The Housing Thread Woman is NOT earning 55k p/a

[donkeyderby]

I am SO frustrated on her behalf.

Why don't you lazy tikes read through threads before jumping in to judge?

They're not going to do that StayFrosty because the sad fact is that politicians don't care about people who are forced to live in shitholes. And that's all of them, regardless of political persuasion

You're right, Lady. We're good enough to pay taxes, but not to live in crap accommodation. And that's millions. Look at all these people on here, who've been refused let of a home because they have children, have moved at huge expense time after time because LL sells up, are on here in utter panic because they found out (some by accident) that their LL hasn't paid the mortgage and the home is being repossessed, letting agents who go into peoples' homes with no notice, etc.

This place now smells like a pub before the smoking ban, thanks to this low life.

And after he goes, all there will be is another like him.

There really are people who deserve to live on the streets, no matter what some say (it's usually people who never had to live near people like this who say that).

The occupants of this flat have been given chance after chance, this guy downstairs is at least in his mid-30s, it's hard to tell because alcoholics like him often look years older than they are, but still can't live around other people without making them miserable.

Well, I have no sympathy left when folks like that wind up on the streets, as long as I don't have to listen to their music, parties, arguments, step around their broken glass, dog poo, smell their drugs and booze and fags, I really couldn't care less.

This country has loads of resources for coping with addiction, way more than my native one, yet people still chose to take the p*ss.

As for politicians, LOL. None of them has a clue. Or cares to know except to somehow serve their own needs.

Sorry! I meant, 'Not to live in good accommodation.'

'Are places like this seriously?? I thought they were wardened/manned '

Definitely NOT. A lot of temp accommodation is bedsits on dire estates, or one-bed flats like the one downstairs.

Or B&Bs and hotels literally turned over to the council and, as Toccata wrote, are basically drugs dens.

Private lets, well, you could find yourself moving A LOT.

Part of the money we're saving is to spend about £300 on 100 or so plastic, stackable containers of varying sizes to keep for good, as we're going back into private let so will need to always keep an eye on when next we'll need to move on.

We also need to make sure we've always got a thousand or so pounds ready in case of the letter drops on the matt after 4 months to tell you you're out when you're 6 months are up.

Once the baby element goes off once DS is one I will have 4 children and get £40 a month tax credits.

The bracket is something like 24-55K so no matter how many children you have one or six and if your income falls anywhere in this bracket you get £10 a week regardless.

So if you earn 25K and have 6 children you get the same as someone earning 54k with one child.

I got very frustrated with the thread as well.

Agree with kitty. how can it be fair to band 24 and 54 k in the same calculation ?
we get no childcare help and we are not on huge salaries.

Even on £24K it's possible to rent privately.

another one here with bad credit record (mainly but not solely due to exh) and privately renting (due to divorce and high house prices) - live in London.

I do not want to move out - my dcs are settled and I live relatively close to work which as a single parent is important.

Also have lived in the provinces till my 20s so have no desire to move back.

I live in fear that my lls will decide to sell and then am not sure what would happen.

We got this house through gumtree and have always paid my rent on time for over three years.

I am on the list for social housing (some of my friends live in nice 3 bed houses with rental of approx 400 pcm) contrasting with mine which is over 3 x that. Their total household income is similar to mine if not higher.

The housing policy in this country is skewed - they haven't kept up with the changing times - right to buy should never have been introduced imo

The property ladder is fine but there will always be winners and losers. And it's tough if you are a loser.

I wonder what happens to those families who houses get repossessed. Do they go into private rental.

I blame Thatcher and her policy of selling off council houses, and I also blame Labour for not reversing the policy. There just isn't enough cocial housing and it shocks me that no politicians have any interest in dealing with it

hear hear oldernowiser !!

See this thread has proven why I live in HA and always will! Like I said before, I don't know where people get the idea that HA is for people who "need" it, but it certainly isn't the only "need" you need is to need somewhere to live.

Being in HA I know there is always someone on the end of the phone whatever time it is to fix problems. I've called them out because my toilet was filling up (about 2am!) because my entry phone was sounding off (also quite late in the day) and because I'd locked myself out with my two children (although they don't keep keys they do have staff on duty so it only costs parts, I owe £20 for the barrel which is on my account when I get round to getting in to pay).

I know that if my neighbours are causing problems (like a dog tied up on the path outside their house or children that cause problems on the estate as two examples in the last year) that the HA will deal with it. One of my examples now don't reside with the HA and the other is probably going to be leaving us soon.

I also know they'll help me in other ways if I need it, I've had a lot of training from them and I know that if I ever need help like that I can approach them. There are lots of benefits to living with HA and lots of reasons why people choose to live with one (I wish I could afford to staircase because that's one of the big pluses).

It's a two-fold issue:

a) lack of social housing

b) a far more salient issue that no politician will touch with a ten-foot bargepole because people use bricks and mortar as pensions: the system of private renting in this country.

Is a shambles.

There is NO security in it beyond 4 months. Even with a longer contract, I've yet to see one that doesn't have a get-out clause by which the LL can still serve 60 days notice after the initial 4 months.

