Government to DOUBLE right to buy discount to help more people onto the ladder

michaels

On which it is currently earning rent at half market rate so it is effectively only worth half its market value to the council.

chewmylegoff wrote: »

everyone else, given that the govt has sold a public asset for 50% of its value.

chewmylegoff

michaels wrote: »

On which it is currently earning rent at half market rate so it is effectively only worth half its market value to the council.

true. the best solution would be to sell it into the market at market value and build 2 houses with the proceeds, and then sell them into the market as well and build 4 houses with the proceeds, then 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048...524,288, 1,048,576

so basically you get an extra million council houses, and have sold an additional million houses into the market. housing crisis solved, no capital investment required.

paulmapp8306

Well - there would be capital investment. Not for the housing, but for the infrastructure - ie shops, doctors/community centres, hospitals, schools etc etc - plus the cost of the teachers/doctors/nurses/social workers etc to man them.

I often wonder if the real reason why social homes arnt built en-mass is for this reason and nothing to do with the actual housing.

michaels

But we are not talking about new people just new houses for people who are currently living in unsuitable rentals, B&Bs, on mates sofas etc.

One issue I have with Council House waiting lists. If you live in rented and the council option cost half the equivalent private rental with security of tenure what reason is there not to go on the list even if you can afford private rental prices? Set council house rentals to market rates and would there still be such long waiting lists?

paulmapp8306 wrote: »

Well - there would be capital investment. Not for the housing, but for the infrastructure - ie shops, doctors/community centres, hospitals, schools etc etc - plus the cost of the teachers/doctors/nurses/social workers etc to man them.

I often wonder if the real reason why social homes arnt built en-mass is for this reason and nothing to do with the actual housing.

ILW

Seems a bit unfair that those that have been given subsidised housing for years, should then be given a discount to buy. What about those that have had to pay their way on the private rental market or just bought? Do they count for nothing?

headcone

ILW wrote: »

Seems a bit unfair that those that have been given subsidised housing for years, should then be given a discount to buy. What about those that have had to pay their way on the private rental market or just bought? Do they count for nothing?

Yes they do account for nothing.

This is the tory party buying votes once again.

michaels

I guess it is a bit like banks trying to buy people out of what are now unprofitable trackers. How much would you pay as a lump sum to have secure tenure in a property paying half market rent (after all if you didn't want to live in the property yourself you could always sub let it)? Now look at it the other way round, how much would you need to be paid to give up such a deal?

ILW wrote: »

Seems a bit unfair that those that have been given subsidised housing for years, should then be given a discount to buy.

Doom_and_Gloom

It is wrong. If these people have enough money in savings and/or wages now why should they get a house for less than what they should have to pay?
If you can afford to private rent or even to buy/get a mortgage (!) you should and give those that have no choice but to rent privately, but can't really afford it, the chance to get council housing. These places should be for those that can not afford to rent private places but have no other option.
There are loads of people that have to pay a lot of top up out of there low wage/benefits on a private place as they can't get a council place. Why should they suffer?

neverdespairgirl

gailey wrote: »

Think there are some rules that the developer has to build small percentage or affordable social housing on same or nearby are to where they building like a token 5-10home out of 100.

Depends on the council. It's 50% of development over 10 units in Camden.

neverdespairgirl

crash123 wrote: »

Thatcher got it wrong with right to buy and then Labour continued with the wrong policies, hence the situation we are now in.
I don`t blame people taking advantage of these schemes as my parents and grand parents did back in the 80`s but we were against it even though we gained from it.

RTB started before Thatcher. She boosted it, rather than invented it.