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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:
Zeus44 · 09/05/2022 17:42

What a joke. I have earned my money and I chose property as an investment vehicle. All properties on the free market and the seller sold to who they wanted to.

The rent is below market rate as loyal tenants get rewarded, of course I make profit, it helps me to purchase more as that’s what I can do with my money. Use it how I wish.

Oh and don’t forget that I pay tax on my income which goes into the benefits system amongst other tax funded services.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 09/05/2022 18:04

Zeus44 · 09/05/2022 17:42

What a joke. I have earned my money and I chose property as an investment vehicle. All properties on the free market and the seller sold to who they wanted to.

The rent is below market rate as loyal tenants get rewarded, of course I make profit, it helps me to purchase more as that’s what I can do with my money. Use it how I wish.

Oh and don’t forget that I pay tax on my income which goes into the benefits system amongst other tax funded services.

You can say whatever you want. There's no justification. You're absolutely right you can spend your money however you want, but I and many others will be judging you as morally bankrupt. I'll never clap my hands and say well done to someone with your attitude.

Ijustreallywantacat · 09/05/2022 18:23

I have earned my money and I chose property as an investment vehicle.

This is the problem. Property should not BE an investment vehicle. It should be as cheap as possible for everyone IMO. We should look to Germany with their very tight regulations, rent caps and affordable market.

We don’t need any more ‘luxury apartments’ in London for example, I want basic flats and homes that are affordable. People should not be able to just keep on accruing properties to satisfy their greed. I couldn’t even afford to rent a flat.

Even with an average salary (26k when I first started) I had to pay half of my salary to rent a fucking ROOM. It’s a complete and utter pisstake and I don’t begrudge anyone social housing. There should be a hell of a lot more of it.

Zeus44 · 09/05/2022 18:29

Don’t need your clap, you can keep it. Give your the clap.

Zeus44 · 09/05/2022 18:30

Not near me tho I hear people saying…

Zeus44 · 09/05/2022 18:31

Give yourself the clap!!

Thebestwaytoscareatory · 09/05/2022 18:42

What a joke. I have earned my money and I chose property as an investment vehicle. All properties on the free market and the seller sold to who they wanted to.

The rent is below market rate as loyal tenants get rewarded, of course I make profit, it helps me to purchase more as that’s what I can do with my money. Use it how I wish.

Oh and don’t forget that I pay tax on my income which goes into the benefits system amongst other tax funded services.

Interesting view, I wonder if you believe in free market economics when it comes to other aspects of life? Are you in full support of energy suppliers continually rise their prices forever more?

What about fuel companies doing the same?

How about drugs? Do you think Martin Shkreli was justified in raising the price of the life-saving Daraprim from $13 to $750 after he acquired it?

They've all "earned" their money can they choose to use whatever "investment vehicles" they wish regardless of the impact it has on others?

Also you only "earned your money" on the back of others either from their goodwill or exploitation. That you don't recognise the contribution wider society plays in your personal success is very telling.

Zeus44 · 09/05/2022 19:49

Energy companies are able to raise prices because of a shortfall in supply and continuous demand.

There is no greed or exploration, if you really believe that than you are deluded.

Fidodidit · 09/05/2022 20:08

We also haven’t invested enough in storage facilities. Even Adam Smith didn’t believe in unrestricted capitalism.

maddiemookins16mum · 09/05/2022 20:37

The right to buy scheme should have ended decades ago.

Blossomtoes · 09/05/2022 20:45

Property should not BE an investment vehicle

This. Whichever way you cut it, it’s morally bankrupt.

endofthelinefinally · 10/05/2022 11:10

Council houses were originally funded by the taxpayer to provide homes for the less well off members of society. They should never have been sold off cheaply to anyone, and still shouldn't.

JustAnotherPoster00 · 10/05/2022 11:28

endofthelinefinally · 10/05/2022 11:10

Council houses were originally funded by the taxpayer to provide homes for the less well off members of society. They should never have been sold off cheaply to anyone, and still shouldn't.

Nope they werent only for the less well off, housing was housing, where I grew up, the council estate had people from most income classes from the under class to the middle middle class, it was during the 80's and RTB that social sinks started appearing, lower income families often times with 'challenges' routed by councils into an estate which we later know as the sink estates

A right to rent safe, maintained and affordable housing should be universal no matter the income but the shift into neo liberalism in Britain thanks to Thatcher fetishised housing to the current level of inequality we see today

endofthelinefinally · 10/05/2022 11:40

My parents came to the uk in the early 50s to work in the nhs. They were given a council house but encouraged to vacate it as soon as they could afford a mortgage. Lots of my friends growing up lived in council houses for years. They were locals though. Maybe the rules were different back then. In any case, I don't think council housing should be sold off. We need it. That said, there are some councils who are worse than the worst private landlords. Croydon being one of them, as featured in the ITVnews campaign.

