To think that if your answer to complaining about Bedroom Tax is "get a smaller house", you are a bit thick?

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

Where IS this glut of smaller properties, just waiting to be filled by people being stung by the bedroom tax?

TWICE today I have heard supposedly intelligent people say "Well if they don't want to pay the bedroom tax, they need to move to a smaller house."

Fucking depressing. I think it earmarks you as being a bit hard of thinking if that is your solution. :(

[BrokenSunglasses]

I think people who persist in calling it a tax when it isn't are a bit thick too tbh!

[noobieteacher]

Is it a law, a rule, a guideline or a tax?

I think they should never have allowed this to become retrospective.

They haven't done that with pensioners so why do it with everyone else?

[HeffalumpTheFlump]

Sorry I don't agree on this. I have been trying to swap my property for a larger one for nearly a year. I thought there would be an influx of people wanting to downsize due to the bedroom tax, but no. I recently attended a 'swap meet' to try and find someone who wanted to downsize and 90% of the people who attended wanted to move to a larger property, not smaller.

There are plenty of smaller properties available, it's when you are trying to get a larger one that you hit a brick wall.

[Lollyheart]

Yanbu

[noobieteacher]

I've checked - it's a new rule. If it's a new rule can it be applied retrospectively? Surely the rules are rules that are agreed at the time in a contract between you and the council? You can't just change them at random.

[Whothefuckfarted]

Heffalump you're wrong. There is a massive shortage of smaller 1 and 2 bedroom places available.

OP YANBU.

[OatcakeCravings]

Its not a tax, its a reduction in benefits for people in council housing that are deemed to be under occupying their properties.

I think its total bollocks but the terminology people are using is starting to grate!

[HeffalumpTheFlump]

Whothefuck - Not in my area. Two bedrooms yes, but definitely not 1 beds. I spoke to my housing association about it and the lady there said that they have been surprised at how few people have actually decided to downsize, as most have decided to absorb the cost.

[Titsalinabumsquash]

I know a lot of people who have swapped from a too small house to a bigger one because people in these bigger houses didn't want to pay the 'tax' on empty rooms.

I am one of those people, the housing associations around this way have a huge back log of paperwork because everyone is swapping. So I guess in that respect the governments plan is working.

[Souredstoneshasasouredpebble]

When I was in council accommodation I desperately wanted to upsize. Sadly people with houses tended to be snobs and turned their noses up at flats.

The properties are out there in abundance

[HeffalumpTheFlump]

On the homeswapper site there are hundreds of 1 bed properties trying to swap for a two bed in my area. Each advert for a two bed can have endless applicants. Look at the 1 bed property adverts and there will be little to no interest. It may be different in different areas, but around here that is the case.

[CorrineFoxworth]

There are probably fewer larger properties than you would expect to see available because the biggest group of over occupiers (older people) are exempt from this charge.

[CorrineFoxworth]

Gah! UNDER-occupiers.

[Dahlen]

People who rent privately have always been subjected to this if claiming housing benefit, so in one sense it levels the playing field. However, I think it's unfair to apply it retrospectively, especially when for many tenants this will mean children having to move schools, etc.

I suspect that it will vary enormously from one region to another as to how many properties of different types are available.

[Whothefuckfarted]

Well seeing as in your area that's the case (however small/large) it must be true for the entire UK

In the area where my mother lives there are a total of 13 one/two bedroom places available to rent in a 15 mile radius, and according to the stats there around 2500 people hit by bedroom tax who need to downsize.

Work that one out.

[havingamadmoment]

There are loads of one and two bedroom flats/houses out there. We moved recently and everytime we walked into an agency the list to rent was about 75% + 3 bedrooms and under. If I didnt have 7 people in the house it would be crazy to pay out for 5 bedrooms I dont really get why people are determined to do that...

[HeffalumpTheFlump]

Whothefuck - I clearly stated that I am posting only about what is happening in my area. My experience in my area is that there really hasn't been as many people trying to downsize as was expected. As I have a small property and am trying to change for a larger one, I think i am allowed to post about my experience thanks.

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

"I think people who persist in calling it a tax when it isn't are a bit thick too tbh!"

So it's techinally not a tax but that is what it is being referred to popularly. I merely used it here so that people would know straight away what I was referring to. You sarky twat

[CocacolaMum]

I agree with the policy of reducing benefits for those who are under-occupying their homes HOWEVER I disagree with calling it a tax and I disagree that it only affects those on housing benefit, people who work and can bloody well afford to pay full rents should not have reduced rents through social housing. It should be used as a temporary measure to help get someone back on their feet as with any benefit.

[karron]

Whothefuck seems you are applying your experience of one area to the whole of the country but not letting someone else do it.

Not sure how fair it is to dock someone's benefits if they can't downsize but seems fair enough if they won't. God knows how you differentiate between the 2 though

[Whothefuckfarted]

I think you are all confusing this with council and private lettings as well. It costs a lot to move from council to a private let.

My mum has no money left at the end of the month. If she was to move to a one bedroom from her two bedroom she'd need to save up 1st months rent, and deposit to move then wait for god knows how long to claim Housing benefit after she had secured a tenancy. Which incidentally would cost the council much more to keep her there in private letting than it would be to stay where she is in council housing.

It's a farce.

[HeffalumpTheFlump]

Soured - I completely agree about the flat snobbery, as I have seen quite a few adverts where they want to downsize to a 1 bed, but will not accept a flat. I can kind of understand though as once I get out of flats, I don't want to have to live in one again. I would much rather have a property with its own garden etc.

[LousThighBurn]

What hasn't been mentioned is the cost of moving, that is an upfront cost, whereas the penalty payment for living in a house that is "too big for you" is gradual so it is easier for some to adjust to.

[Whothefuckfarted]

Sorry, in Heffalumps first post it didn't seem apparent that she was talking about just her own area...

[ComposHat]

The only way this would have been fair, would be if there was a large surplus of one and two bed properties available. That isn't the case in the majority of areas and people are pretty much foeced to stay in their homes and suffer the fall in income.