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Original poster

The housing crisis

84 replies

MotherOfRatios · 21/04/2023 19:52

Incoming rant, interested to hear what others think the solution is.

I'm mid 20s and I work in public affairs so not earning lots mid £30sk
My job is really focused in London and I do check the civil service website as I'm aware that there is jobs opening up in the north but I haven't found any that I like. Also many jobs continue to be in London for my type of work and no I don't wish to change sector. I love my job and the sector that I work in.

As one thing I see in regards to the housing crisis is change jobs/change where you live. So the above is the caveat that.

Renting is becoming more unaffordable. The average price of a room in London is about £1000. That is also a room, not a flat. (See article below) yes you could move further out, but I am in a job that requires me to be in the office four days a week for my organisation, and I have calculated the cost from commuting towns and it isn't any cheaper, plus I still enjoy a night out with my friends and as a woman I wouldn't feel safe getting an Uber back too my town because trains often don't run at 3am in the morning.

https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/renting/revealed-the-explosion-of-the-ps1-000-room-as-swathes-of-london-become-unaffordable-to-renters-b1072776.html

Some might say well buy a house or buy a flat, but I come from a black working-class family and I don't have the money for a deposit and rent takes up most of my earnings therefore I can't save for a deposit. Plus I've read various negative things about the shared ownership scheme, so even that is an option.

My tenancy on my current flat with my flatmates is coming up soon, and my landlord Landlord wants to raise it by a large amount, we have been looking at new flats, and the current prices are just so unaffordable.

Obviously they should build more social housing, but we have a problem in this country of wage stagnation combined with high house prices.

Does anyone else just wish the government would actually focus on the housing crisis? I have been thinking about low-paid workers in London and how if they can't afford to rent in London does that mean we'll see a mass exodus of waitresses and baristas? Then what happens to the economy? It really irritates me how the government don't take this seriously.

Revealed: the 33 London postcodes where average rent is £1,000 per month or more

The number of postcodes where average monthly rents cost £1,000 or more has more than quadrupled in a year

https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/renting/revealed-the-explosion-of-the-ps1-000-room-as-swathes-of-london-become-unaffordable-to-renters-b1072776.html

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
SunshineGeorgie · 21/04/2023 20:09

Would you be at the top of a social housing list though? Even if there WERE more properties available

Original poster
MotherOfRatios · 21/04/2023 20:12

SunshineGeorgie · 21/04/2023 20:09

Would you be at the top of a social housing list though? Even if there WERE more properties available

No but the theory is it would ease the private rental sector

OP posts:
BaronessEllarawrosaurus · 21/04/2023 20:16

Where do you suggest they build the social housing?

Original poster
MotherOfRatios · 21/04/2023 20:17

BaronessEllarawrosaurus · 21/04/2023 20:16

Where do you suggest they build the social housing?

I wasn't suggesting that was the only solution but we have a crisis and no one wants to fix it

OP posts:
Spendonsend · 21/04/2023 20:23

I think the housing situation is holding the whole country back. Imagine if people were spending all that rent in cafes, getting their done, putting it in pensions, having children. The whole economy seems to be built around house prices.

There is a lot of empty housing in London which is owned by foreign investors.

Something needs to change.

midgemadgemodge · 21/04/2023 20:24

It is shockingly aweful for people today - expensive ( paying someone else's mortgage ) , often poor quality ( damp ) and insecure with no chance to better themselves as they hand money over to those rich enough to own multiple properties

The private experiment has failed so we have to look to social housing again. No right to buy from social housing providers. Not for profit tenancies. And a working environment that isn't London centric. People worked from home for the most part successfully in the pandemic but the idea of offices in Darlington is still beyond the wit of the captains of industries

carriedout · 21/04/2023 20:24

BaronessEllarawrosaurus · 21/04/2023 20:16

Where do you suggest they build the social housing?

Where unaffordable housing is currently built. When for example the govt close a barracks, or a council shuts a school, or the NHS closes a facility - instead of flogging it for unaffordable housing with profits going to private developers & the rents being paid to private landlords, they could use those sites for genuielya ffordable housing.

The OP is correct, we need more social housing. Lots more. Tonnes more.

We will not get more social housing, the current government supports private developers.

Original poster
MotherOfRatios · 21/04/2023 20:28

Spendonsend · 21/04/2023 20:23

I think the housing situation is holding the whole country back. Imagine if people were spending all that rent in cafes, getting their done, putting it in pensions, having children. The whole economy seems to be built around house prices.

There is a lot of empty housing in London which is owned by foreign investors.

Something needs to change.

I heard about this and a lot of the adult student accommodation like buildings are empty (I.E Quintainliving)

OP posts:
Original poster
MotherOfRatios · 21/04/2023 20:29

carriedout · 21/04/2023 20:24

Where unaffordable housing is currently built. When for example the govt close a barracks, or a council shuts a school, or the NHS closes a facility - instead of flogging it for unaffordable housing with profits going to private developers & the rents being paid to private landlords, they could use those sites for genuielya ffordable housing.

The OP is correct, we need more social housing. Lots more. Tonnes more.

We will not get more social housing, the current government supports private developers.

Show quote history

Although Labour aren't keen pushing for more social housing by there recent campaigns

OP posts:
bamboonights · 21/04/2023 20:36

I totally agree with you OP. I really feel for the younger generations with regards to housing.

