invest in housing...

Really2

lemonjelly wrote: »

We all know population has been increasing over the past 20 years. So why do we have LA's who have not built ANY properties for 20 years? Clearly they've not been keeping pace with local needs.

Kind of highlights how, since the time of Thatcher & the right to buy how successive governments, from both sides have neglected to invest in housing...

What LA's have any housing now? most are now in the hands of HA's

Can't see LA's being the future of social housing IMHO. I think every government as indicated that now they would rather HA's take the responsibility.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

lemonjelly wrote: »

Social housing appears to be looking to build.
I note that both Exeter & Oldham haveannounced their first new council houses for 20 years.

Now, doesn't that sound a little interesting? We all know population has been increasing over the past 20 years. So why do we have LA's who have not built ANY properties for 20 years? Clearly they've not been keeping pace with local needs.

I read somewhere that just 22,000 houses of the 100,000 or so built last year were for the private sale market.

The rest must have been local authority or housing associations?

But presumably the ConDem Cuts will be just as bad with social house building as everywhere else.

ukcarper

CLAPTON wrote: »

many people who work in london don't live within the M25 so there is still plenty of land out there to build on without destroying the country side
planning permission is usually the issue rather than a lack of land.
e.g. easy reach of london: all the way to the south coast, hertfordshire, beds, bucks etc, essex etc etc.

better to try to create new industries and jobs outside the SE but that seems to be very difficult in practice.

I know I had to move from Cobham to the Surrey Hants borders to be able to buy a house in the 70s. I would dispute that there is a lot of land in easy reach of London that could be build on without destroying the countryside.

Your last point does seem to be the better option but as you say very difficult