This so called Bedroom Tax

princessdon

nannytone wrote: »

if this was about freeing up properties for families, they would find a way to 'encourage' those that pay their rent in full to move to appropriate sized property too.
it is purely a benefit cutting exercise

I don't disagree - but there is an element of a fair playing field too with Private Rental too.

I was replying that TB and other diseases will break out due to overcrowding, from a poster that supports none downsizing, so I can't see their logic.

nannytone_2

there are plenty of options for those moving between 2 and 3 bed properties. the issue is with the 1 bed properties.

where i live there are 4 1 bed properties. 2 are 'supported housing for young people' and the other 2 are private lets.
i could rent a 2 bed house privately for the same amount as my HA flat.
dor many reasons, we have a glut of social and privately rented property here. just no suitable 1 beds

kafkathecat

I guess my point , badly made, is that all this pressure to move around, to let out rooms, share accomodation etc. has all been brought about by a failure to build enough affordable housing. As a separate issue homes should be for life where people want that, you cannot put a price on rootedness and community and anyone who lives near short term lets will know how there is no incentive for tenants to care for the property bringing rats bedbugs and other infestations. Things that we thought were goone for good are coming back and why? Because people forgot the lessons of history.

claire2k

19lottie82 wrote: »

Because there were enough properties to allocate you one with an extra bedroom in the first place, you were very lucky. As you stated, that was 25 years ago, things have changed since then. We are now in the middle of a "housing crisis"

Your post is very narrow minded, and peopel may not agree with me here, but I'd also say, selfish. What about the growing number of young families, who need a home?

I don't think there were enough properties then. I waited 5 years on the housing list. So i would'nt say there was an abundance of empty houses.

Don't forget when i got this house it was in the middle of everyone purchasing their council home so there was not a lot left to occupy infact my council house is the only one on our street which is not bought.

So you could say that there was also a 'housing crisis' then..

So no i'm not being selfish or narrow minded the LA allocated me a house with a tenancy that basicly says i can stay in it for life and then pass it down one generation when i die.

The fact i don't 'own' it is not an issue although some people on here seem to think it is.
At least if i ever loose my job i won't loose my home.
My children will always have a roof over their heads because the baliffs won't be coming to repossess because i hav'nt paid the mortgage.
I've worked all my life & paid my taxes but it seems a bit of snobbery comes into it because i live in a council house and don't have a 'mortgage'.

For all you mortgage 'home owners' out there get a grip you don't own your homes either, your bank does.

Lets hope they don't start charging you for the spare bedroom lol

princessdon

claire2k wrote: »

I don't think there were enough properties then. I waited 5 years on the housing list. So i would'nt say there was an abundance of empty houses.

Don't forget when i got this house it was in the middle of everyone purchasing their council home so there was not a lot left to occupy infact my council house is the only one on our street which is not bought.

So you could say that there was also a 'housing crisis' then..

So no i'm not being selfish or narrow minded the LA allocated me a house with a tenancy that basicly says i can stay in it for life and then pass it down one generation when i die.

The fact i don't 'own' it is not an issue although some people on here seem to think it is.
At least if i ever loose my job i won't loose my home.
My children will always have a roof over their heads because the baliffs won't be coming to repossess because i hav'nt paid the mortgage.
I've worked all my life & paid my taxes but it seems a bit of snobbery comes into it because i live in a council house and don't have a 'mortgage'.

For all you mortgage 'home owners' out there get a grip you don't own your homes either, your bank does.

Lets hope they don't start charging you for the spare bedroom lol

That is EXACTLY what you don't really get. Mortgagees don't own their home, the bank does. If they ever need benefits they WILL NOT get the full amount that their payments should be.

That is life, that is a fact, pure and simple, if you cannot afford your home and benefits don't cover it you adjust.

I don't consider my home mine, it's the banks - yet you consider your home YOURS and able to pass to your future generations.

It isn't it doesn't belong to you, it belongs to the council and they can change their rules, the government can change benefits, taxes and anything else they want to change.

No one really has security (even owners with deeds don't) as all it takes is for the Govt to decide that those with deeds need to pay 1000% Council Tax - they'd then need to move.

People who own their home often have to sell to fund care in old age, they could force people to sell to pay for NHS in the future, who knows!

