Benefits, ill mum and girlfriend.

lighting_up_the_chalice

princessdon wrote: »

Hmm seems the social housing or council housing varies from place to place. There has been little movement in my area for some time.

I wish the council would build houses (that people can't buy) so landlords wouldn't be able to claim extortionate rates of HB.

I also beleive that people in social/council housing should pay a fair rent - at present council/social tennants who I know and pay rent, pay a ridiculously small amount.

IMO the council rent and LHR should be similar (ie raise council rent and lower LHR).

Social Housing tenants DO pay a fair rent already. It's the private tenants rent that is unfair, being far too high. But such is supply/demand.

princessdon

Supply and demand is a part of it (offering on a plate with LHA rates is another).

Certainly round here the council rents are very low compared to private rents and or mortgage.

lighting_up_the_chalice

princessdon wrote: »

Supply and demand is a part of it (offering on a plate with LHA rates is another).

Certainly round here the council rents are very low compared to private rents and or mortgage.

But just because they are low, doesn't mean they cannot be fair.

And, unlike a mortgage, they WILL go up each year and never end for as long as the tenancy is in place.

princessdon

But they are not fair when you compare LHA rates - maybe it's a case of leaving them as is and reducing the amount LA pay landlords as you say, but presently there is a huge difference.

That is why I'd like to see more houses built (and not sold off) so people can have affordable housing, as council homes round here are like gold dust. To come off benefits it's an uphill climb with rents and a major barrier.

lighting_up_the_chalice

LHA rates have to be reflective of the market they are in. Reducing LHA rates wouldn't automatically lower rents, but it may push those on benefits out of the private sector and onto increasingly lengthy waiting lists.

And, yes, more housing is the ultimate solution. Across all sectors.

sleepless_saver

grummps wrote: »

Why should I? It seems that I am in the minority that sees welfare benefits and housing benefit as a matter of 'last resort'.

Yet you appear to have stashed £150k in an offshore trust allowing you to claim income related benefits.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/54426135#Comment_54426135 posts 14 and 21

SmartPricePoster

HappyMJ wrote: »

The housing association in my area have been building new properties for years.

Same here. I think it's required now that every new housing development also has social housing built in amongst them too.

mikey_bach

Is social housing and affordable housing same thing......
Can investors buy the above and rent them out?
or do they have to sell them to first time buyers?

SmartPricePoster

Where'd my post go? There was nothing wrong with it. The guy and bro on JSA, mum ill, and g/f in social housing comment was to the person who claimed 'all were ill'.

clemmatis

SmartPricePoster wrote: »

Where'd my post go? There was nothing wrong with it. The guy and bro on JSA, mum ill, and g/f in social housing comment was to the person who claimed 'all were ill'.

You may have got caught up in the purge of posts that outed tr*lls -- sometimes, adjacent posts go.