Zeus44 · 10/05/2022 13:25

Some of the responses here are laughable.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 10/05/2022 19:34

Zeus44 · 09/05/2022 17:42

What a joke. I have earned my money and I chose property as an investment vehicle. All properties on the free market and the seller sold to who they wanted to.

The rent is below market rate as loyal tenants get rewarded, of course I make profit, it helps me to purchase more as that’s what I can do with my money. Use it how I wish.

Oh and don’t forget that I pay tax on my income which goes into the benefits system amongst other tax funded services.

You can frame it how you like but you're still looking to make a profit out of ordinary people who just need a roof over their head, a profit beyond covering running costs. The fact that you just purchase more with your profit just exacerbates the problem. If no-one took your attitude there would be more properties available and lower, more affordable property prices, to buy and to rent. If you wanted to make a profit out of property and had a social conscience, everyone like you would be selling up, bringing house prices down, and instead looking to further add to the available housing stock by investing in decent building projects instead.

Not to go into too much detail but I could go out tomorrow and buy a second property outright, either locally in the city where I live to rent out to a family, or as a holiday property in one of the second home owners' enclaves ruining local communities in the holiday hotspots. I choose not to, even though that means my money has to be invested elsewhere in less lucrative ways. I do not rub my hands with glee that my own house has doubled in value since we bought it 18 years ago. Instead I despair that it has, because had we been looking to buy this house NOW as the 30 year olds we were then, we wouldn't be able to afford to. I despair that my almost adult children will struggle to ever afford a decent place to live. I despair that my parents' generation don't seem to understand the issue. "Ah, what a shame that you both have to work full time and you have to put the children in nursery! Do you really have to? Can't you just go without luxuries?"

I just don't understand the "I'm alright, Jack" attitude or the delusion that landlords are somehow providing a "service" by buying up multiple houses and renting them out to people now priced out of the market.

Wonder what percentage of landlords are Labour voters.....

Waxonwaxoff0 · 10/05/2022 19:45

None of them are Labour voters. Look at what the landlords here have said about people on benefits. As long as they're making money they don't give a damn about people in poverty.

Zeus44 · 10/05/2022 20:05

You despair that your house has doubled in value?

Oh really. Who you kidding.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 10/05/2022 20:09

I do. Genuinely. There is no need for housing to increase in value beyond inflation. It's not helping society. And like I said, I have a social conscience.

Clearly some people don't. Hmm

Zeus44 · 10/05/2022 20:51

Anyone can say they have a social conscience and they want cheaper housing for those who need it but truth is, no one wants social housing near them.

Whatever conscience you have doesn’t actually matter as you don’t do anything to help the problem you allude to so it’s worthless.

Meanwhile, I am proud that I offer affordable housing solutions to the free market of renters out there.

Blossomtoes · 10/05/2022 20:58

Zeus44 · 10/05/2022 20:05

You despair that your house has doubled in value?

Oh really. Who you kidding.

There’s no point in your home doubling in value. If you want to move the house you buy has doubled too. Ours has almost quadrupled since we bought it 23 years ago, it’s of no benefit whatsoever to us. We can’t eat or pay the bills with the increase in value and the next house if we moved will also have quadrupled in value. Better by far if the value had remained the same. The only people who really benefit from the rise in property prices are those using homes as an investment vehicle. Meanwhile those of us who own only the house we live in are only better off on paper.

Zeus44 · 10/05/2022 21:48

You can always sell up, buy somewhere cheaper and donate the money to your local housing association to assist others who want subsidised housing whilst doing nothing for themselves.

This would go down amazing on here, you’ll be the star of the week.

JollyWilloughby · 10/05/2022 21:56

@Zeus44

I live in a HA house. I have a back story which got me to this point of course but nevertheless I work and I pay my rent.

I am incredibly grateful to live in this house rather than having the unfortunate experience of having a landlord like you…. shudders.

Blossomtoes · 10/05/2022 21:58

Zeus44 · 10/05/2022 21:48

You can always sell up, buy somewhere cheaper and donate the money to your local housing association to assist others who want subsidised housing whilst doing nothing for themselves.

This would go down amazing on here, you’ll be the star of the week.

I don’t want to live anywhere else. Of course you could do the same with your ten rental properties. 🤷‍♀️

Blossomtoes · 10/05/2022 21:59

Btw social housing isn’t subsidised. I thought we’d established that some time ago. Thank

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