A cry of anguish

ruggedtoast

This was found on a popular forum dedicated to the discussion of house prices.

I have copied the post but not linked to it to protect the privacy of the OP.

I'm angry.

I've been getting increasingly angry recently and have been angry for some time.

Today I am very angry.

Almost everyone under the age of 35 is being held to ransom by a godforsaken cohort of an older generation, a sociopathic elite of global financiers and a series of corrupt governments elected off the back of an undemocratic voting system.

And I'd fed up of being on the wrong side of it.

The particular trigger for my anger today is the combination of:

1) A rent increase by our (boomer) landlord who, by their own admission, has looked at the demand for the rental market and seen that they could be getting more money out of us. So the landlord doesn't need the extra money; they are just increasing the rent because they can. And of course I'd love to say well shove it, I'll move to another house, but our landlord is right; even with the rent increase, it's still cheaper than the current preposterous market rate. No option but to bend over and take it.

2) Same said landlord getting arsey because we've got a recently got a dog without asking his permission. Even though we've already got a cat (with permission) and have lived here four years, always paid our rent on time and keep the house in perfect condition. Again, I'd love to be able to say, shove it, let's move to a house where the landlord isn't a control freak. But of course if you mention you've got a cat or a dog to a letting agent they will look like you've just shat in their mother-in-law's face. Again, f*cked. I do wonder whether the No children, no pets, no DSS paradigm has some basis for a case under human rights violations. Why should I not be able to have a pet, purely because I was born 10 years too late? But again, I have no option but to bend over and take it, as there isn't a cat (dog?) in hell's chance of any politician fighting my corner for better tenant's rights.

3) More recent complaint letters and barely concealed contempt for us as renters from the (boomer) owner-occupiers on our gated community estate where we rent. And I barely understand why. We are polite, friendly and approachable professionals. It's a bizarre state of mind that these neighbours have got.

So, my comrades, what are we (collectively) going to do about it? Emigration is an option but I'm yet to be convinced that it won't be deja vu wherever we move.

I am ready for non-violent protest, but it is futile if I march as one or even in a small group.

There must be others out there that feel the same way I do? And if so, is there a protest movement worth joining? And if so, how can we hurt "them"? National rent strike?

I've had enough of these f*ckers. It's time they were forced to listen.

How many more honest hard working young people must have the pips wrung out of them before change happens?

ILW

What an epic whinge.
Why doesn't he just stop wasting money on things like dogs and save up and buy a house?

ess0two

Its very reminiscent,sure the OP did'nt write it.

ruggedtoast

ess0two wrote: »

Its very reminiscent,sure the OP did'nt write it.

I'm not a renter.

And I hate dogs.

ILW

ruggedtoast wrote: »

I'm not a renter.

And I hate dogs.

Are you a boomer though?

homelessskilledworker

ILW wrote: »

What an epic whinge.
Why doesn't he just stop wasting money on things like dogs and save up and buy a house?

Do you know what mate, it's people like you where I imagine them in old age childless, friendless and alone with no joy in their soul, looking like some kind of Eberneezer Scrooge character counting their illgotton gains every night as they jump at every loud noise.

There is a little gang of you on here where they do nothing but advocate pain and misery and sacrifice in order to please the property owning Gods.

Of course you have to work hard in life to get what you want, but come on, you need some kind of work/life balance. When I am old and wrinkled and pestering my daughter, more than anything I want to see her in a lived in home with a family(and that might include a family pet) and a man who loves and cherishes her, rather than some kind of 5 bedroomed souless monument to the Queen God Allsopp.

ILW

homelessskilledworker wrote: »

Do you know what mate, it's people like you where I imagine them in old age childless, friendless and alone with no joy in their soul, looking like some kind of Eberneezer Scrooge character counting their illgotton gains every night as they jump at every loud noise.

There is a little gang of you on here where they do nothing but advocate pain and misery and sacrifice in order to please the property owning Gods.

Of course you have to work hard in life to get what you want, but come on, you need some kind of work/life balance. When I am old and wrinkled and pestering my daughter, more than anything I want to see her in a lived in home with a family(and that might include a family pet) and a man who loves and cherishes her, rather than some kind of 5 bedroomed souless monument to the Queen God Allsopp.

I have no idea what you are going on about.

Historically only around 50 or 60% expected to own property.
The difference with this generation is that they all expect to and their sense of entitlement makes them rather bitter.

Callie22

ILW wrote: »

Historically only around 50 or 60% expected to own property. The difference with this generation is that they all expect to and their sense of entitlement makes them rather bitter.

But historically people had more security of tenure and there was much more of a chance that you could get long-term council housing - in fact councils used to encourage low-paid white collar workers onto the newly-built housing estates. No chance of that now.

I've personally become somewhat indifferent to owning a home (I'd like to, but it won't kill me if it doesn't happen) but I would like more security of tenure. Just this week I've been threatened with eviction because my landlord is debating whether he can afford to maintain his house or not. It's not a nice way to live. More broadly, not allowing younger people to be part of communities is just storing up massive social problems for the future.

Generali

If the writer is really a professional (e.g. lawyer, accountant, doctor, dentist), why the heck can't he afford to buy a house?

Here, for example, is a very nice little place for £210,000 (link). It's in a very good area and given how hard London professionals work it'll be little more than a crash pad anyway.

It would be reasonable to expect it to go for £200,000 max. £20,000 deposit, 2 grand in stamp duty meaning a £180,000 mortgage. The word 'us' implies the writer is half of a couple so even if they are pretty badly paid professionals on £30,000/year they'll only be borrowing 3 x salary. Even a teacher with a couple of years experience in London makes that!

I suspect the writer isn't a professional except at whinging.

ILW

My grandparents rented privately their whole lives. They never expected to own so did not get stressed about it.

homelessskilledworker

ILW wrote: »

I have no idea what you are going on about.

Historically only around 50 or 60% expected to own property.
The difference with this generation is that they all expect to and their sense of entitlement makes them rather bitter.

Speak for you your own kids if you have any(very unlikey), My daughter has slogged her guts out at school and has had some form of job since 13 and studying and who now is well on her way to getting her degree. She constantly gives to the community, and is just a happy live for today individual kind loving asks for little girl/lady, I have no idea what her views on housing are just yet.

It really p****s me off when I hear stupid over generalising rubbish like yours.
I suggest you open you history books and read about the pre winter of discontent days when workers were living attached to the appron strings of the unions, one little telling off and all walked out, read about firms like leyland where they made bedrooms in the factory with bed side lights and all, a lazy fragile work force that produced crap when they did work.

Never has our workforce been so useless and lazy as they were between the late 50's and late 70's. Anyone that works these days has targets and works for their wage, I think many of the younger generation have never had as hard for a long time, I am glad I am not living with their problems, the 80's and 90's were great times in every way.