To think we should ban private renting?

[honeyrosesandwich]

AIBU to think this is a great idea?

Imagine if private renting was banned. All rented houses were done under social housing / housing association. There are already over 4.5 million houses rented under social housing, so it's on a huge scale already.

It would mean rent would be affordable for everyone and effectively help the cost of living prices. I live in a housing association house and my 2 bed is £520 a month. My brother, who private rents, pays £1100 for a 2 bed in the same area.

Repairs for my house are done by the HA's own company. I just put in a request online for it.

People that want to stay in their privately rented home will be free to do so but they put a ban on any new tenancies. The owners will have the opportuntiy to sell the house to social housing or keep it for themselves, but not rent it out further. If sold, the tenant will be allowed to stay.

I've been thinking about this randomly today and haven't come up with any negatives so far. Is it bad to monopolise housing? Well, there are already certain housing associations which own hundreds of thousands of houses.

but again that's the solution? When EVERYONE gets social housing like the OP wants, no more stigma. Very low rent, and no extra costs for everyone.

Everyone will pay the same rent. Perfect.

I agree too! I don’t think anyone should be able to own more than one house
@UrOutdoors

Can a married couple have a house/flat each or should it be just one property per couple?

I've long thought this. I first came up with the idea in jail. Utilise the current social housing exchange service for when people want to move

We used to have this pretty much until Thatcher sold off houses under Right To Buy and didn’t let councils use the money to replace them…

I remember people being able to just move into social housing without even waiting (and taking their pick of properties!).

Now the same houses are being rented out at twice the price (and often tax payers are paying the rents as housing benefit element of Universal credit).

The houses are already there though and are existing assets. Yes there is maintenance but that is covered by the rent.

If I want to move to a new city, will my only option be buying? What it I only plan to stay for a year? What if I want to get to know the city first before I pick an area?

Will newcomers be welcome? Will there be income limits?

But how would that work for professionals moving for work?

I lived in Nottingham for 2 years, then rented a flat in Manchester for a year and a half, then went to Birmingham for a year, then went to London for four years.

Each time I wanted a flat in a nice area, furnished to a high standard with all appliances etc, responsive maintenance from landlord. Ability to give a month’s notice to leave.

I’d have lost my job/promotion if I’d been hanging around trying to find all that on a social housing swap.

Everyone will pay the same rent. Perfect.

Whatever the size of the house? So someone in a 2 bedroom will pay the same as someone in a 7 bedroom?

You'd have to find someone to exchange with. If everyone renting was in this scheme,there would be short term swaps etc to accommodate different needs.

Had to rent for a couple of years and it's so expensive, money we could have used for a deposit. Private rent is just a cash cow for a few, mainly that own multiple properties. Impossible to get on the housing ladder and think about having a family when half the income goes on rent. We finally got a shared ownership place, thank goodness

I heard on the radio that almost 1 in 3 families lived in. council housing in the 70s/80s which seems insane now.

Everyone in a 2 bed flat would pay the same. or within a range. 2 bed flat in a house, no garden, say £500-£700 depending on where you live in England/UK.

Of course they shouldn't have a house each. 🙄 Not if they are married. Why don't the children have a house each too. And one for each of the dogs, and another one for the cat?!

As for people working in different towns for some months..... (As several people have mentioned....) They can stay in council run HMOs, like uni students.

If there was a ban on private renting the housing market would crash.

There’d suddenly be thousands of landlords needing to sell their properties and renters who wouldn't necessarily be able to immediately afford to buy or have the credit rating to borrow.

You’d end up with substantial numbers of people left with negative equity and unable to move home as well as empty properties because former renters couldn’t afford to buy.

As well as direct impact on housing prices, estate agents would go bust, the mortgage market (and therefore a number of retail banks) would be destabilised, not to mention pension funds.

When house prices fall consumers tend to spend less money generally, which in turn leads to job losses far beyond just the housing sector.

The pace of construction would have to slow considerably, leading to further unemployment and a fall in land prices.

Allied industries in home improvement, furnishing etc would also be impacted.

Due to the difficulties in house sales and the lack of private renting people can no longer easily move round the country for work (including new entrants to the jobs market)

Loss of stamp duty means loss of government revenue. Reduction in consumer spending and increased unemployment also impacts government income.

Messing with the housing market is complicated.

There would be plenty of people in your position. You might not get exactly where you want all the time at short notice but you are renting so hey ho.

Can a married couple have a house/flat each or should it be just one property per couple?

What about when one of the couple works away from home for part of the time? Will they as a couple be allowed to own a home in their home town and another in the town where one of them works?

What about MPs who own homes in their constituencies and in London?

Who would be taking on those roles if highly qualified professionals are expected to live in HMOs?

So I’m going to be able to find a fully furnished flat in a really nice part of London, commuting distance from my job - newly decorated and furnished to a decent standard within a month of my start date?

And then the following year find the same thing in Edinburgh - how much choice will I have about the fixtures and fittings of my rental?

What if my boss sends me aboard for a year and then to Lincoln for a year? I won’t be in the system to have a house to swap with anyone?

I don’t think you’ve thought this through. If social housing is available for absolutely anyone who wants to rent for whatever reason, where does the money to provide all these houses come from? If it is restricted or availability limited, what do you do with all these people who currently can’t or don’t want to buy, not only because of costs but also because they are in the area temporarily for work or studying?

No probably not. But you only have money to rent and/or you aren't committing to that area by buying so your choice is more limited. You know like when you are offered a social housing property and you only have so many chances to refuse, if any at all? Well kind of like that. You need a rental property near enough to your new place of work. You'd have to take what is going.

You might get lucky.

If social housing is the only option we would surely have to remove the council's right to evict people, otherwise where will people that break their tenancy go?

That’s bonkers - why shouldn’t I be able to spend the money I earn renting a lovely apartment that suits me?

The problem isn’t private renting - the problem is there’s not enough affordable housing for those who need it.

Except their isn't enough state housing. There is even less than there was because the state didn't want to pay the upkeep of maintaining a vast housing stock commnding the low rents you have described.
So, where are you putting everybody when you have done away with their privately rented homes?

The state, @Zov, cannot afford it. Many people want to rent for different reasons, and no they don’t want to be told where. So a French executive of some big company want their £10,000/month Fulham house as it’s near the Lycee, they don’t want to live elsewhere and does the council have the £4m that was paid for that house? Plus they’d have to account for inflation at the very least and more likely current valuation.

And do people really want to live in the depths of Cornwall or Isle of Wight where there are fewer jobs? And are you wiping out all self catering holiday lets? Do you understand how some communities rely on that income the tourists bring? And all the flats in London that have hefty service charges paid by the landlord? How is it decided who gets the three bed fourth floor walk up in Brixton and who gets the three bed with lift and porter in Mayfair?
How will the state afford to administer all the housing? And afford to lose the tax paid on the income from private rentals? Social housing only accounts for 46% of rentals. 9 million homes are rented. Make the money work.

Highly qualified professionals are living in HMOs in London. They do have swanky ones where you have poker nights and a mini cinema for residents but they are HMOs all the same. I've seen the cheapest ones going for about a grand a month with working space, gym, shared kitchen and bathroom. The more expensive rooms are ensuite.