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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that Boris bringing back the 'Right to buy' scheme from the 80s is a terrible idea

510 replies

somewhereoverthechipshop · 02/05/2022 14:00

Just this really. I think it's a slap in the face for all those private renters who cannot afford to buy a home, and just a horrible idea.
Boris Johnson mulls a new Right to Buy scheme as housebuilding hits the curb (cityam.com)

Not sure if link above works, but you can google it.
Evidently he is 'mulling over' the idea of bringing back Margaret Thatcher's scheme from the late 80s that decimated this country's council housing stock.
Just wondered what other people thought about it?

OP posts:
LibrariesGiveUsPower · 03/05/2022 23:36

CounsellorTroi · 02/05/2022 14:23

There should be a hefty tax on all properties owned that are not primary residences including rented out, second and holiday rentals.

Why? That will only hit tenants more. Landlords will charge it back to tenants.

when I rented I rented off a couple private landlords. Cheaper than average and they were excellent landlords. Really cared about the property. I didn’t care one bit my money was going into their pension pot, just very happy to have a nice house to live in. When I rented through estate agents I had hell. So many issues.

LibrariesGiveUsPower · 03/05/2022 23:38

LuluBlakey1 · 03/05/2022 23:12

No one should be allowed to own more than two houses in this country. No one.

Why? Where do you propose we put all the just about making it’s who earn too much for housing help but not enough to buy?

Gilead · 04/05/2022 00:38

Why should other people just get to buy the same kind of flat for a discounted price without putting in anything near the same amount of work?
How do you know how much work they’ve put in. A discount for somebody on a low wage still means they have to work hard.
I actually don’t agree with this, I was a local councillor in the eighties and the RTB scheme, particularly with capital receipts royally screwed us over, this was followed by the 1989 housing act, removing tenant security and insisting councils hand over properties to housing associations.

LuluBlakey1 · 04/05/2022 08:17

LibrariesGiveUsPower · 03/05/2022 23:38

Why? Where do you propose we put all the just about making it’s who earn too much for housing help but not enough to buy?

Show quote history

Housing prices would fall and people would be able to afford to buy them. In many places up to 40% of housing is owned as buy to lets.

LuluBlakey1 · 04/05/2022 08:19

Rent control should also exist.

LuluBlakey1 · 04/05/2022 08:38

The whole of the rental market should be more strictly controlled. It should exist to provide decent quality housing, in decent condition for fair rent to those who can not afford to, or do not want to buy. It actually exists to line the pockets of private landowners and the Tories have allowed that- starting with Thatcher and her RTB policy.
There are people who own hundreds or even thousands of houses- often little better than slums, including Housing Associations (as we have seen on the investigation by ITN News) which they make an absolute fortune renting out and do not keep in good repair. An estate agent asked DH and I recently, when we had our house valued, if we'd thought if not selling but renting it out. She 'could get us £4000 a month' . We said no thank you.
We were thinking of moving up into Northumberland - there are coastal towns where almost every house on the market is being snapped up by Buy to Let buyers - the estate agent up there told us she had a BTL buyer from down south interested, looking for her 10th property in the small village. Doesn't live there, lives hundreds if miles away. It's all about money to her. There was a small area of houses, the one we were looking at and about 8 others, we asked bout neighbours and were told they are all buy to let holiday homes now. If no one was allowed to earn more than 2 houses, those houses would be released back to the market and should be sold at a fair price to locals.
Decent quality, fairly priced housing is a human right. The privatisation of social housing provision is no different to the privatisation of transport, gas, electricity, water. We have ended up with higher prices, poorer quality, our environment being affected, poorer people suffering most and the rich getting very much richer.

Wingingit247 · 04/05/2022 10:21

I’m a mortgage broker, and I can say with confidence that 95% of Right to Buy applications I do are for clients who solely want to buy the property to make money and will be selling the moment the 5 years is up….this country is so buggered.

Omemiserum · 04/05/2022 10:26

It's always been available for Council Tenants since Thatchers day. Some HAs have schemes already. It was then and it is now a cynical ploy to win over what they think are traditional Labour voters.

Mumontour85 · 04/05/2022 11:05

It is despicable. Is it not enough that council housing is for life, not just a crutch to help people move on and up, once you're on it regardless of your situation or salary, you just stay there. Easily save enough to buy within a few months.
There should be a scheme to help those that actually need and want it - young families, professionals, those that have a small chance of saving the fucking fortune needed for a deposit because the cost of living makes saving impossible.

Or, just stop making people jump through such hoops to obtain a mortgage. If you've paid rent consistently for 20 years, wtf is there even a question of whether you'd be able to afford a mortgage??!

Abblebee · 04/05/2022 11:16

LuluBlakey1 · 04/05/2022 08:38

The whole of the rental market should be more strictly controlled. It should exist to provide decent quality housing, in decent condition for fair rent to those who can not afford to, or do not want to buy. It actually exists to line the pockets of private landowners and the Tories have allowed that- starting with Thatcher and her RTB policy.
There are people who own hundreds or even thousands of houses- often little better than slums, including Housing Associations (as we have seen on the investigation by ITN News) which they make an absolute fortune renting out and do not keep in good repair. An estate agent asked DH and I recently, when we had our house valued, if we'd thought if not selling but renting it out. She 'could get us £4000 a month' . We said no thank you.
We were thinking of moving up into Northumberland - there are coastal towns where almost every house on the market is being snapped up by Buy to Let buyers - the estate agent up there told us she had a BTL buyer from down south interested, looking for her 10th property in the small village. Doesn't live there, lives hundreds if miles away. It's all about money to her. There was a small area of houses, the one we were looking at and about 8 others, we asked bout neighbours and were told they are all buy to let holiday homes now. If no one was allowed to earn more than 2 houses, those houses would be released back to the market and should be sold at a fair price to locals.
Decent quality, fairly priced housing is a human right. The privatisation of social housing provision is no different to the privatisation of transport, gas, electricity, water. We have ended up with higher prices, poorer quality, our environment being affected, poorer people suffering most and the rich getting very much richer.

