No more council houses 'for life' - thoughts?

[Ewe]

Link

A large part of me thinks that with the social housing crisis as it is then this is most certainly a good thing. However, when I start to think about it in more detail I find myself wondering how this could possibly work? How much notice would people get? Would you enable them to downsize if in a house too big? When adult children have left home etc.

I do agree that something needs to be done but it does seem like yet another thing that is going to negatively impact people on benefits (his aim, no doubt!) along with cuts to housing benefit.

"So this story and countless more like it are all lies are they?"

1. He's not actually an asylum seeker, he came here over ten years ago and has worked, he must have been granted asylum. Therefore the headline is somewhat dishonest, once you've got something you no longer seek it.

2. Once was granted asylum he then was able to apply for things like housing benefit in exactly the same way as anybody else.

3. He would not have got Housing Benefit while he was a genuine Asylum Seeker.

4. He's not in a Council House anyway. However one of the people being interviewed however does want him kicked out of his rented property and into "Social Housing".

5. This story is the best that the Daily Mail after much digging can come up with.

6. Once again, and in bold just to make this clear, It is illegal for any Council to give Asylum Seekers a Council House.

Applauds Badger!

I had a look at Expat's link regarding new 30th centile HB caps.

After checking on Rightmove, I see there is only one 2-bed flat currently available for rent in Bath for less than the proposed cap of £155 per week. There are three 3-bed properties available to rent for less than the £172 per week cap, one of which is a student let.

This would be the sum total of private rental housing which would be available to HB claimants in the ENTIRE CITY (population 86,000) according to the proposed limits. Assuming that the landlords would accept HB tenants in the first place .

I posted the following thoughts a few days ago on another thread, but wanted to contribute to the current debate.

If there is no money available to build new social housing, we need to encourage landlords to let their property directly to councils and Housing Associations for allocation to people on the waiting lists, which would guarantee their rent while handing over responsibility for maintenance and rent-collection etc.

We need to offer big incentives to private landlords to accept HB claimants as long-term tenants and stop mortgage companies preventing this. Give landlords tax breaks for:

• minimum 5 years-lets;
• taking on tenants currently on housing waiting lists;
• accepting rents within the new HB limits;
• renewal of long-term tenancies;
• letting to elderly and/or disabled tenants

Increase the current tax-free allowance for renting out spare rooms.

Offer incentives to parents and students to study at local universities whilst still living at home. Most of the small 3-bed houses available for rent around here are let out to students.

"After checking on Rightmove, I see there is only one 2-bed flat currently available for rent in Bath for less than the proposed cap of £155 per week. There are three 3-bed properties available to rent for less than the £172 per week cap, one of which is a student let.

This would be the sum total of private rental housing which would be available to HB claimants in the ENTIRE CITY (population 86,000) according to the proposed limits. Assuming that the landlords would accept HB tenants in the first place ."

Those figures are reflected in the areas I've been looking too. Seems to be the case all over the country.

BUMP

Am cross

Bring it on please, all the DM apologistas!.