Do the council still give those voucher things for decorating when you move in?

Wee_Willy_Harris

moremore wrote: »

You work to pay your council tax to pay for their employees pensions...they do not give anything away that is for sure. Look at the way they are closing down pension’s day centres all over. My council is paying for parenting classes for mother and babies.

Why do people have children if they do not know how to look after them.

It is probably council employees that are selling vouchers on ebay..[FONT=&quot][/FONT]

Council employee also contribute towards their pensions and pay income tax and pay council tax.

First time mothers, by definition, have never had children so may need a little support in that department. Far cheaper to address that support need early rather than pay the cost of social services involvement later. Seems like a sensible use of resource to me.

As most council housing stock has now been sold off to HAs, very few council employees would have any involvement in the administration of decorating vouchers. So the likelyhood of them selling the vouchers on ebay is remote, to say the least.

moremore

Wee_Willy_Harris wrote: »

Council employee also contribute towards their pensions and pay income tax and pay council tax.

First time mothers, by definition, have never had children so may need a little support in that department. Far cheaper to address that support need early rather than pay the cost of social services involvement later. Seems like a sensible use of resource to me.

As most council housing stock has now been sold off to HAs, very few council employees would have any involvement in the administration of decorating vouchers. So the likelyhood of them selling the vouchers on ebay is remote, to say the least.

I would be really cross if council did not contribute some money towards their pension as well as the tax payer, but they are the only employees that have public council tax going towards guarantee pensions. Perhaps you know of more organisations that public money goes towards their guarantee pensions.

If parenting classes are just for parents first child but I am not sure that is the case. :mad:

The very few council employees are probably the ones are selling doing the selling on ebay and not as one poster implied tenants. The post should be aware the voucher would not be honoured if the decorating is not done and it is inspected by the council before they are issued after work has been done. :mad:

PinkKiwi

Wee_Willy_Harris wrote: »

Whilst I don't disagree with most of your post, I do think that painting social housing as the last resort is more than a little disingenuous. With security of tenure, affordable rents, right to buy/acquire etc, social housing is the next best thing to ownership and a very desirable alternative to renting privately. This is reflected in the demand for social housing.

Decorating vouchers are paid for by the HA from rental revenue, not from the taxpayer direct.

Not just anybody can suddenly decide that they want to live in a HA/ council house purely because its more affordable and has a better opportunity to eventually buy it.

The whole point of the system is to help people in bad situations, homeless families, people who are unable to work and so can't afford or wouldn't be accepted to rent privately or buy etc. It IS a last resort. When the housing association or council are choosing who a property should go to, who do you think they will choose? A person who is flitting between families sofas or someone who is just wanting a council house for the benefit that its cheaper than their privately rented/bought home?

Wee_Willy_Harris

moremore wrote: »

I would be really cross if council did not contribute some money towards their pension as well as the tax payer, but they are the only employees that have public council tax going towards guarantee pensions. Perhaps you know of more organisations that public money goes towards their guarantee pensions.

Um... You do know that Council Tax is the main source of revenue for a local authority? Where else is the employees contribution expected to come from? In much the same way, when you buy a tin of beans from Tesco, a portion of that will fund their employer pension contributions.

moremore wrote: »

If parenting classes are just for parents first child but I am not sure that is the case. :mad:

Isn't helping parents to be better parents a good thing?

moremore wrote: »

The very few council employees are probably the ones are selling doing the selling on ebay and not as one poster implied tenants. The post should be aware the voucher would not be honoured if the decorating is not done and it is inspected by the council before they are issued after work has been done. :mad:

The voucher is intended to be used to buy paint etc. As such, it is "honoured" at the checkout, not when the paint is on the walls. So inspection would be a futile waste of council taxpayers money, something you are clearly keen to avoid. However, at the end of the tenancy, a checkout inspection is performed and any defects added to the rent account as "rechargables". So, if the decorating isn't done (and maintained), there is a charge. Some of this charge will fund any decorating voucher needed by the next tenant. All in all, a very efficient method, as I'm sure you would agree.

Wee_Willy_Harris

PinkKiwi wrote: »

Not just anybody can suddenly decide that they want to live in a HA/ council house purely because its more affordable and has a better opportunity to eventually buy it.

I didn't suggest they could. I was merely pointing out that social housing is a very desirable prospect to many and considered the best alternative to home ownership. That was, after all, why social housing was created.

PinkKiwi wrote: »

The whole point of the system is to help people in bad situations, homeless families, people who are unable to work and so can't afford or wouldn't be accepted to rent privately or buy etc. It IS a last resort. When the housing association or council are choosing who a property should go to, who do you think they will choose? A person who is flitting between families sofas or someone who is just wanting a council house for the benefit that its cheaper than their privately rented/bought home?

People who are unable to work are given NO preference or priority for social housing. LHA makes privately rented accommodation affordable for all.

shellsuit

PinkKiwi wrote: »

Not just anybody can suddenly decide that they want to live in a HA/ council house purely because its more affordable and has a better opportunity to eventually buy it.

