To think this is a ticking time bomb (people priced out of housing)

[Batmanisreal]

It’s becoming clear that there is a problem with people not being able to afford housing like they used to be able to. This has been made worse by the introduction of right to buy by Thatcher in the 80s which reduced the numbers of council houses. The price of housing is going up and up, so more people are having to rent on the private market.

So what happens to these people who are privately renting homes, when they get to retirement age? If they can’t afford their rent?

I was lucky enough to be able to buy my house. I have young children who, by the time they get to the age I was when I bought my house, will probably not be able to afford to buy like I was. There’s a very big chance they will have to rent, possibly for the rest of their lives.

People who rent on the private market are at the mercy of whatever rents the landlords want to charge for those properties. And with more properties being rent out as short-term lets this is only going to make the situation worse.

I worry that we are heading for a situation where elderly people will end up on the streets, because there won’t be enough affordable or social housing to supply them with housing if they become homeless in the event of them not being able to afford their private rent anymore.

As a parent, I just find the whole situation so depressing.

Not everyone is capable of that, but that is not the point of this thread.
Rents are getting out of control, and that is not the fault of the hard working people in low paid jobs who need a roof over their head.

All this talk of shared housing for the elderly. Sheltered accommodation already exists.
It seems the problem here is that some of you think having a small apartment is too generous, and the residents should just have a tiny room instead, and have to share everything else.

Because i take it you arent practicing what you preach and living with your ex husband

Sheltered accomodation comes with high service charges. If you don't meet the criteria for benefits to pay for it, you won't as a renter be able to afford it. It can be an extra £400 per month.

@mrsm43s You have been saying throughout this entire thread that pensioners should have to live in HMOs because 30 year olds have to.
So what if someone said that 30 year olds should have to live in HMOs because asylum seekers have to.

Your move!!!

That poster has been quite clear that they think anyone might have to live in shared housing if it is all they can afford.
And I think I agree. Individual homes for single people is unsustainable en masse.

Good job you wernt watching The One Show last night then You would have had the vapours.

I didn't watch it so no idea what you're on about. But luckily I can handle differences of opinion like a grown up, so I'm sure I'd have been fine.

So why do one bed dwellings exist at all? Who is meant to be living in them? Couples only?

I think the only way is to build more council housing.

Im shocked that the housing element of UC can be so much welfare money going to landlords who absolutely don’t qualify for state benefits yet are taking them via this route. It’s a scandal. There’s a lot of criticism for large UC awards at claimant level but when you look at the housing element you then start to look differently at the situation

I said en masse. Not that they shouldn't exist at all.

I agree. We need more council/social housing.
But you will get people on here criticising that saying it is not fair that people are being "given free houses", when they have a crippling mortgage that they chose to have.

If we had enough council housing people wouldn't need to take on crippling mortgages for ordinary homes. Trouble is, where do we put it?

Im betting they think its a single parent with one child that should have them

I have no particular thoughts on who should or shouldn't have them. I just don't agree that a home to ourselves is something that any of us is entitled to. For economic and environmental reasons. It is a very modern phenomenon to live alone in such numbers and I don't think benefits society at all.

How is someone living alone detrimental to society?
Single people don't really have much of a choice in the matter.

I didn't say it is detrimental. Nor did I say single people can't live alone.

Where have I said people should live with their ex husbands? No idea where you have made that nonesense up from?

I have said throughout, that people who are relying on others to pay for their rent should be given what they need, not want they want. And that since many of the tax payers subsiding their rents can only afford shared accomodation themselves, it unreasonable to expect them to be funding more than that for others who have failed (for whatever reason) to make provision for their retirements.

And I think that shared housing for elders could be a good solution for affordable accomodation, just as it is for all other age groups, and would come with additional advantages of dealing with social isolation often affecting the elderly.

I'm not calling for pensioners to be treated worse than other people, just for everyone to be treated the same.

Any elderly person funding their own accomodation is free to choose any type of accomodation they like.

The Conservative government introduced the Right to Buy scheme, what has caused the problem is people buying and taking social housing away from those in need, many of them so-called socialists

Im going to have to post my Elephant and Castle example again sigh.

The Elephant and Castle neighbourhood is being physically, socially and ethnically transformed. This started with the demolition of the Heygate estate, a classic for stigmatised perceptions of council housing and the people who live in it. As the local 35% Campaign has meticulously documented, a succession of promises to Heygate residents were broken to arrive at a situation where 1,214 council homes were demolished, to be replaced with 2,704 new homes, of which only 82 (3%) are for social rent. The HA partner was London and Quadrant. To be eligible for the cheapest one-bedroom home built by them on the Heygate site, people needed a minimum household income of £57,500. The average household income in that part of Southwark is £24,324

1,214 council homes demolished and replaced with 82 Do the maths. This is just one example but its replicated up and down the country. It aint the fault of pensioners or single people.

Not talking about 'sheltered accomodation' with all the extra costs and services that are involved. Just ensuite bedrooms with shared living spaces/kitchens in accomodations designed to be shared by say over 55s. Common sense would future proof them with accessible wetrooms etc. Accepting that most over 55s wouldn't want to be in shared accomodation with 20 somethings or young families due to lifestyle differences, noise levels etc. Quiet, pleasant, manageable, affordable spaces in practical locations that would meet the needs of older adults who would struggle with the costs of renting in the general rental market.

I can't think of anyone in their 50s who would want to share with other people.

I am not dismissing the housing crisis and by no means suggesting that youngsters should stop having avocado on toast. I will say that a lot of people may want to take a long-term view of the problem and not expect to be able to buy something in their 20s (or even rent something without having to house share) just because their parents managed to do so.
You own your house, which means your children will be receiving some inheritance. Yes, it is possible that they won't be able to buy anything until they are much older than you were when you bought but there will be some kind of a wealth transference of sorts.
I wasn't able to buy a house till I was in my 40s. I lived in shared housing till my mid 30s, much of that working MW job. I was able to save a bit throughout. Changed jobs, move in with my partner. Two incomes plus a small rental property meant we could both save. Obviously, there is a few years' worth of expensive childcare for most people but it is temporary. Over the years, I always prioritised saving which meant that when the relationship broke down, I was able to buy a property on a single income with a relatively small mortgage. Even then, I had to move to a different town where I could afford more house for my money.
None of this is ideal as I am sure I missed out on a lot of exciting things other young people were doing but I have zero chance at inheritance (parents were 21 when they had me) so that's what I had to do to ensure security in my middle and older years.
I expect I will be in my 70s when mum passes away so will have a little more money coming in through the sale of her flat to whoop it up in retirement.

And what about dating You dont reach 55 and suddenly have an urge to take up knitting instead.