Who saw bbc panarama britians hidden housing crisis

moneyinmypocket

Really felt for some of the families and people on the program, did anyone else watch it?

paddyrg

Some of the couples talked about large properties being 'everything they had built up' - except they didn't, it was on a 100% mortgage. It is sad for them of course, but ultimately they couldn't afford the house they were calling home, they had a lucky decade in many ways.

BobQ

moneyinmypocket wrote: »

Really felt for some of the families and people on the program, did anyone else watch it?

Sorry I did not see it and so cannot comment whatever you are talking about!:)

Miss_Havisham

They had all contributed to some extent to their own situation (well not the kids of that large family, so upsetting to see that little boy sobbing).

Very sad that people live like this.

coastline

BobQ wrote: »

Sorry I did not see it and so cannot comment whatever you are talking about!:)

have a look..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01pc1qb/Panorama_Britains_Hidden_Housing_Crisis/

Zero_Sum

I suspect there were lots we were'nt being told

vivatifosi

Miss_Havisham wrote: »

They had all contributed to some extent to their own situation (well not the kids of that large family, so upsetting to see that little boy sobbing).

Very sad that people live like this.

Yes they had contributed, but I felt so sorry for the lady with cancer. A £180,000 house repossessed over £9k arrears. She couldn't work but would be able to in the longer term. Why couldn't there be a scheme where people in that situation can get housing benefit while they are ill, that pay the mortgage, then they work out something at the end of it? Barclays did not come out of that well.

Kevin seemed a nice enough chap too.

As for the family with the six kids, I sense there may be a bigger story there, given that they were evicted from the temp accommodation. The dad seemed very long suffering mind.

Finally the other family, why didn't they downsize while they had a chance? Ostrich syndrome?

BobQ

coastline wrote: »

have a look..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01pc1qb/Panorama_Britains_Hidden_Housing_Crisis/

Very sad, particularly for the children who are being victimised by a society much of which has ceased to care about their plight.

Its very difficult to make judgements about individuals in such circumstances without knowing the full facts.

Do I feel sorry for an investment banker who is homeless? A little but I imagine that when he worked he wasted thousands of a very large income and did not make provision for his future.

Do I feel sorry for a businessman who took out a 100% mortgage on a £500000 house and lived the life of riley without apparently seeing the need to pay off much of his mortgage despite having a good living to fund a nice home and expensive holidays? Not really, his kids yes. But its still sad to see it happen even so. He appears to be one of Cameron's strivers.

Do I feel sorry for the bus driver and family. Yes he is one of Cameron's strivers who is being ground down by the system.

Was the lady with cancer evicted just for owing £9K on a £180K house that originally had a £50K mortgage? Or had she borrowed against most of the equity? I do not know but its sad that someone who is ill is not treated more sympathetically by a large bank or by the Government.

But I imagine that this will be happening all over the place as Cameron's policies force people to leave London for the cheaper areas and his cuts bite on those he thinks are the undeserving scroungers. These people all seemed like the strivers to me but it does them no good it seems.

Unemploymemt can happen to anyone. Personally I have avoided it and have paid for my home and made provision for the future. But I have never been a wealthy investment banker or owned a successful business turning over millions. So how can I judge them.

exarmydreamer

It does show that ones personal circumstances can change very quickly and it could be a career disaster or illness. Nothing should be taken for granted and no one is safe from future crisis, insurance does not cover every eventuality and long term illness can drain resources quickly.

I watched with interest and was saddened by the lady with cancer, after all she had offered to pay the interest on the mortgage out of her benefits. She in effect would now cost more to house, than she would if she had been allowed to stay in her house and rented rooms out, (possibly). As for the banker, well just goes to show, how fragile wealth is, wife gone, no friends, no money but at least we have what is left of the welfare system and charities to help support the needy.

For how long will we still have the support of the welfare system?, no idea but charities are struggling to survive and provide services. Dubious Landlords are profiting, social services are ignoring overcrowding and housing benefit will make the situation a lot worse.

Thankfully not everyone has to endure homelessness or poverty but it was nice to see the minister responsible for charities announce that he paid 1% of his wages to charity per year. Lets hope that ALL ministers etc can do the same, £19.00, would provide a person with a bed and meal for xmas with the Salvation Army. This is a decent present from those with the ability to give at this time of year.

Must add, that I am not a member of the Salvation Army or any charity but I give what I can and hold no pleasure from others demise.

RevolvingDoor

I felt very sympathetic towards the people they showed and especially the children involved.

exarmydreamer wrote: »

It does show that ones personal circumstances can change very quickly and it could be a career disaster or illness. Nothing should be taken for granted and no one is safe from future crisis, insurance does not cover every eventuality and long term illness can drain resources quickly.

Yes, very true.

John_Pierpoint

I was amazed that the 50 something woman with cancer could not call upon her family for support over what seemed a relatively trivial debt.
She got picked up in a large 4 x 4 that could have been "down sized" but my wife remarked that it was probably on the "never never".