Well said.

the80sweregreat · 04/05/2022 13:13

Wingingit247 · 04/05/2022 10:21

I’m a mortgage broker, and I can say with confidence that 95% of Right to Buy applications I do are for clients who solely want to buy the property to make money and will be selling the moment the 5 years is up….this country is so buggered.

It certainly is :(

Zeus44 · 04/05/2022 14:07

A lot of the comments here are very negative, yes landlords provide a valuable service but remember there are so many market factors which affect their costs and in turn rent.

As a LL myself who has around 10 properties, all my tenants are long standing and I’ve never applied increases to rent.

They are happy and their homes are always maintained.

Of course they would love to buy their own but do they whinge about it? No, they are working towards it. Like you have to do to get anywhere in life.

Zeus44 · 04/05/2022 14:09

Wingingit247 · 04/05/2022 10:21

I’m a mortgage broker, and I can say with confidence that 95% of Right to Buy applications I do are for clients who solely want to buy the property to make money and will be selling the moment the 5 years is up….this country is so buggered.

Shame your vocal morals didn’t stop you doing business with them. It’s one thing to say and another to actually do.

You are no better than them, they aren’t bad people, they are taking advantage of an opportunity. Just like anyone else would.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 04/05/2022 19:32

Zeus44 · 04/05/2022 14:07

A lot of the comments here are very negative, yes landlords provide a valuable service but remember there are so many market factors which affect their costs and in turn rent.

As a LL myself who has around 10 properties, all my tenants are long standing and I’ve never applied increases to rent.

They are happy and their homes are always maintained.

Of course they would love to buy their own but do they whinge about it? No, they are working towards it. Like you have to do to get anywhere in life.

No one needs 10 properties. Pure greed. You aren't providing a "valuable service", you're trying to make money from people who need somewhere to live. Why else would you have 10 properties?

Blossomtoes · 04/05/2022 19:51

Completely agree Wax. It’s obscene.

JollyWilloughby · 04/05/2022 19:55

I live in a HA house right near a very popular university. It would be quite lucrative if I was to buy it, although I’m sure I already had this option via the right to acquire?

Fizbosshoes · 04/05/2022 20:03

Some people think no one should own
more than one property....

....but there are several instances and needs where renting is needed over buying.

Should there only be rental properties available from local councils or housing associations?
(It's not guaranteed that they will all maintain or keep the property in better repair than a private landlord)

Should all holiday properties be hotels or campsites rather than holiday lets? (Would it be more ethical for the hotel owner to convert the hotel into flats?) Should tourist towns have only a certain % of housing as holiday let's...who or how would that be policed?

I don't have a holiday let or btl property but I can see how they can be used, abused, and price links out of an area, but unsure what the ideal situation would be...

Fizbosshoes · 04/05/2022 20:04

Price locals out of an area that should say...

Zeus44 · 04/05/2022 20:36

It’s not greed, it’s a business. Until the entitled brigade stop having this mindset, nothing will change.

Of course I make money but it’s like any other service, does your water from your tap come for free? No. Someone makes a profit from it. Same goes for housing.

The property market is tough, prices are high but people are buying them, not just landlords but regular people.

user476t58 · 04/05/2022 20:40

Waxonwaxoff0 · 02/05/2022 14:20

Far better to bring in a cap on how much rent a LL can charge and a cap on how many properties someone can own. No one should be allowed to own more than 2 properties. I don't want to hear any "poor landlord" sob stories either, if you own a house that you rent out you are in a position that's WORLDS away from most people, you are not someone to be sympathised with.

In the past historically, when controlled rents were brought in, the % of housing stock available to rent dropped dramatically. Controlled rents are not the answer. Vastly increasing the amount of housing stock of all types is. Including a huge council house building program. Something no government ever seems to want to do.

Abblebee · 04/05/2022 20:56

Of course I make money but it’s like any other service, does your water from your tap come for free? No. Someone makes a profit from it. Same goes for housing.

You can't see that you've taken the opportunity to own a home away from several people? Instead they are in an insecure private rental. Normal working people should be able to buy a home in a developed country.

Abblebee · 04/05/2022 20:57

@Zeus44

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. You really are not in a position to lecture others on morals.

Zeus44 · 04/05/2022 21:11

Not a glass house at all. You don’t know how I’ve bought them or how much or how little I’ve worked.

No one is entitled to anything, not housing
or food or a job. Sooner that is understood, the better we all will be.

ParsleyRosemarySage · 04/05/2022 21:11

This is a country where no one without an inheritance can afford to live. We are indentured into slavery in our cradles now. “Work towards”? Work doesn’t pay the cost of living, and how can you afford to save when you are paying rent for the basic necessities of life?

The lying hypocrisy of the bone idle rich landlords who ensure they and their families do not have to work for their major assets is beyond sickening.

Zeus44 · 04/05/2022 21:12

How simple is your thinking? I’ve not taken the opportunity from anyone. Anyone could have bought it. It was on the open market. Not some secret club.