Would you support or oppose proposals for the government in introduce a “rent control

Generali

cepheus wrote: »

They had little choice other than to vote for right wing parties until recently. Some of these turkeys are even voting UKIP now! CRAZY!!!



http://www.politicalcompass.org/ukparties2010

How could the Conservatives be neoliberal before neoliberalism was invented?

Torry_Quine

At first read it sounds like a good idea. As always the devil is in the detail. One of the reasons for the large benefit bill is housing benefit due to the ridiculous rents charged so something needs to change.

cepheus

Freedom of Information Requests by the GMB union reveal that private landlords received a staggering £9.2 billion in housing benefit in 2013/14.......Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary, said: “This research lifts the lid on the mainly secret payments to landlords who are the real winners from Britain’s welfare system. “We see taxpayers cash subsidising buy-to-let empires with £9.2 billion of hard earned taxpayer’s cash paid into private landlords’ bank accounts – much of it ending up in tax havens.

http://www.welfareweekly.com/millionaire-private-landlords-abusing-britains-welfare-system-says-gmb/

CLAPTON

cepheus wrote: »

Freedom of Information Requests by the GMB union reveal that private landlords received a staggering £9.2 billion in housing benefit in 2013/14.......Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary, said: “This research lifts the lid on the mainly secret payments to landlords who are the real winners from Britain’s welfare system. “We see taxpayers cash subsidising buy-to-let empires with £9.2 billion of hard earned taxpayer’s cash paid into private landlords’ bank accounts – much of it ending up in tax havens.

http://www.welfareweekly.com/millionaire-private-landlords-abusing-britains-welfare-system-says-gmb/

it would seem that the ONS publish very comprehensive statistics about housing benefits that are freely available.

try putting 'housing benefit statistics' into a search engine

tincans6

patman99 wrote: »

There is already a scheme to regulate and cap rent in the private sector.
A friend of mine has lived in private rented for the last 30 years (in the same house). He was telling me that his rent is set by some kind o rent review board (can't remember the exact name).

His landlord is told how much rent they can charge and that this will be reviewed every 3 years. He pays around £300 p/m less than his neighbour (who has no idea such a scheme exists).

His tenancy is also protected so his landlord cannot kick him out without a costly Court case.

This sounds like an assured tenancy (as opposed to assured shorthold tenancy) and presumably pre-dates the 1988 Housing Act.
This provides that a tenant can go to a rent assessment committee to challenge rent increases.

It also means it is very difficult for landlord to get rid of tenant.

antrobus

CLAPTON wrote: »

it would seem that the ONS publish very comprehensive statistics about housing benefits that are freely available.

try putting 'housing benefit statistics' into a search engine

Ah yes, but you miss the point.:)

You could indeed access DWP Housing Benefit caseload statistics and look at data for Housing Benefit claimants by tenure and average weekly award by tenure and calculate a big number. On the other hand by repeatedly hitting councils with FOI requests you can pretend that the results you are getting are somehow a Big Secret Now Being Revealed.

antrobus

tincans6 wrote: »

This sounds like an assured tenancy (as opposed to assured shorthold tenancy) and presumably pre-dates the 1988 Housing Act.
This provides that a tenant can go to a rent assessment committee to challenge rent increases.

It also means it is very difficult for landlord to get rid of tenant.

It would be yes. Any pre 15 Jan 1989 tenancy could be a regulated tenancy subject to a fair rent.

Percy1983

Yes we need to build more houses which in many respects would reduce the need for caps, but why not protect the poorer in society from some rich leaches in the meantime?

CLAPTON

Percy1983 wrote: »

Yes we need to build more houses which in many respects would reduce the need for caps, but why not protect the poorer in society from some rich leaches in the meantime?

because it will make the make the poorer worse off.

movilogo

We just need to control greed. Then everything else will be under control