The whole point of the system is to help people in bad situations, homeless families, people who are unable to work and so can't afford or wouldn't be accepted to rent privately or buy etc. It IS a last resort. When the housing association or council are choosing who a property should go to, who do you think they will choose? A person who is flitting between families sofas or someone who is just wanting a council house for the benefit that its cheaper than their privately rented/bought home?

Yes they can, anybody can put their name down on the housing list.

Why did I get offered a HA house when we were both working?

There are different tiers. Properties for people in dire need, and properties that go to whoever had been on the waiting list the longest.

I was on the list for 12 years before I was offered a house.

My Aunty and Uncle both work and they have just been offered a brand new 2bed house having been on the list for years too.

Wee_Willy_Harris

shellsuit wrote: »

Yes they can, anybody can put their name down on the housing list.

Why did I get offered a HA house when we were both working?

There are different tiers. Properties for people in dire need, and properties that go to whoever had been on the waiting list the longest.

I was on the list for 12 years before I was offered a house.

My Aunty and Uncle both work and they have just been offered a brand new 2bed house having been on the list for years too.

Indeed. Many people are put off by the London example which is always used, people waiting 50+ years on the list, no prospect of social housing, 25,000 people on the list etc etc etc. But the reality is that in many areas of the country, demand for social housing is much more manageable and everyone has a genuine opportunity. There are many areas that still have "difficult to let" properties where incentives (those vouchers again) have to be offered in order to find a tenant.

We are also moving into a much more enlightened method of allocation, one based on choice for the prospective tenant. Properties are advertised and applicants place bids on those they would like to live in.

Within this system, properties can be ring-fenced for different priority groups, or even the group with no priority, to ensure that everyone has at least a chance. Within those groups, as Shell says, the applicant who has been waiting the longest will be at the top.

I'd guess, with a 12 year wait in Wirrell, that Shell was quite particular about where she wanted to live. Such is her choice. But she has waited and has now been allocated a secure tenancy in an area she has chosen to live in. All good news.

moremore

PinkKiwi wrote: »

Not just anybody can suddenly decide that they want to live in a HA/ council house purely because its more affordable and has a better opportunity to eventually buy it.

The whole point of the system is to help people in bad situations, homeless families, people who are unable to work and so can't afford or wouldn't be accepted to rent privately or buy etc. It IS a last resort. When the housing association or council are choosing who a property should go to, who do you think they will choose? A person who is flitting between families sofas or someone who is just wanting a council house for the benefit that its cheaper than their privately rented/bought home?

You are wrong there as lot of people that made their homes in council in th 60' and 70' and are still living there today, these are people that are paying rents and council tax and do not want to move because it there home, I expect the next move will be a care home for some of these people.

I expect you are making reference to the people in the link below just wanting council housing because it its cheaper than their private rented/borough home.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23426025-kens-117000-aide-lives-in-90pw-council-house.do

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1372872/Rail-union-boss-Bob-Crow-lives-home-low-income-families--despite-SIX-FIGURE-salary-package.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2003995/Former-minister-Frank-Dobson-afford-private-rent-66k.html

moremore

Wee_Willy_Harris wrote: »

Um... You do know that Council Tax is the main source of revenue for a local authority? Where else is the employees contribution expected to come from? In much the same way, when you buy a tin of beans from Tesco, a portion of that will fund their employer pension contributions.

The voucher is intended to be used to buy paint etc. As such, it is "honoured" at the checkout, not when the paint is on the walls. So inspection would be a futile waste of council taxpayers money, something you are clearly keen to avoid. However, at the end of the tenancy, a checkout inspection is performed and any defects added to the rent account as "rechargables". So, if the decorating isn't done (and maintained), there is a charge. Some of this charge will fund any decorating voucher needed by the next tenant. All in all, a very efficient method, as I'm sure you would agree.

How can you compare LA to Tesco which is a PLC , do LA now sell share. Council tax is not the main source of revenue. Council are in receipt of lots business rates and rent as well as council rents. Plus parking fees and they get revenue from Central Government. Council are still the largest landlord.

All Council works differently some council may do inspections that the work is done and others just take what is told them as true, it depends on who how many staff are in office and not on long term sick leave or holiday leave.....

Wee_Willy_Harris

moremore wrote: »

How can you compare LA to Tesco which is a PLC , do LA now sell share. Council tax is not the main source of revenue. Council are in receipt of lots business rates and rent as well as council rents. Plus parking fees and they get revenue from Central Government. Council are still the largest landlord.

Just pointing out that employer pension contributions are financed via revenue whatever the market. Councils ceased to be the "largest landlord" some years ago.

moremore wrote: »

All Council works differently some council may do inspections that the work is done and others just take what is told them as true, it depends on who how many staff are in office and not on long term sick leave or holiday leave.....

NO council has the right to inspect a persons home. NO landlord has the right to inspect a persons home. In fact, without a court order, they cannot even enter a tenants home. And a court order would NOT be granted to inspect the paintwork.