MSE News: Thousands of tenants to get bedroom tax rebate

custardy

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

Oh there's plenty of 1 bed properties available here but they range from £650 pcm for a studio flat to £1800 pcm for a one bed apartment.

The LHA for this area for a one bed self contained property is £520 per month. See the problem?

1 bed at £520 a month
thats £6240 per year before tax(if we assume a working person earned it)
Thats no small amount of money you write as it is a pittance.
Ive found flats for under £500 a month here in Edinburgh. Not a cheap city. Thats ones that state they take DSS
I have no idea where to check what the LHA rate for here is?

~Chameleon~

custardy wrote: »

Well there's a finite amount of social housing
so would the bill jump?
If so,where are the people living now,who would be moving into these vacated social housing properties?

I've just asked someone I know who is in SH and currently bidding for properties and they tell me there are loads of empty 3 bed properties available as nobody wants these as they don't want to pay the extra bedroom tax. They're better off staying put in private rental despite the rent being higher for a 2 bed property.

custardy

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

I've just asked someone I know who is in SH and currently bidding for properties and they tell me there are loads of empty 3 bed properties available as nobody wants these as they don't want to pay the rent [STRIKE]extra bedroom tax.[/STRIKE] They're better off staying put in private rental despite the rent being higher for a 2 bed property.

Well isnt that the idea? Keeping 3 beds available for those who need them?

~Chameleon~

custardy wrote: »

1 bed at £520 a month
thats £6240 per year before tax(if we assume a working person earned it)
Thats no small amount of money you write as it is a pittance.
Ive found flats for under £500 a month here in Edinburgh. Not a cheap city. Thats ones that state they take DSS
I have no idea where to check what the LHA rate for here is?

Under East Lothian council it's £114.23 per week which is £495 per month so wouldn't entirely cover the cost of rent on the flats you've found.

~Chameleon~

custardy wrote: »

Well isnt that the idea? Keeping 3 beds available for those who need them?

If they are so in demand then why are they sitting empty? Surely empty housing stock is loss of revenue for the council. Better to have it rented under-occupied than sat empty. And that doesn't mean a family would necessarily have a bedroom sitting empty. It could give siblings of the opposite sex the opportunity to have a room each rather than having to share.

Robbie64

custardy wrote: »

1 bed at £520 a month
thats £6240 per year before tax(if we assume a working person earned it)
Thats no small amount of money you write as it is a pittance.
Ive found flats for under £500 a month here in Edinburgh. Not a cheap city. Thats ones that state they take DSS
I have no idea where to check what the LHA rate for here is?

http://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/search.aspx

For properties in the City Of Edinburgh council area the LHA rate for a one bedroom flat is £114.23 per week or £66.92 if aged 35 or under and not eligible for anything other than the shared accommodation rate.

custardy

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

If they are so in demand then why are they sitting empty? Surely empty housing stock is loss of revenue for the council. Better to have it rented under-occupied than sat empty. And that doesn't mean a family would necessarily have a bedroom sitting empty. It could give siblings of the opposite sex the opportunity to have a room each rather than having to share.

Well having it 'under occupied' means its not available
do you turf those under occupiers out when a family needs them?
There's already rules regarding different sex siblings sharing

custardy

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

Under East Lothian council it's £114.23 per week which is £495 per month so wouldn't entirely cover the cost of rent on the flats you've found.

well yes it would
I said under £500
eg a 1 bed in Leith for £425,a glut of 1 beds at £450

~Chameleon~

custardy wrote: »

well yes it would
I said under £500
eg a 1 bed in Leith for £425,a glut of 1 beds at £450

Well then, perhaps everyone should move to Edinburgh. Problem solved. As long as you're aged 35 or over of course

missnjg

I am absolutely infuriated by this,I gave up my 3 bed house in March after 17 years 4 months there, had to give away furniture for next to nothing that wouldnt fit in the smaller house, had the expense of moving and buying all new carpets and curtains. I'm now in a house half the size where the rent and council tax are more expensive! My cat was injured by some thug on the new estate and have a £650 vets bill. I now have to travel an hour each way to work, whereas my previous house was 10 minute walk. I just wish I'd stayed put as I've given up the protection of this loophole!!