Cameron will NOT consider rent controls.

toby3000

I think you can only claim individually if you're on separate leases. I tried to claim it when I was in a house share, and the concept seemed to be beyond the benefits office understanding.

Carl31

GeorgeHowell wrote: »

Be interesting to know why in the UK most people think that renting is throwing money away compared with buying. Whereas on the continent apparently most don't think that. Is it because controls keep rents down in those countries ? The perception here is that controls would just squeeze down the availability of rented domestic accommodation. Perhaps on the continent renting out is generally less hassle for landlords so more are willing to do it for less ? Landlords here will tell stories of the hassles with some tenants : failure to pay rent or late payment, not looking after property well or keeping it clean, pestering them at inconvenient times about fixing minor and non-urgent issues, taking in lodgers or sub-letting without agreement, and sometimes disappearing leaving more owed in rent than the deposit covers. Obviously not all tenants are trouble, but maybe because renting is more established on the continent being a good tenant is more of a social norm ?

i think there tends to be a very black and white view in this country that is basically:

Ownership - have something of value at the end of a certain term
Renting - do not have something of value at the end of a certain term

Of course, how you actually get to the ownership of that asset, and its actual value after that certain term is not considered, its just the fact that you have an asset with some sort of value, which is generally presumed to increase as a matter of fact by most

iWant_iStrive

It seems everyone says we should build more houses, but they keep relying on the private sector to somehow begin. Truth is they wont because its not that profitable at the moment.

IveSeenTheLight

iWant_iStrive wrote: »

It seems everyone says we should build more houses, but they keep relying on the private sector to somehow begin. Truth is they wont because its not that profitable at the moment.

New builds are still selling.
One of my friends are moving in to a new build in the summer (bought off plan)

When I look at local builders, it seems many have sold and remaining properties are limited

http://www.cala.co.uk/homes/development/Foveran/Availability.aspx

http://www.cala.co.uk/homes/development/CALA_Campus/Availability.aspx

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

“Councils across the country agree that there simply aren’t enough new homes being built. We desperately need more housing and we need a mixture that includes private, social, affordable and rental properties,” says Mike Jones, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Environment and Housing Board.

“But crucially, Government needs to address the lack of liquidity in the finance market and limited availability of mortgages which are the real obstacles standing in the way of a resurgence in new house building and helping people to secure finance to purchase a home.”

Lenders are in the firing line for dampening demand for properties by failing to lend to borrowers with a deposit of 5% or less.

“The biggest post recession issue affecting house building is quite simply a lack of mortgage finance,” says Andrew.

“The overall number of mortgages that are being written is radically down. At the moment house builders’ output is driven by mortgage availability. Housing output will continue to be limited until such time as lending becomes more palatable. The Government needs to find a way of encouraging the banks to lend more money to first-time buyers at higher LTVs and rates that are affordable,” he says.

“We anticipate continued firm underlying demand for new homes but this will remain constrained by the low level of mortgage availability,” said Persimmon’s chairman Nicholas Wrigley.

It is not just the mortgage lending aspect that is holding back the building business in terms of development; banks also have also been less than generous when it comes to lending to smaller developers.

“In order to build more houses, smaller house builders need to come back into the market but it is virtually impossible for some of the smaller developers to obtain finance from the banks, says Andrew.

http://www.mortgagestrategy.co.uk/features/builders-blight/1056932.article

CLAPTON

It's quite absurd to encourage people to buy at higher LTV than 95%; indeed it is arguable that 90% ought to be the maximum.

There does seem to be anecdotal evidence too that lenders are reluctant to lend to anyone who is self employed or has the slightest blemish on their credit records.

However at the cheaper end of the market, the infrastructure and 'affordble housing' levies make the price of newbuilds unattractive.

IveSeenTheLight

CLAPTON wrote: »

However at the cheaper end of the market, the infrastructure and 'affordble housing' levies make the price of newbuilds unattractive.

Are the pricing of infrastructure and 'affordable housing' levies that unnatractive?

I've just found my levy (Affordable Housing, Primary & Secondary Education) for building a 5 bed detached is £1400.

There are discounts depending on the size of the property (Brownfield developments -20%, Conservation Areas -20%, Listed Building -20%, 2 beds -20%, 1 bed -40%) whilst there(3 bed is x1, 4 bed is x 1.2 and 5 bed is x 1.4)

Therefore at the cheaper end of the market, you probably have fewer bedrooms and a discounted levy

Conrad

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

http://www.mortgagestrategy.co.uk/features/builders-blight/1056932.article

Had 2 cases declined last week

1) 67 and 57yo remo £200k total, on a £1,5m house. Reason - Mrs is a Ltd Co Director showing too low a profit.
They planned to use the money to do - up house and then sell in 2 years or so.
In reality income is fine.


2) RTB £125K discouted price. Value £210k. Declined as Mr has a default for £170 from 2009 which pertains to a dispute from 2001!

Conrad

CLAPTON wrote: »

There does seem to be anecdotal evidence too that lenders are reluctant to lend to anyone who is self employed or has the slightest blemish on their credit records.

The lenders have no choice, thanks to the 'treating customers fairly' priciple laid down by the FSA. It essentially rules out common sense judgment.

CLAPTON

IveSeenTheLight wrote: »

Are the pricing of infrastructure and 'affordable housing' levies that unnatractive?

I've just found my levy (Affordable Housing, Primary & Secondary Education) for building a 5 bed detached is £1400.

There are discounts depending on the size of the property (Brownfield developments -20%, Conservation Areas -20%, Listed Building -20%, 2 beds -20%, 1 bed -40%) whilst there(3 bed is x1, 4 bed is x 1.2 and 5 bed is x 1.4)

Therefore at the cheaper end of the market, you probably have fewer bedrooms and a discounted levy

they vary over the country