The vicar making his tenants homeless because of tax changes...

AdrianC

This should raise some interesting discussion points...

http://www.express.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/664570/Landlord-tenants-homeless-Osborne-immoral-property-tax

Seems to cynical little me that he must be borrowing VERY heavily against these properties, and is actually starting to panic about interest rate rises, but this provides him with a handy political stick to not only wave but use as a get-out clause.

AnotherJoe

Yep, I'd say he must be mortgaged to the hilt and has been depriving honest hard working first time buyers from purchasing their first dream home by his avaricious activities.

PasturesNew

God helps those who help themselves.... and he's certainly doing that.

System

I'd have thought the church would provide him emergency credit to avoid 1) breaking Christian values and 2) the embarrassment, then sack the vicar

AdrianC

He seems to downplay his nine BtLs in this biog...
https://www.ministrytoday.org.uk/board/

William and Louise also have a keen interest in property renovation and development...

...and this one...
http://www.lincschaplaincy.org.uk/news/67

Married with twins, William and Louise enjoy property renovation...

Meanwhile...
http://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/news/community/community-news/new-chaplain-has-busy-few-weeks-on-joining-church-1-6374979

He has background experience of running a small business...

HamburgerHilll

Sorry to disagree but the impression I got from the article was that the Reverend rents out at below market value in order to secure property for low income tenants including pensioners....is that really such a bad thing?

I am a complete cynic by nature but anyone who has read the article and comments underneath and is currently living in privately rented accomodation should be very worried by this new legislation..

I'm not defending landlords (especially the bad ones who profit from peoples desperation) but there are many good ones out there who look after their tenants (customers) well.

System

The church could buy the property off him...

AdrianC

HamburgerHilll wrote: »

Sorry to disagree but the impression I got from the article was that the Reverend rents out at below market value in order to secure property for low income tenants including pensioners....is that really such a bad thing?

Yes, I'm sure he did spin it like that. Peter Rachman's PR department would probably have said similar, too.

He's making £15k/year profit currently from his nine low-cost properties - after paying off the mortgage interest, maintenance etc etc.

And he's selling the properties and evicting the tenants because that profit will still be there, but only £500. After expenses, tax etc. How terribly philanthropic. Oh, wait. No...

And let's not forget that he must be into higher-rate tax for the change to be making any difference. Yet he complains the change will bring him INTO higher-rate. And the poor dear will lose his child benefit, so he must be earning over £50k after this change to lose a single penny, while to lose ALL of his child benefit, he'd have to be earning damn near £60k

With free housing provided through his day job for him and his family. That's part of the reason why vicars are paid £22k/year, if they get the full stipend - not all do.

'course, that's all if we believe the Express. Which I'm loathe to do.

Annabee

I find it a bit much that this clergyman is spinning this as a 'moral issue' (him being on the side of the angels, of course) and referencing the famous quote 'all that it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing' takes the biscuit! Does he have no self-awareness at all?

Miss_Samantha

This forum is holier than thou, isn't it?

marksoton

Miss_Samantha wrote: »

This forum is holier than thou, isn't it?

I don't recall anyone here claiming to be.

He's claimed it's a moral issue, HE therefore needs to justify that claim. IMO he's failed to do so based on the article.