To think we should ban private renting?

Everyone in a 2 bed flat would pay the same. or within a range. 2 bed flat in a house, no garden, say £500-£700 depending on where you live in England/UK.

I heard on the radio that almost 1 in 3 families lived in. council housing in the 70s/80s which seems insane now.

Had to rent for a couple of years and it's so expensive, money we could have used for a deposit. Private rent is just a cash cow for a few, mainly that own multiple properties. Impossible to get on the housing ladder and think about having a family when half the income goes on rent. We finally got a shared ownership place, thank goodness

You'd have to find someone to exchange with. If everyone renting was in this scheme,there would be short term swaps etc to accommodate different needs.

Everyone will pay the same rent. Perfect.

Whatever the size of the house? So someone in a 2 bedroom will pay the same as someone in a 7 bedroom?

But how would that work for professionals moving for work?

I lived in Nottingham for 2 years, then rented a flat in Manchester for a year and a half, then went to Birmingham for a year, then went to London for four years.

Each time I wanted a flat in a nice area, furnished to a high standard with all appliances etc, responsive maintenance from landlord. Ability to give a month’s notice to leave.

I’d have lost my job/promotion if I’d been hanging around trying to find all that on a social housing swap.

If I want to move to a new city, will my only option be buying? What it I only plan to stay for a year? What if I want to get to know the city first before I pick an area?

Will newcomers be welcome? Will there be income limits?

The houses are already there though and are existing assets. Yes there is maintenance but that is covered by the rent.

We used to have this pretty much until Thatcher sold off houses under Right To Buy and didn’t let councils use the money to replace them…

I remember people being able to just move into social housing without even waiting (and taking their pick of properties!).

Now the same houses are being rented out at twice the price (and often tax payers are paying the rents as housing benefit element of Universal credit).

I've long thought this. I first came up with the idea in jail. Utilise the current social housing exchange service for when people want to move

but again that's the solution? When EVERYONE gets social housing like the OP wants, no more stigma. Very low rent, and no extra costs for everyone.

Everyone will pay the same rent. Perfect.

I agree too! I don’t think anyone should be able to own more than one house
@UrOutdoors

Can a married couple have a house/flat each or should it be just one property per couple?

I don’t agree with people having multiple houses and renting them for extortionate prices BUT we live in a capitalist society and this is the deal we make for the freedoms that allows us. Social housing isn’t there to make profit so the government would soon make a huge loss providing cheap housing for anyone that can’t afford to buy.

Singapore have recently built a massive dormitory for their migrant workers where you get to rent a bed in a room that sleeps 12 people.

i’m not sure this is social housing I’d want to rent.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32297860

The rent people pay for their propety pays for the repairs and maintenance too. Have we really gone to this place again.. 'people in social housing live at the taxpayers expense!' and 'people in social housing are given free housing?!' YAWWWWWWN 😴

.

just humour the OP will you😂

I agree. I think the issue you raised is not one that will be resolved by banning landlords. Lots of wealthy people rent- because they move around for work or just don't want to buy. Why should they get social housing or be forced to go through the hassle of buying and selling every few years? The problem is lack of affordable housing. So maybe limit housing benefit to a certain level and keep HA and social housing at a low level. At the moment we are paying a shed load of housing benefit out to private landlords when it could be used to go back into not for profit HA's and council properties.

@nocoolnamesleft Exactly and you need furnished places - it’s nice to have options to pick something that suits your taste and budget.

I can get a housing association property, for very little, get someone else to pay for repairs and maintenance.

Except that it won't be 'someone else' paying for repairs and maintenance. It will be you, as a taxpayer.

YABU. Where the fuck would I have lived when I had to move across the country every 6 months to a year, for junior doctor training? Some of us absolutely need private rentals.

Everyone who owns 2 homes should be tarred and feathered - well you can come and try it!

What if you don’t want t buy but you are a high income earner?

In my 20s I moved every two years across the UK for work - major city to major city. I wanted to rent flats that came furnished to a decent standard with easy onboarding and off boarding if a new job came up and I wanted to move fairly quickly.

You are missing all the professionals who want to rent for medium term stays.

thatcher’s government allowed this private landlord monopoly,

No it didn't.

prior to this it was far more common for regular citizens to rent from the council than it is now.

Only since the Second World War, and mostly from the '60s and '70s, when the really big council estates were built.

Up to the Second World War, by far the majority of housing was privately rented. The proportion was declining, but that was as much due to increase in owner occupation as increase in council housing. In 1939 only 10% of housing was council housing.

Secondly, what about people who want/need to rent but aren’t vulnerable enough to qualify for social housing?

but under that scheme, EVERYONE will qualify for social housing. It has to be. When the only option is there, private renters will just get a housing rental instead, for much cheaper.

The ones currently privately renting should be able to stay where they are anyway 😂

It’s 80% in Singapore so it can definitely work.