Renters getting shafted yet again

[Upthebracket22]

I know this might be just noise but Ed Davey is proposing that mortgage holders get £300 a month grants!

www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/nov/06/lib-dem-leader-ed-davey-proposes-300-a-month-mortgage-grants

I mean WTF? What about private renters who get shafted by landlords with huge annual rent rises! Do renters get a £300 a month grant?

Absolutely fucking shocking to be honest! (And clearly not really viable as it will feed even more into inflation)

Its not like it will ever happen, so I wouldn't get upset about it.

It’s the fact that it’s been mentioned- it puts it out there & the tories will look for vote winners in middle England.

Its disgusting!

It will never happen m the country can’t afford it!

Not that I think it will happen, but in theory wouldn't it mean rents would not be increased much as mortgage payments would be supported?

@Theimpossiblegirl i suspect a lot of landlords would take the money and still raise rents. Renters are just cash cows in the U.K.

Tenants who can't afford their rent can get help towards it via UC. People with mortgages can't.

Not saying Davey's right, mind, just pointing out that there is already help for poorer tenants.

Davey is an idiot.

@LakieLady it very much depends on your income. Loads of high earners who rent don’t get UC!!

Fabulous idea

Giving money to home owners isn’t shafting renters. It’s helping home owners.

Renters get housing benefit.

Renters DO NOT all get housing benefit.

Blame the Lib Dems for it being mentioned if that’s what you object to. Otherwise, don’t worry, it won’t happen. But if it did and it was extended to btl mortgage holders, then they would be able to keep rental prices lower because their cost would be lower.

Well no, because they’re high earners

It won't actually happen but are rent increases not controlled? I seem to have a niggle that they could only increase by 10% per year but I'm not confident that that's an actual thing. Rents have been frozen up in Scotland. Renters can also apply for housing benefit while mortgage holders can't.
It's tricky because some people think about mortgage holders being landlords with multiple properties to bring in large profit and others think about the households who just have their own mortgage for the home they live in, the costs of which have potentially just had a huge leap depending on what type mortgage/when up for renewal.

Tbh everybody is in a rubbish situation and in part this feels like another way to keep us arguing amongst which of the have -nots have it worse than the others instead of looking at the billions of pounds in lost revenue from the mega-rich and corporations who are exploiting every tax avoidance scheme that their pals in government have set up for them

Usually not enough and given the insanely high rents and increases not anywhere near enough going forward.
Subsiding mortgages helps banks keep house prices up.
Rents ain't never going down.

@BabyClubYEEAAH there are a lot of people who earn decent salaries who pay a huge percentage of their income in rent but wouldn’t be eligible for housing benefit! Bloody hell.

Means tested, I hope.

People with mortgages on UC who have a work allowance get a higher one than renters so if working, they do get help indirectly.

The idea that anyone who rents can claim housing benefit simply isn’t true! It’s linked to income and you really have to be on a low income to get help.

Don't people paying mortgage get support for mortgage interest via UC if on a low income?

I agree OP, ridiculous idea. Housing benefit is rubbish, you have to be on a low inome to get it and it's never enough. I agree with help with paying the interest on mortgages but with a mortgage the house will be yours once paid off. Not the same as renting.

It would never happen as the country can't afford it. If it did I presume it would only apply to the people that live in the house that is mortgaged rather than giving it to landlords of btls. Also it's kind of swings and roundabouts isn't it. Renters aren't getting shafted if this happened. It's helping people who (like me) have a mortgage and are currently worrying like crazy about how we will afford our payments when our fixed price comes to an end next year and we need to stump up another £650 a month.
Yes renters pay higher payments each month (generally) but also have all expenses paid for in terms of if anything breaks, leaks etc whereas homeowners have to budget that in to their monthly expenses.
So basically everybody is screwed at the moment!

And even then housing benefit is capped meaning some families are already living in cramped conditions whilst they pay their landlords mortgage.

It’s also false to say there is no financial help for mortgages. Under UC help can be there depending on circumstances to pay the interest.

Isn’t that what insurance is for - if things leak etc? Ok there is an excess but not as much as the profit made over the year with btl

@ohnoohnoo renters don’t have ‘all expenses paid’ - it’s not a holiday. Most renters live in shitty substandard conditions for extortionate rents that they could be evicted from at any point. The current housing situation has made it impossible for many to buy too.