To think that people don't get that homelessness comes in all shapes and sizes?

[AnneGrommit]

We are in the thick of a housing crisis brought about in large part by the privatisation of rental accommodation which means insecure high cost tenancies a natural result of which is increased homelessness not only for addicts or others with chaotic lives but also for working people often with families. This is a national disgrace.

I agree. The cost of private rented accommodation is going up sharply. Not enough social/council housing. Crisis looming.

It can't all be blamed on the economy etc. People can and should take personal responsibility for themselves too. Lots of people can't afford to have chidren but carry on regardless and then blame everyone else when they can't afford the rent etc.

It isn't because of "the economy etc" but because the provision of rented housing has been effectively privatised. This means higher costs and little in the way of regulation. What "personal responsibility" do landlords take when, as is the case where I live outside of London and in the north, rent on a one bedroom place is 6/10ths of minimum wage?

By definition rental accommodation has always had a landlord, be that he council, the local HA, someone with the foresight to buy-to-let. Before council housing, your employer used to provide housing, so you were (unfortunately) tied to them - farm cottages, railway workers, mill workers, factory workers.

En masse state owned housing is a relatively new concept, its a post war phenomenon. RTB exacerbated the problem lingering from the 1970's, councils haven't been building housing since then.

The problem isn't in who the landlord is, it's the fact everyone wants to live in the same place. I could take you to swathes of empty cheap housing in the North of England, but no one wants to move to where there is no infrastructure, no industry, no employment, lack of schools choice. This unfortunately bumps up the prices in the South, which is unfortunate for us who are born and bred down here as we have to compete with migrants from all over the country (and elsewhere) coming to the more affluent areas in search of work.

I work with DV and homelessness, it's not as clear cut you would like to think. Social issues occur no matter who the landlord is.

[[http://fet.uwe.ac.uk/conweb/house_ages/council_housing/print.htm]]

I think it is an absolute national disgrace that some people who work full-time, cannot afford to rent a house because wages are so shitty and there is a lack of affordable rent family homes.

It is just so wrong.

Stilldriving yes it is worrying that the post war- 1988 period seems to be a blip in between one rentier economy and another. Private sector tenants now have fewer rights and private sector renting is less regulated than it was in the 19th.

I appreciate that homelessness is a complex problem but don't you consider that for people on the low end of the wage scale (ie most tenants) it is exacerbated by insecurity and lack of regulation?

Sure, anyone can get into arrears and run into trouble that way. But private sector tenants can be evicted for no reason whatsoever, their rents can be increased to whatever the landlord wishes etc. That must make homelessness more of a risk than for tenants in social housing.

1950s not 19th.

What "personal responsibility" do landlords take when, as is the case where I live outside of London and in the north, rent on a one bedroom place is 6/10ths of minimum wage?

Minimum wage isn't just that. Minimum. It shouldn't be the aspiration to live on minimum wage for ever - it's enough to get a room in a shared house but expecting to be able to get a one bedroom place on a single minimum wage income is unrealistic.

Right. So the solution is "people should just earn more"? Brilliant. Why on earth bother with the CAB or Shelter or foodbanks? Just earn more money.

Or lower your expectations from a one bed flat on a single minimum wage salary to a room in a shared house.

Might be an idea if you don't have children to try and uoskill to improve your future earning potential though.

It can't all be blamed on the economy etc. People can and should take personal responsibility for themselves too. Lots of people can't afford to have chidren but carry on regardless and then blame everyone else when they can't afford the rent etc.

this ^^ but dare I mention the ''I'' word? you know the one. the one that you then get accused of being xenophobic.

that doesnt help.

saw on the news there are thousands of children in temp accomdation or on the verge of homelessness, yet then the Linekers and Allens and cumberbatches keep pontificating about bringing in more ''people from overseas''. how come theres always housing fro them?

agree with Donald too.

It can't all be blamed on the economy etc. People can and should take personal responsibility for themselves too. Lots of people can't afford to have chidren but carry on regardless and then blame everyone else when they can't afford the rent etc.
As mind numbingly predictable as ever, Rainbows. I do keep urging you to find some facts before you post. Goodness, I've even put them up for you before now...

The thing about these one note ponies is that they are incapable of seeing things in societal terms.

"Gee, I never thought about earning more money and how that might help me - what a radical, easy and thoughtful solution" said no mother living in a b&b with her children, ever

What about homeless people who are disabled and can't work, or who are teenagers, Rainbow?

The disabled are amply provided for by the welfare state and can claim HB. There should be no reason for them to be homeless unless they prioritised other things over rent.

Minimum wage jobs are never going to provide enough for two adults, children and a family home so people need to lower their expectations, take on more work or skill up to be able to earn more money.

Too many believe they can have what they like and let others pick up the tab.

Not engaging Dawn as you are a firm believer in benefits and I'm not.

The disabled are amply provided for by the welfare state and can claim HB. There should be no reason for them to be homeless unless they prioritised other things over rent.
So how come I didn't have enough money to put the heating on last winter?
Not engaging Dawn as you are a firm believer in benefits and I'm not.
erm, if you make an assertion surely you need to be able to back it up. I do. Not engaging is just denial, doesn't make me look daft...

100 tenants a day lose homes and it isn't their fault

The disabled are amply provided for by the welfare state and can claim HB. There should be no reason for them to be homeless unless they prioritised other things over rent.
I'd also like to say that this is one of the most disgusting things I've read on mumsnet.

The disabled are amply provided for by the welfare state and can claim HB. There should be no reason for them to be homeless unless they prioritised other things over rent.

What like food? Electricity/gas?

If it's all so simple, why isn't it working? According to you, there should be no one in homeless hostels. And yet there are. Have they all individually got it wrong?

*The disabled are amply provided for by the welfare state and can claim HB. There should be no reason for them to be homeless unless they prioritised other things over rent.
So how come I didn't have enough money to put the heating on last winter?
Not engaging Dawn as you are a firm believer in benefits and I'm not.
erm, if you make an assertion surely you need to be able to back it up. I do. Not engaging is just denial, doesn't make me look daft...

100 tenants a day lose homes and it isn't their fault

The disabled are amply provided for by the welfare state and can claim HB. There should be no reason for them to be homeless unless they prioritised other things over rent.
I'd also like to say that this is one of the most disgusting things I've read on mumsnet.

The disabled are amply provided for by the welfare state and can claim HB. There should be no reason for them to be homeless unless they prioritised other things over rent.

What like food? Electricity/gas?*

this ^^

we might have a hovel to survive in but we get no extra help.

last winter our place was colder and damper than the streets. mould everywhere. becuase we couldnt afford the heating. very little anyway.

and Ive seen disabled homeless people. its disgusting.