Right to buy

BobQ

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-30541014

Surely our ever vigilent Government would not allow fraud to happen?

The Audit Commission annual report (October 2014) reported a 400% increase in right-to-buy fraud in London

Surely when we speak of waste in public spending this should be just as much a consideration as any other wasteful discarding of a public asset?

Generali

BobQ wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-30541014

Surely our ever vigilent Government would not allow fraud to happen?



Surely when we speak of waste in public spending this should be just as much a consideration as any other wasteful discarding of a public asset?

Local Governments and Housing Associations administer Right to Buy. It is their job to take precautions against being defrauded.

Unfortunately as we have seen time and time again, local councils are in many cases incompetent.

antrobus

BobQ wrote: »

....Surely our ever vigilent Government would not allow fraud to happen?....

What! We are being governed by a US supplier of data cooling systems? When did this happen?

Oh.

Hang on a minute. You mean 'vigilant' don't you? Now I get you.

Well, if you're going to play the attack politics game, you should at least learn to use a spellchecker.

Generali wrote: »

Local Governments and Housing Associations administer Right to Buy. It is their job to take precautions against being defrauded.

Unfortunately as we have seen time and time again, local councils are in many cases incompetent.

Well yes, after all, they own the property concerned. At least the current mob have taken social housing fraud (in general) seriously, and passed an act to tackle it. And at least we are seeing the odd prosecution.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-right-buy-fraudster-who-7764383

Not that I'm all that much keen on RTB. But that's not the point.

stator

If they abolished the discount it would make the system fair and get rid of any incentive for fraud to occur.

princeofpounds

If they abolished the discount it would make the system fair and get rid of any incentive for fraud to occur.

This.

Black markets arise when white markets are not permitted to operate. It's one reason why regimes that use excessive central economic controls (like, but not limited to, communism) end up being so corrupt.

stator

princeofpounds wrote: »

This.

Black markets arise when white markets are not permitted to operate. It's one reason why regimes that use excessive central economic controls (like, but not limited to, communism) end up being so corrupt.

Well that escalated quickly

princeofpounds

Well that escalated quickly

Just waiting for someone to counter my mention of communism with a certain well-known past German ruling political party, then under Godwin's law we can wrap the discussion up and go home for tea.

antrobus

princeofpounds wrote: »

Just waiting for someone to counter my mention of communism with a certain well-known past German ruling political party, then under Godwin's law we can wrap the discussion up and go home for tea.

Do you mean the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP), commonly known in English as the Nazi Party, once headed by an Austrian known as Adolf Hitler (formerly Schicklgruber)?

I'll put the kettle on.

tincans6

Generali wrote: »

Local Governments and Housing Associations administer Right to Buy. It is their job to take precautions against being defrauded.

Unfortunately as we have seen time and time again, local councils are in many cases incompetent.

Seem strange then that fraud in the private sector is more prevalent than in local government.

Stranger still that the biggest fraud in right to buy was perpetrated by Tories in Westminster borough led by Shirley Porter in the late 1980's.
They also sold cemeteries and other property for 85p (yes 85 pence) which was subsequently sold on the same day for £1.25m.

Imagine my surprise that people use the right to buy legislation, which is practically an invitation to fraudulent behavior, being used as stick to beat local councils.

antrobus

tincans6 wrote: »

Seem strange then that fraud in the private sector is more prevalent than in local government....

Is it? Where are the stats on that?

Mind you, I'm not convinced that it would that meaningful to try and compare the 'prevalance' of (say) fraudulent housing benefit claims to fradulent motor insurance claims.

tincans6 wrote: »

...Stranger still that the biggest fraud in right to buy was perpetrated by Tories in Westminster borough led by Shirley Porter in the late 1980's.
They also sold cemeteries and other property for 85p (yes 85 pence) which was subsequently sold on the same day for £1.25m.

Imagine my surprise that people use the right to buy legislation, which is practically an invitation to fraudulent behavior, being used as stick to beat local councils.

But you've just used as a stick to beat one particular local council regime.

tincans6

antrobus wrote: »

Is it? Where are the stats on that?

Mind you, I'm not convinced that it would that meaningful to try and compare the 'prevalance' of (say) fraudulent housing benefit claims to fradulent motor insurance claims.



But you've just used as a stick to beat one particular local council regime.

Please feel free to defend Shirley Porter who was described by a high court judge as engaging in "deliberate, blatant and dishonest misuse of public power"

There is a significant difference in perpetrating a fraud as to failing to detect frauds.

Hope this helps.