Renters pushed to breaking point as Britain's selfish homeowners gloat their hands

lisyloo

And a two mile stroll to the station - a lovely walk on those cold and wet February evenings.:D
So add in another £1,500 for the station car park!

Geez !!!
Just because the odd day is unwalkable doesn't mean you need an annual parking pass.
If it's horizontal rain or I have luggage or I've hurt my foot etc. then I get a taxi (if there's no-one around to give a lift) but this is the odd day now and again and not the norm.

Yes it's a cost but nowhere near what you say for the odd day.

If buying a coat and walking in the rain isn't something you're prepared to do then yes give up on getting a house. There are plenty more people who will so you'll be hit by lack of supply coupled with your attitude.

The problem here is attitude and wanting everything on a plate.

ukcarper

lisyloo wrote: »

Geez !!!
Just because the odd day is unwalkable doesn't mean you need an annual parking pass.
If it's horizontal rain or I have luggage or I've hurt my foot etc. then I get a taxi (if there's no-one around to give a lift) but this is the odd day now and again and not the norm.

Yes it's a cost but nowhere near what you say for the odd day.

If buying a coat and walking in the rain isn't something you're prepared to do then yes give up on getting a house. There are plenty more people who will so you'll be hit by lack of supply coupled with your attitude.

The problem here is attitude and wanting everything on a plate.

That's the thing that gets me. We bought a house in that road in Mytchett in 70s. We were reluctant to move that far out but we realised that if we didn't we would not be able to buy. Although I commuted by car as I did not work in Central London my wife walked to station.

mwpt

lisyloo wrote: »

The problem here is attitude and wanting everything on a plate.

Not sure sure about that. My attitude is that I expect the world to be getting better, and it is, except for housing, where as a pretty well payed city worker, my partner and I could not even come close to affording a place that 20 years ago a teacher and a bus driver would have bought as a starter home.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect housing to be improving in the same way as everything else. We have the means (build up, build on green field, etc), but the "I'm alright Jack" population doesn't have the will.

ukcarper

mwpt wrote: »

Not sure sure about that. My attitude is that I expect the world to be getting better, and it is, except for housing, where as a pretty well payed city worker, my partner and I could not even come close to affording a place that 20 years ago a teacher and a bus driver would have bought as a starter home.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect housing to be improving in the same way as everything else. We have the means (build up, build on green field, etc), but the "I'm alright Jack" population doesn't have the will.

The quality of housing has improved if you think that house in Croydon is bad I don't know what you would think of the house I was bought up in.

20 years ago was an exceptional period when house prices in relation to earnings were the lowest they have been since war. A few people in my road were bank workers in city and were prepared to commute from here.

lisyloo

Not sure sure about that.

Expecting a carriage to the station all year round and not liking the decor is indeed way too high expectations. That's the resounding concensus opinion of those of us who have bought houses and in general made compromises initially.

My attitude is that I expect the world to be getting better, and it is, except for housing, where as a pretty well payed city worker, my partner and I could not even come close to affording a place that 20 years ago a teacher and a bus driver would have bought as a starter home.

I agree. There are too many people on the planet and too many people in this country.
But what are you going to do about it.
Whine on a forum ad nauseum or alternatively think about some compromises you might be able to make (like buying a coat and walking in the rain) to be able to get ahead of the crowd?

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect housing to be improving in the same way as everything else.

It might not be unreasonable in a moral sense, but the fact is there are more people to pack into the same housing stock so it's a finite resource that's under contention, so logically it's quite unreasonable.

We have the means (build up, build on green field, etc), but the "I'm alright Jack" population doesn't have the will.

I'm concerned about young people and I think we should build.
However there are some people who need to be told to "buy a coat !!!" and seem to be expecting "your carriage awaits".

If it was down to me I'd take all the long term unemployed (barring the disabled) out of central London and build safe, shared dormitory accomodation for them.
Why are they living places that working people can't afford?

wrightk

lisyloo wrote: »

If it was down to me I'd take all the long term unemployed (barring the disabled) out of central London and build safe, shared dormitory accomodation for them.
Why are they living places that working people can't afford?

