What are your views on the bedroom tax?

[Cheekychops84]

the new tax for hb claimants where u loose some hb for bedrooms u don't need? we work so at the moment won't b affected but if workers later on down the line are affected I think is a bit unfair as we are paying all rent and bills ourself at the same price as Private Rent?

[expatinscotland]

Completely scrap Right to Buy! Many councils already have, thankfully.

[usualsuspect]

I was being sarky

[Orwellian]

I agree with it.

No reason why people who have been provided social housing should live in properties bigger than their needs. And hopefully those that cannot afford a cut in HB will downsize so that households who really need the extra room can utilise these public assets.

[FiveMonths]

I don't understand how having tenants who get HB in private rental is 'buying a house for someone on HB'

It's not, it's paying the mortgage of the landlord - we don't get to keep the house.

[usualsuspect]

No one said that

The HB is buying the house for the LL.

[FiveMonths]

Oh sorry I misunderstood. Fair enough.

[cantspel]

I think they mean buying the house for the landlord not the tennant

[FateLovesTheFearless]

This house is technically a four bed as my brother put in an extra room, yet hb is always for a three bed. I agree with it, you shouldn't get for what you don't need, but if there are genuine reasons for needing an extra room that should be taken into consideration.

[FiveMonths]

Our LL was left this huge property by his parents when they died. I believe it still had a mortgage on it so he rents it out to pay for this, at very low rent - he isn't greedy and doesn't care about market rates as long as he has happy tenants and can pay what he owes.

He lives in a tiny place himself.
I am tbh f*cking grateful to have landed up somewhere like this. I'm not sure what else he was meant to do with an inherited property - which now houses three fairly poor families including ours.

I don't begrudge him the HB he gets from us. Not one bit.

[Cheekychops84]

But what if u downsize cause ur kids are under 16 then they will likely live with u longer like till in their twenties then u need back that house u originally had to downsize from? U will b forever moving?

[MissFaversam]

I agree with this to some extent, I live in a 1 bed housing association with a 14 year old son. He has the bedroom and I have a fold out bed in the living room.

its not just about space it's about where you live too though isnt it. Say someone has been in a house for 30 odd years, it her "home" with all around her being familiar and the coucil come along and turf her out to an area that's far away and she loses the whole community in which she grew up in?

[usualsuspect]

I think people forget that they are talking about peoples homes and that social house tenants are actual people.

[expatinscotland]

'And hopefully those that cannot afford a cut in HB will downsize so that households who really need the extra room can utilise these public assets. '

Can't see that happening on a grand scale because, again: a) there is often no alternative council/HA property available for such people b) that means they have to go private and, with the LHA caps, may not be able to afford an appropriate-sized property at all, or not have or be able to save the money, for years, for moving costs c) find a landlord who will take HB.

And nail hitting head, usual. All moaning about how these 'social housing' people are getting something from the taxpayer others are not, but none about buy-to-let landlords getting a free second (or more) home from the taxpayer paying the tenant's HB (and again, 80% of those claiming HB are in employment).

[Cheekychops84]

I agree with it when it comes to hb footing the bill as this would save a lot they also have a choice weather to downsize or stay there but if your working and paying in full surely ur helping to fund more homes being built?

[expatinscotland]

Pensioners are exempt from all this.

[usualsuspect]

These threads always get to me, I should hide them really.

All this talk about 'social housing people' as if they were a completely different species to everyone else.

[DeathMetalMum]

My only problem with this is the lack of two bedroom houses available. There are not many at all in my area.

We are in a HA property (second floor flat) and due to expecting our second child we are eligible for a move. We are eligible for a two or three bedroomed house.

We have yet to find a two bedroomed house to bid on in the areas which df is able to travel to work, and also affordable ie low council tax areas.

[Cheekychops84]

Yea like they don't count some have been in the homes and communities for years! Perhaps if they were given more options/help/info on downsizing they would consider but the HA jus seem to leave them to it

[MagicLlamaStrikesBack]

My dear old uncle believes that this problem would be fixed by the government owning all the houses, and everyone just pay rent

[groundhogmum]

I agree with this in theory but the practicalities worry me a little - my relative is slightly disabled, can get about a little and is alone in a 4 bedroom house. She is completely on benefits and has a choice to stay in her family home of 40+ years and lose out on £25 a week, or she can move.

She has lived in that house most of her life, doesn't want to live elsewhere but she will move as financially she cannot afford to lose the £25 a week! What happens if there are no smaller properties available? Will she end up having to pay out even though she is willing to move?

[usualsuspect]

The theory and the practicalities don't really add up do they?

[Cheekychops84]

Think under new changes ur entitled to a two

[Sabriel]

Can't see what the problem is really. Why should somebody in subsidised housing have extra rooms they don't need when there are other people who do?

If you want a bigger place then pay for it yourself.

[MagicLlamaStrikesBack]

But cheeky and usual this is why whilst in principal I agree with the policy, I just dont see how unless there is more social housing it can work.

Why is there such a rent divide between public and private? Is it that public is much cheaper or private too expensive? Is the answer to put a cap on rental anyone can charge?

I dont know, but I dont think this policy is going to magically solve the housing problem. I suspect it may save the Government a few bob in the short term, but when noone can afford their private rental caps, and cant find somewhere else to move to that they can afford and isnt squalor, what the hell is going to happen then

[Cheekychops84]

No usual they don't think they would b better off pushing PR down and making them offer same security as HA homes