to ask how we can sort out housing?

[Hullygully]

So. First time buyers largely priced out. Rents going up. No new building. HB cap. Little security of tenure for private renters. Landlords being stuffed.

When Right-to-Buy was introduced, both as cynical gerrymandering and vote gathering, and because the govt wanted rid of the responsibility for social housing, there was an encouraged explosion in Buy-to-Let to take up the slack.

Now we have a large number of landlords with a few properties operating on narrow margins who have little protection against rogue tenants (particularly those on HB who are told by their councils to wait it out until eviction) and who are able to pocket the first 8 weeks of rent before any action can be taken, and who are therefore understandably reluctant to take on HB tenants, plus, with the introduction of the Cap, HB tenants will be able to pay less than the market rent in large areas of the country.

Then renters have little security, they can be given two months' notice after six months, a nightmare particularly for families settled at schools etc. And of course there are some nightmare landlords around who don't carry out repairs etc.

Suggestions?
Solutions?

I think it's beyond repair in the UK.

tut.

Is that a suggestion or a solution? I don't think so.

tsk.

A large programme of council house building. Would bring down private rents thus encouraging all those amateur buy to letters out of the market. The terrible landlords would no longer be able to let as there would be greater supply than demand. This would increase supply of first time buyer houses and would thus reduce prices.

YABU if you expect MNers to come up with a solution based on a thread in AIBU

'A large programme of council house building.'

That will never happen.

see above, trills, and eat your typings

Not for the foreseeable, certainly. They are actually planning to reduce/abandon the requirement for new developments to have a portion of affordable housing.

I agree with more development - compulsory purchase empty derelict buildings and turn them into PSH - have more buy/rent schemes, cap rents - introduce better protection for renters and longer leases and stop this obsession with home ownership

Oh yes - and get rid of this government - they will do NOTHING to upset landlords, land owners and property developers - they need their money/votes

IMO council housing should be given a complete overhaul - all council housing should be done up to an acceptable rentable standard and rented out at market rates, with subsidies (housing benefit, I suppose) that vary according to your income. No houses for life. No sudden re-assessment. Just a gradual change in how much rent you actually have to pay as your circumstances change.

Gordy, because Labour did so much to help renters

Pay all HB direct to LL. That way you will get more good LL happy to rent to those on HB. At the moment, many won't and are advised against doing so sometimes by their agents.

I wish we could turn the clock back and unsell council houses, that was an error of hideous proportions.

Change attitudes to renting, turn it into a regulated business. Require all landlords to register with a government body and pay a registration fee to cover the cost of the service. Any unregistered landlord will be prosecuted. Introduce laws governing the rental of property including the requirement for a property to be up for rent for at least two years. Tenant gets a six month probation period, after which unless the landlord can provide reasonable evidence that they are unsuitable tenants (ie damage to the property, rent arrears) the tenant is entitled to an 18 month, ironclad contract. The tenant can leave but the landlord cannot ask them to leave without very good reason. Housing benefit to be paid directly to registered landlords and reasonable incentives, such as tax breaks, given to landlords who agree to accept HB.

I don't know what the solution is. We are currently paying a mortgage on an empty house we bought during the boom that we couldn't sell whilst renting another. We outgrew our old house and with both of us doing a 40 mile commute a day it made sense to move closer to work. We owe about what it's worth but just couldn't sell it. Competing with repossessions that go for about £30k less. We are trying to rent it out but not found anyone yet.

We have no deposit to buy as we have money left in the house due to the drop. We looked at part exing to a new build but they wouldn't give us market value and we can't afford a new build of a decent size. We are on a six month tenancy but we aren't allowed to make it feel like home. The agreement is miles long with lots of donts.

I think without the reintroduction of 100% mortgages we won't be buying for a long long time. As a landlord I would rather housing benefit go straight to the landlord. It should be easier to evict problem tenants but long term leases offered to good tenants. Although I would be reluctant to fix rent for too long as when rates go up so does the mortgage. As a tenant I would rather not have to deal with greedy agents charging a fortune for credit checks and even having 0845 numbers to report problems. I would also like to be able to treat it as my home not have to ask permission for every tiny nail or to put up a washing line.

I agree Trills, people's circs change and so do their housing needs. Tenancies should not be inheritable.

It's certainly a big problem.

We were able to buy a couple of years ago thanks to family support. We'd been in private rented accommodation for 7 years prior to that. I know we have been lucky.

I think allowing longer tenancies (perhaps after a 6 month/year) trial period would give both landlords and tennants more security. I would also advocate putting more responsibility for the upkeep of the house onto tennants - perhaps leaving decor etc up to them and expecting it to be left in a fresh condition at the end of tenancy.

There's some council housing being built in my city at the moment, alongside shared ownership places. To be honest the houses look cheaply built and I would not hold out great hopes for their longevity. The houses look to have been populated by families which is great, but I will (controversially) say that I doubt the families in most need of new, council housing are the ones driving the large, new car which have rapidly appeared on the drives.

So, in summary. Longer, private tenancies. And possibly more new council housing, but a review on eligibility.

blimey I don't think I said they did - but feel free to put words in my mouth

a government full of land owners, land lords and property developers is hardly likely to want to cap rents and help invest in social housing though

what do you suggest though?

Good ideas Cailin

NB - I missed your suggestion! I agree about council house sales

I get that there won't be a big push in building council housing -- but why is that?

It would provide much-needed jobs

It must be cheaper long term for the council to house people than subsidise market rents, put up people in B & Bs, etc

It would get rid of all the derelict blocks -- in london it's madness that they keep developing further and further out when there is so much neglected property in inner London

What is the argument against doing this?

And I can't spell tenant! Whoops!

The govt want less govt, not more. They want a fully market economy, everything to be private business dictated (like nhs and schools). The absolute last thing they want to do is build social housing.

As a landlady I would like the introduction of longer tenancies, like on the continent.

As a homeowner wanting to move, I don't know what the answer is.

Sabout the ideology, dreaming, not the common sense.

The part ownership schemes should be more widely available. They enable lower income and people with less deposits to get onto the property ladder.

Also, we need to do something about estate agents

They do bugger all and charge a fortune, making renting so much more expensive than it needs to be

More regulation? Caps on their fees? Something.