Another new tax on housing for hard working families

DavidF

purch wrote: »

Much of the reason will be that Councils, and especially Housing Associations can't be making a profit out of providing social housing.

The rental sector has changed out of all recognition over the last 30 years, and the situation where council housing probably set "market rents" has now been turned on it's head.

The whole concept of social housing needs to be looked at, as the housing market has changed so much. There is a need for secure tenancies and socially responsible landlords, but it is how that is provided that needs changing.

More social housing is needed urgently, but there should be no reason why that housing should be provided at a price much below the current market rent.

Why not at a lower price than the current over inflated "market rate". The whole problem is lack of housing = upward pressure on private rental prices. Government could address this issue without any need for caps ect by simply building social housing using the cash saved from not paying £1k per week to a private landlord. The government/council set the rate for the council housing low.....and the local private rents will have to do "something" to compete.

N1AK

mwpt wrote: »

"most vulnerable" by Social Justice Warriors (SJWs)

Use of the phrase Social Justice Warrior/SJW looks immature and pathetic enough on the forums full of the A-class socially inept on Reddit and 4chan, can we please not propagate it here.

N1AK

chucknorris wrote: »

About time! But I do think that they have set the earnings a bit too low, at £30k and £40k (in London).

It's one of very few things I think this government is doing that makes sense, and the outrage over it so far seems to be mostly intended to mislead people.

Firstly, based on what has been announced so far the £30/40k figure is the point at which the subsidy would begin to decrease, not the point at which rents would go from heavily subsidised to full market rate.

Secondly, for all the fuss about poor (insert group like nurses for example) being forced out of the area by this there's no recognition of the fact that plenty of nurses/teachers/paramedics/bus drivers etc don't live in social housing so are already paying the market rate; and there tax is being used to subsidise the rent of households which will often have higher incomes than them.

If housing in London is too expensive for nurses to be able to live and work there then the solution is to pay nurses more to encourage them work there, not to ignore the plight of most and give a small fraction heavily subsidised housing instead.

mwpt

N1AK wrote: »

It's one of very few things I think this government is doing that makes sense, and the outrage over it so far seems to be mostly intended to mislead people.

Firstly, based on what has been announced so far the £30/40k figure is the point at which the subsidy would begin to decrease, not the point at which rents would go from heavily subsidised to full market rate.

Secondly, for all the fuss about poor (insert group like nurses for example) being forced out of the area by this there's no recognition of the fact that plenty of nurses/teachers/paramedics/bus drivers etc don't live in social housing so are already paying the market rate; and there tax is being used to subsidise the rent of households which will often have higher incomes than them.

In case anyone misread my comment above, this is the point I was also trying to make. If people in low cost social housing earn more than essential service workers who are forced to rent private, this is not an ideal situation. I see it as a fair and correct move to start increasing those rents.

If housing in London is too expensive for nurses to be able to live and work there then the solution is to pay nurses more to encourage them work there, not to ignore the plight of most and give a small fraction heavily subsidised housing instead.

I really wish we didn't subsidise our business so much with tax credits and housing benefit. If these subsidies did not exist, people may actually earn decent wages and the full cost to business of the high land prices in London would be apparent Some may choose to relocate, which is a good thing for everyone.