MissLucyLiu · 21/04/2023 20:37

You guys don’t get it. The real issue with this rental squeeze is because all these government policies like help to buy getting everyone obsessed with buying / ownership of houses instead of building social housing. Get everyone to own with literally 5% and now with the mortgage fixing a lot of people are coming to a shock horror actually can they afford this? As their new build flats are all going into negative equity.
Literally get everyone on the ladder to buy something they cannot afford because now they see all locked into their jobs in a hamster wheel to keep on working to pay the debt back. We don’t have any more energy to realise how badly this country is run and falling apart.
As a nation we are completely obsessed with ownership (don’t get me wrong I am one the same) as this is not true with other developed economies. The lack of rental units just cannot be solved if everyone is buying up everything.

MissLucyLiu · 21/04/2023 20:37

Economy of false prosperity

lollipoprainbow · 21/04/2023 20:41

Totally agree with you OP it's a nightmare. My landlord is selling and I have two months to leave there is nothing to rent in my price range and what's left is getting snapped up in hours. By the time I've called to view a property there is a full list of others wanting to also view. I'm so scared for me and my dd.

Something needs to be done and fast.

Spendonsend · 21/04/2023 20:42

The country built lots of social housing after the war, a time when there wasnt meant to be much money. Lots of good quality, affordable rented housing with secure tenancies -although a bit of flexibility to move - would do wonders.

BaronessEllarawrosaurus · 21/04/2023 20:44

I agree something needs to be done but the first thing is to stop being so London centric. London simply can not cope with the numbers involved any more. There is a limit to space

Myfuckingredtrousers · 21/04/2023 20:48

I totally agree op, it’s ridiculous

Original poster
MotherOfRatios · 21/04/2023 20:51

MissLucyLiu · 21/04/2023 20:37

You guys don’t get it. The real issue with this rental squeeze is because all these government policies like help to buy getting everyone obsessed with buying / ownership of houses instead of building social housing. Get everyone to own with literally 5% and now with the mortgage fixing a lot of people are coming to a shock horror actually can they afford this? As their new build flats are all going into negative equity.
Literally get everyone on the ladder to buy something they cannot afford because now they see all locked into their jobs in a hamster wheel to keep on working to pay the debt back. We don’t have any more energy to realise how badly this country is run and falling apart.
As a nation we are completely obsessed with ownership (don’t get me wrong I am one the same) as this is not true with other developed economies. The lack of rental units just cannot be solved if everyone is buying up everything.

It's really concerning

OP posts:
Bloodsweatntears · 21/04/2023 20:52

There is a lot of empty housing in London which is owned by foreign investors.

This ^

It is scandalous that key workers can’t afford to live in London when there are 1000s of houses and flats left empty.

There should be a big financial penalty for leaving properties unoccupied for more than 6 months.

Original poster
MotherOfRatios · 21/04/2023 20:52

lollipoprainbow · 21/04/2023 20:41

Totally agree with you OP it's a nightmare. My landlord is selling and I have two months to leave there is nothing to rent in my price range and what's left is getting snapped up in hours. By the time I've called to view a property there is a full list of others wanting to also view. I'm so scared for me and my dd.

Something needs to be done and fast.

This is happening to us people are paying 1-2 years rent up front as well

OP posts:
Original poster
MotherOfRatios · 21/04/2023 20:54

BaronessEllarawrosaurus · 21/04/2023 20:44

I agree something needs to be done but the first thing is to stop being so London centric. London simply can not cope with the numbers involved any more. There is a limit to space

I agree with this but the same is happening in other cities, Manchester Bristol Leeds etc have all seen large rent increases as those Londoners who are fully remote but have a London wage are moving out and bidding for rental properties with a London wage.

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 21/04/2023 20:55

Crazy isn't it. can't they financially incentivize some pensioners to move elsewhere in the country. Sorry I know that's going to be unpopular ! My friends mum lives in a 3 storey council property in a very central location, no-one in the household works and hasn't done for years, all on benefits or pensions. The property would be better off rented to those that need to be living in central London.

MrsTerryPratchett · 21/04/2023 20:55

There is a global housing crisis. It’s based on the commodification of housing. That encompasses the issues mentioned above of ownership being pushed AND zombie flats which people own as investments and don’t tenant.

Housing is a need, not a place to store cash. It’s a global financial crisis and it’s killing cities all over the world.

It can be mitigated with various policies IF a government isn’t a right-wing, money-grubbing, venal bunch of only slightly disguised financiers, rather than leaders. So the UK is fucked.

Original poster
MotherOfRatios · 21/04/2023 20:57

MrsTerryPratchett · 21/04/2023 20:55

There is a global housing crisis. It’s based on the commodification of housing. That encompasses the issues mentioned above of ownership being pushed AND zombie flats which people own as investments and don’t tenant.

Housing is a need, not a place to store cash. It’s a global financial crisis and it’s killing cities all over the world.

It can be mitigated with various policies IF a government isn’t a right-wing, money-grubbing, venal bunch of only slightly disguised financiers, rather than leaders. So the UK is fucked.

Agree with you on housing=commodity.

many of my friends have moved to European cities where the private sector is more regulated

OP posts:
lollipoprainbow · 21/04/2023 20:58

They want three times your salary also which as a single mum is impossible for me. What the hell are working singles supposed to do? I was going to write to my local MP but what's the point, also in other that he doesn't get involved with housing.

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