The system of letting agents is a joke and an insult and a slap in the face for both LLs and tenants.

The desparity in rates of rent between private and social housing effectively persecutes not only the working poor but also a growing percentage of the lower and even middle middle class, as this OPs thread demonstrates.

Nothing will be done about it, though.

Completely agree with the lack of council houses and the Right to Buy schemes which was a quick way to make money for councils that was never reinvested in more housing stock.

My brothers girlfriend was homeless at 18, she was given a one bed council flat after a few months of being in a bedsit (which is fine in itself). She bought it a year later for 14K then stayed in it for the pre-requiste 3 years then sold it for 90K. Now good on her she was shrewd enough to see an opportunity and took it but that's one less flat for a homeless person now. Multiply that countrywide and you can see the problem.

My 19yo neice has her own 2 bed council flat as she walked out her family home at 17 as she had had enough of her Mother. When you hear some of the stories on here about families in B&Bs etc and overcrowding yet a teenager can get a flat as she is bored living at home it reiterates the unfair system.

'See this thread has proven why I live in HA and always will! Like I said before, I don't know where people get the idea that HA is for people who "need" it, but it certainly isn't the only "need" you need is to need somewhere to live.'

The thing is, not all HA's are the same.

In many councils, there is no more 'council' housing. The housing stock was transferred to an HA in exchange for the Treasury (or in Scotland, the Exchequer) writing off the council's housing debts.

So in some areas, there is still only one HA, there's no chosing around.

I totally agree, RTB has destroyed social housing and led to situations like those described on this thread, with families living in terrible accomodation because all of the nice 3 bed semis were sold off.

Shame on the poster who said she is going to buy her next council house, I have never understood the selfishness of those who have been helped out by being given social housing and then effectively prevent others from having the same chance they got by taking a council property out of the system forever.

I am very fortunate to live in a council flat in a nice area with lovely neighbours etc, and in the part of the country where I live RTB is the only way I would ever be able to afford to own a home. And I would never do it, how could I sell out the people who will come after me and need help just like I needed it when I was lucky enought to be housed? Bloody Thatcher, hope she rots in hell.

'Shame on the poster who said she is going to buy her next council house, I have never understood the selfishness of those who have been helped out by being given social housing and then effectively prevent others from having the same chance they got by taking a council property out of the system forever.'

In some councils, right to buy is not longer an option for tenants if their tenancy began past a certain year (say, 2002, as that's the most common one around here). And/or the right to buy has been suspended; and/or the discount is no greater than 10% off market value of the property.

Depends on teh council.

One reason we'd rent for life rather than buy an ex-council house, though, is that we don't feel it's fair to line the pockets of someone who bought a place on the cheap.

Also if surrounding properties are still council-run there's a chance of getting into another horrible neighbour situation, and, as a buyer, not being to extract oneself so easily.

"Shame on the poster who said she is going to buy her next council house, I have never understood the selfishness of those who have been helped out by being given social housing and then effectively prevent others from having the same chance they got by taking a council property out of the system forever. "

I agree 100%, bananaketchup. In fact, this is an argument I have with my husband time and time again. We are in HA accommodation and he thinks that if we were ever in a position to, we should buy this house - just googled now though and we can't! HA!

My argument was that if we could afford to buy, we should buy a different house and let this one go to a family who were as desperate as we were! I remember how terrified I was that I was going to lose the kids because we had no roof over our heads, and then thinking we would need to go into a hostel - after having gone through all that, how could I ever buy a social housing house, knowing that I was preventing some other family from having their own home, when I could live somewhere else.

My husband is of the opinion that "it's a jungle out there" and you look after yourself and you fight your way and bugger everyone else. (that last bit is my interpretation of his jungle phrase! )

A lot of HAs have no right to buy.

JustMyTwoPenceWorth Whilst your HA's don't have a direct right to buy the house your in, they often have schemes where you can do shared ownership.

There are a few good things about this, firstly as an existing HA tennant with a good track record (no areas or complaints etc..) then you get higher priority.

All new housing developments in England (sorry ex-pat not sure about Scotland) have to have a certain percentage of housing for social investment housing.

If you are a key worker (police/nhs/teacher etc...) then you get even more points.... the other advantage of shared ownership is that you can buy a small percentage extra year on year...

If you goto the Housing Associations website (The governing body not the individual HA's) then your be able to see which HA's do right to buy in your area.

Sadly like Ex-Pat said alot of councils now housing departments are run by HA's!

In London there are loads of RTB's.

Also worth checking the builders websites for new developments coming up in your area, as I said in England all new estates have to have social housing included!!! the builders/developers will be able to advise you who the HA they are working with....

good luck to all of you x

The other advantage being that you don't need as much money to put down as the "rented" bit counts as part of your deposit so you only need the fees......

all of our HA (rental) are allocated through the council.

It really does vary by location, doesn't it, sincity?

In our council, homelessness is determined by teh council. Temporary accommodation is allocated by the council.

But actual housing stock for tenancy is by HA.

Glasgow's housing was transferred to an HA a few years ago.

Edinburgh's is still council, but there are also numerous HAs in operation.