Wow, social cleansing at its best. Ian duncan smith would be proud! Your daily mail awaits!
For the vast majority, being unemployed isnt a choice and they may have already set up roots,family,school etc and need a little help to get back on their feet.

mwpt

lisyloo wrote: »

Expecting a carriage to the station all year round and not liking the decor is indeed way too high expectations. That's the resounding concensus opinion of those of us who have bought houses and in general made compromises initially.

Sure. I compromised on area, location, size, etc. But I look at friends who bought even just 10 years ago, and jobs paying less than me, and I couldn't afford their houses now. Nor could they. It's clearly got worse for us, don't know why people deny this.

I agree with most of your points (and those of other posters) that while we have this shortage, we have to make compromises.

But I have a right to question the reason for the shortage. I don't believe there are too many people in the world yet. We have plenty of space to build. We have the ability to build large, good quality apartment buildings, in areas close to employment (east London for e.g.). This would mean younger city workers could afford to move in, free up family homes they were sharing outside. There is plenty of space even within the M25 ripe for development. We definitely have the space, the means, just not the will. I have the right to question and be angry about that.

And I am sorry, it was easier in the the past to afford a much better place, not just in certain years, but on average. And even if there were a few years when it wasn't, I still maintain we as a society should expect housing to improve and remain affordable on average.

If it was down to me I'd take all the long term unemployed (barring the disabled) out of central London and build safe, shared dormitory accomodation for them.
Why are they living places that working people can't afford?

Agree partly with this. I visit pubs or restaurants around "trendy" areas in London, and nearby are very nice, tall ceiling, spacious buildings, and on the steps smoking, sit people who are clearly amongst the poorest in society. It's not that I don't feel for them, but at the same time, I can't help thinking my tax money helps keep them in these buildings that would be far out of my own reach. Doesn't seem fair.

But building dreary soul sucking dormitories and filling them with people who need a little help in life doesn't sound like a good way to give them the lift they need.

wrightk

Im not aligned to any party but Personally i feel until we get the right government in power to build more affordable, secure housing (for everyone and particuarly those at the bottom) and not simply sell off council/HA stock then the rental market will always be bloated and insecure for tenants.

wotsthat

mwpt wrote: »

Not sure sure about that. My attitude is that I expect the world to be getting better, and it is, except for housing, where as a pretty well payed city worker, my partner and I could not even come close to affording a place that 20 years ago a teacher and a bus driver would have bought as a starter home.

You've got a first world problem there. Everything in your world is getting better but you couldn't buy a house at a record low price?

Unsurprisingly if you compare the price of something against an all time low it'll always be comparatively more expensive.

mwpt wrote: »

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect housing to be improving in the same way as everything else. We have the means (build up, build on green field, etc), but the "I'm alright Jack" population doesn't have the will.

Housing has improved. I'm Gen X and I sometimes pass the house I grew up in. It now has double glazed windows and insulation in the wall, a nice garage and my assumption would be they've dispensed with the coal fire and coal hole, added insulation in the roof, and probably even got a telephone line.

My wild guess would be that if 'both' properties were sold alongside each other one would command a higher price than the other.

mwpt

wotsthat wrote: »

You've got a first world problem there. Everything in your world is getting better but you couldn't buy a house at a record low price?

Why do people make up their own words when debating something? Where did you even come up with that?

Unsurprisingly if you compare the price of something against an all time low it'll always be comparatively more expensive.


Housing has improved. I'm Gen X and I sometimes pass the house I grew up in. It now has double glazed windows and insulation in the wall, a nice garage and my assumption would be they've dispensed with the coal fire and coal hole, added insulation in the roof, and probably even got a telephone line.

My wild guess would be that if 'both' properties were sold alongside each other one would command a higher price than the other.

Sorry mate, clearly you already own (maybe multiple properties) and I think you view is shaped accordingly. I just don't agree with you, at all.