Reeves plan to tax houses over 500k PART TWO

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I am not the OP from the OP!

At £5K, the pump will have paid for itself within 3 years surely? Ours had a payback of 2.4 years.

For us, yes - heating with electricity was obviously extortionate. But it won't be the case for properties using mains gas - they will be probably 10K out of pocket (as most people can't plumb their own homes) for no savings or possibly higher bills.

Me too.

No one is suggesting any one idea should be implemented in isolation but individuals need to take greater accountability for their choices.

I’d like to see the welfare bill cut - whilst I am sympathetic up to a point, I find it fairly ridiculous that someone can work 18hours on minimum wage, have their wage topped up by Universal Credit, a council tax reduction and their rent paid - why aren’t these people forced to work full time like everyone else?

Completey agree

Agree!

@PaddlingSwan

See above re over insulation. Even new buildings become unhealthy to live in if they are over insulated with triple glazing etc. the current Uvalues have been increasing over the last 20 years and some buildings now are becoming uncomfortable to live in in the summer

Not sure why pension age would have to reduce to 63 after current or soon to be pensioners. Either life expectancy is going up or stagnating but it won’t be going down

It would be difficult and expensive to base rental prices on standards. All businesses have a right to make a profit ( I’m not a LL btw) and any rental caps would need to reflect this or we’ll lose more landlords. We need them whether we like it or not

Reducing the arts at school is denying those who are non academic a chance to thrive and would have negative impacts on us as a country in terms of diversity of talents

Constantly varying school sizes or availability doesnt work if you want to retain staff

Reducing Uni places is going backwards in terms of all children’s chance at a higher academic level. If you can you should have the chance

Yep
All getting a bit too draconian for me

I agree, I live in a £400K house, simple won't move up the ladder, its fine, don't want to get lumbered paying another annual property tax on top of council tax (or its replacement), so will stay put -

I think it will create a divide because people in houses under £500K won't sell up and move on as readily, houses like yours may be marked for £499.95K to just get clear creating a gap in the market.

Who knows, might never happen!

Wasnt there a thread on here recently about someone who had just bought their flat, new build and it was unlivable in terms of the heat. Lots of other posters came on to say the same thing. Awful.

Yes I remember that.

I agree and now that there’s 30 free hours childcare I think that 18 hours minimum needs to raise to full time hours for both parents.

I agree not all jobs offer that but as a starter zero hours contracts need to be banned imo

Yes I’ve seen that too
Its a significant problem for those doing loft conversions

Out of interest Ive just been browsing rightmove for retirement flats or downsizing options if one or both of my parents were to do this. They could get a flat for around 80k but the service charges are coming up at 3.5 and 4.5k a year!!

With quite low lease lengths as well

Wow

whats included in those service charges.

When will she learn. Anything she touches goes to absolute shit.

Just leave it alone and pray, Rach. You'd have a much better chance

God knows, the next jump in prices are if you want a 1 bed or 2 bed, then you're looking at around 120k and then 200k, same leaselength issues and same cost of charges

Next up there was an option of a proper maisonette, the 30s style ones, on at 250k but its an auction property and the lease is 61 years, so thats why its cheap.

Anything that would meet their needs or her needs when he dies, is around 400k, 2 bed, needs a ground floor.

So financially not sure it makes a lot of sense to downsize given if she needs to, she could convert the whole downstairs into living and sleeping space.

This is outer London, she needs to be near her friends and things.

Agree and those service charges could go into things she needs when she needs them.
Like a cleaner for example

On tax free allowances, we are already one of the most generous in Europe on that count. The general consensus being that if everyone contributes something towards the pot, you feel part of society?? No-one is brave enough to try, but you could have a low flat tax on every pound earned and probably have a higher tax take. Just one tax, rolled up, none of this NI ridiculousness, which is actually just general tax. One rate, payable by all, on all income.

See above re over insulation. Even new buildings become unhealthy to live in if they are over insulated with triple glazing etc. the current Uvalues have been increasing over the last 20 years and some buildings now are becoming uncomfortable to live in in the summer

U values decrease with increasing energy efficiency. Air tight builds - if they have a high level of air tightness - have MVHR systems. These replace the air in the entire property around 12 times an hour and filter out pollutants and allergens so provide the freshest and best indoor air quality possible. They also have a summer bypass function to cool the air in the summer. Alternatively, just open a window.

None of this will be a problem. Any of the proposed new housing taxes will take until the end of the decade to implement, and Reeves’ lot will not be in power to implement them. Fairly straightforward.

And Reeves will be gone before the end of this current term anyway - I'll give her until the end of the year at the most.

Mech vent systems use electricity to run so are expensive and a waste of resources in a time when we should be cutting down . Why do you think SA is one of the highest energy users

You can’t open the windows if you’re not in the property or at night for some for security readings
Air pollution in some areas also prevents this all day

UValue rates have gone as far as they can ( if not too far considering the buildings and people’s health ) I think .

Unfortunately this bunch seem to reward incompetence! If they were Tories, Reeves and Starmer would have been out months ago

Our MVHR system uses very little electricity and is very cheap to run - which systems are you referring to?

I agree but I'm happy to keep up the pressure to get rid of them as soon as possible.