Concrete over the greenbelt. Generation Rent is at breaking point

CLAPTON

remorseless wrote: »

TBH - I thought the UK has a shortage of affordable housing.
Expensive ones, there seem to be aplenty to choose from!

no that's incorrect

there is a shortage of properties of all sorts

Mistermeaner

Cornucopia wrote: »

You don't consider it relevant that the person has legal entitlement to said house, probably earned it one way or another?

I think it's somewhat hypocritical for people who (presumably) are opposed to the "bedroom tax" as it applies to public sector housing seem to be all too keen to invent something similar to impose upon the private sector.

And finally, one house more or less is literally nothing against the scale of housing need in the UK, so there's really very little point in making it personal.

I absolute think he should keep it! Just not throw stones out of it is all

Also all for bedroom tax

ukcarper

Mistermeaner wrote: »

I absolute think he should keep it! Just not throw stones out of it is all

Also all for bedroom tax[/QUOTE

If you can't take it you shouldn't dish it out.

lessonlearned

ukcarper wrote: »

I can see the economics of why bungalows aren't built but if you want to encourage older people to move and free up larger properties you have to give them what they want.

One of the major stumbling blocks to building bungalows is that they are land hungry in relation to the square footage of living space they offer. I just can't see many large scale developers building them now. They are more likely to be built as one offs.

However there is now a much more affordable alternative - proper small scale domestic lifts (as opposed to,stair lifts).

I started looking at these a few years ago and there wasn't much out there, especially in the UK, now there is a lot more choice and costs have come down, starting at around £10k

When you consider the cost of moving I think installing a lift may well be a viable alternative to having to move to a bungalow or apartment., especially if at the same time you decide to future proof your home making it wheelchair or walking aid friendly, for example making door frames wider where necessary, going for a more open plan layout, getting rid of clutter etc

I haven't ruled out bungalows yet but The more I think about it I too would rather have more square footage with space for guests and family to visit. I can then add a lift when/if it becomes necessary.

lessonlearned

ruggedtoast wrote: »

I find the idea of people mouldering away alone in large properties terribly sad.

I believe all retirees should be given the opportunity to live in lively communities where they can also perform useful jobs for their communities.

Things like making lunches for younger workers. Childcare. Cleaning, and basic car maintenance. Doing the shopping run for young families. Baby sitting. And gardening for those who are at work during the day.

These are all things they could do that they would enjoy. And these quotidian needs being fulfilled would go a long way toward redressing the grievance of the young being robbed of housing.

Toastie, I think you will find that a lot of retirees do a lot of the stuff you talk about already, without being officially organised. They just get on with it, without making a song and dance about it. They see a need and fill the gap.

Much of the voluntary work undertaken is done by retirees.

A lot of the Baby Boomers you are so quick to critcise are part of the "sandwich generation", caring for elderly relatives, looking after their own children and grandchildren, providing free childcare, helping out in their communities etc

Those who don't have family responsibilities often spend time helping out in their communities, offering their services in hospitals (League of Friends, Community Transport) or even just working in charity shops or fund raising for their local schools, hospitals, charities etc

The ones that are "mouldering away in their homes" are usually either Frail and of very advanced years, or have limited mobility.

In such cases the size of,their home is largely irrelevant, they would be equally as housebound in an apartment as they would in a mansion........

Mistermeaner

ukcarper wrote: »

Mistermeaner wrote: »

I absolute think he should keep it! Just not throw stones out of it is all

Also all for bedroom tax[/QUOTE

If you can't take it you shouldn't dish it out.

I haven't been taking anything and I've not been offended - if you say your initial selfish comment was tongue in cheek I call you a liar.

You have been caught out by your own definition of selfish and shown yourself to be selfish by that definition.

You are 65? I think so should know better than to keep flogging this dead horse

ukcarper

Mistermeaner wrote: »

ukcarper wrote: »

I haven't been taking anything and I've not been offended - if you say your initial selfish comment was tongue in cheek I call you a liar.

You have been caught out by your own definition of selfish and shown yourself to be selfish by that definition.

You are 65? I think so should know better than to keep flogging this dead horse - you call me selfish but are just as selfish in your actions

If you can't see it was then this post says a lot about, you I'm old enough to know the majority of young people don't have yours and ruggeds attitude so why would I make that post in seriousness.

ukcarper

lessonlearned wrote: »

One of the major stumbling blocks to building bungalows is that they are land hungry in relation to the square footage of living space they offer. I just can't see many large scale developers building them now. They are more likely to be built as one offs.

However there is now a much more affordable alternative - proper small scale domestic lifts (as opposed to,stair lifts).

I started looking at these a few years ago and there wasn't much out there, especially in the UK, now there is a lot more choice and costs have come down, starting at around £10k

When you consider the cost of moving I think installing a lift may well be a viable alternative to having to move to a bungalow or apartment., especially if at the same time you decide to future proof your home making it wheelchair or walking aid friendly, for example making door frames wider where necessary, going for a more open plan layout, getting rid of clutter etc

I haven't ruled out bungalows yet but The more I think about it I too would rather have more square footage with space for guests and family to visit. I can then add a lift when/if it becomes necessary.

I can't see bungalows being built in any quantity but I do feel it's a bit of a wast living in the house I'm in but as there is nothing that suite my needs I'll probably stay put until my requirements change.

seven-day-weekend

ukcarper wrote: »

Perhaps what is needed is more suitable properties for older people to move to. I'm occupying a 4 bed house and don't need it but I'm not prepared to move to a retirement flat with high monthly outgoings and no garage.

So what's wrong with a two-bedroomed house, a bungalow or a non-retirement flat?

seven-day-weekend

cells wrote: »

The demand is limited for bungalows and supply almost non existent

For example in a normal town of say 200,000 if you build 500 bungalows in a year you will totally trash bungalow prices maybe towards the price of terrace homes which would be a substantial bungalow price crash whereas building 500 terrace homes wpuld probably hardly move the price of terrace homes in the town

imo there is little to no need for bungalows. Flats with lifts are just as good if the sound proofing (solid walls preferably) is good

Hey! I've just bought a bungalow! It has a large garden, something you don't get with flats.

However I agree that there is not the space these days for bungalows with large gardens, when a couple of blocks of low-rise flats or a row of terraced houses could be built on the same site, housing six to ten families, or more, instead of one.

Me however, I'm happy, for the first time in 65 years of life I have a drive