I don't think anyone bar Social Housing Tenants think they have a concrete life tenancy with no changes - that's not life and certainly not realistic in today's climate.

And yes if you lose your job you could lose your home, they could decide from next year to not pay HB at all to unemployed - In fact they are talking about this for homeowners after 2 years, and it could easily filter down.

365days

claire2k wrote: »

I don't think there were enough properties then. I waited 5 years on the housing list. So i would'nt say there was an abundance of empty houses.

Don't forget when i got this house it was in the middle of everyone purchasing their council home so there was not a lot left to occupy infact my council house is the only one on our street which is not bought.

So you could say that there was also a 'housing crisis' then..

So no i'm not being selfish or narrow minded the LA allocated me a house with a tenancy that basicly says i can stay in it for life and then pass it down one generation when i die.

The fact i don't 'own' it is not an issue although some people on here seem to think it is.
At least if i ever loose my job i won't loose my home.
My children will always have a roof over their heads because the baliffs won't be coming to repossess because i hav'nt paid the mortgage.
I've worked all my life & paid my taxes but it seems a bit of snobbery comes into it because i live in a council house and don't have a 'mortgage'.

For all you mortgage 'home owners' out there get a grip you don't own your homes either, your bank does.

Lets hope they don't start charging you for the spare bedroom lol

Would you like some ketchup with that?

paulineb_2

I dont see how HB wouldnt be paid to people on benefits, if you get £71 a week and your rent in a council flat is £200-£300 a month how on earth are people going to pay it.

Whats next, return of the poorhouses? Im affected by the bedroom tax, my local council which covers a reasonably large area, around ten towns, gave figures last week that said how many 1 apt homes there were in the council area.

There are 90, 85 of which have been earmarked for people. Its all very good in theory with people saying move, simple. But in a lot of places, there wont be the smaller size homes to move into.

And lets not forget a lot of people who get HB arent unemployed, some work part time and are on a low wage.

This tax is going to create hardship as it is, people shouldnt be made homeless.

Ive never thought my council flat is a home for life, I dont intend to stay in it for life but at the moment I cant afford to move.

And yes some peoples circumstances can change over their lifetime, but this affects people of working age only. Purely and simply because the Tories know if they tried to get away with imposing a HB cut on people over the age of 65 they would probably lose the Tory voters they have.

Its discriminatory, simplistic and unrealistic. I also read the other day that spending hasnt actually decreased under the Tories, its increased and the person who wrote the article said we arent in recession, we are simply bumping along the bottom.

But its the poorest people (as usual) who will feel the cust cotting measures most.

There are many people who cant afford their own home and will go through many work and family life changes during their lifetime.
Ive never seen council housing as an easy option, I couldnt afford a mortgage and Im sure there are many people like me out there.

And I will pay the bedroom tax. But if Cameron and the like are waxing lyrical about downsizing, they should realise that for some people, thats not an option due to shortage of housing in the areas they live in.

And I bet its going to be the same story in many towns and cities across the UK.

kloana

claire2k wrote: »

For all you mortgage 'home owners' out there get a grip you don't own your homes either, your bank does.

Every homeowner, particularly during the early years, is keenly aware of who really owns their home. Yet many still take the 'risk' of their home being repossessed for "not paying the mortgage". And it's a bloody good job they do, to...

lighting_up_the_chalice

princessdon wrote: »

....................

It isn't it doesn't belong to you, it belongs to the council and they can change their rules, the government can change benefits, taxes and anything else they want to change.

But they cannot change the terms of the existing tenancy.

princessdon wrote: »

I don't think anyone bar Social Housing Tenants think they have a concrete life tenancy with no changes - that's not life and certainly not realistic in today's climate.

But it is the definition of a secure tenancy..... and that's what they signed.

kafkathecat

princessdon, I believe a right to a home is a fundamental human right and if we are all feeling insecure this is not good for our country or our economy. Also the homes need to be where the jobs are so more needs to be done to encourage businesses into areas with high unemployment rather than moving people from London where there may be jobs to say Hull where prospects are fewer. This country prospered when people had secure jobs and housing and in many places like Scandinavia, whilst not without problems, these things still exist to some degree.