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Original poster

£1 houses

20 replies

Pleasebeafleabite · 15/02/2018 20:20

Anyone watch this? Sounds fantastic in principle... but not if there’s only you on the street and no-one else progressing with their build.

Not sure what “red tape” the council are finding an issue or why they would not release the houses in blocks for security reasons.

OP posts:

EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic · 15/02/2018 20:55

I missed this one. Which channel was it on?

SeamLess · 15/02/2018 20:57

That poor family that had to move in on their own. Can you imagine how scary that would be for them?

I wonder how many houses have been renovated now? The council guy said they had hoped to have 50 houses taken over by then.

Original poster

Pleasebeafleabite · 15/02/2018 21:50

Was c4 everyone straight after kirsty and phil, will probably be on all 4

Yes I would not like to live on that street on my own. Also the worry of have you invested all your money for the council to shelve the project and now your house is worthless

OP posts:

EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic · 15/02/2018 21:53

Thanks Please. Will look it up. Was it set in Stoke? I know that there have been programs about the scheme in Stoke before.

lookingforhelp12 · 15/02/2018 21:59

I really enjoyed it. Make sure I catch it next week. The two who doing it themselves made me laugh a lot 😂

PickAChew · 15/02/2018 22:02

This one was Liverpool. There have been similar schemes around the country.

Original poster

Pleasebeafleabite · 15/02/2018 22:04

It was Liverpool everyone

That couple was great - laying decking instead of floorboards. Easily done

OP posts:

Kikashi · 15/02/2018 22:28

Some of the houses were in a very much worse state than others (crumbling chimneys, missing roofs, end of terrace etc) so the cost of refurbishment would not be clear until you had signed up and you had no choice which one you got. It would be heartbreaking to get behind with the refurb and have the council repossess when potentially you had spent a lot of money on the house.

In the 1970's they had a scheme like this called "homesteading" near where I lived but the derelict houses were random ones in terraces that were inhabited and no where near as bleak and out of control as the ones on the show.

The constant stealing of improvements (guttering etc) and vandalism would really grind you down. It's a pity they couldn't all work on the houses at the same time and move in together to lift up the whole block in one go and have each other for support.

It was a bit misleading to call them £1 houses as you had to have at least £35k to get the minimum work the council required done in a year. Builders are so much cheaper in Liverpool than where I live (SE) £35k would hardly get you a basic loft conversion or kitchen side return in fill

Shinygoldbauble · 17/02/2018 23:01

I found it very interesting. I admired the optimism of the people and their dedication to making it work but I thought some of them seemed a little naive.
It was clearly an area with a lot of social problems and high crime yet they seemed to think it would disappear as soon as they arrived.
I felt sorry for the first family who moved in. It would have been much nicer if several families were ready to move in around the same time.

PickAChew · 17/02/2018 23:17

The stealing even goes on in good areas, though. My ex's parents lived opposite a police station and the house next to it was being renovated. There was a huge hubbub one day because the boiler had been nicked!

purpleme12 · 18/02/2018 01:26

Yes I watched this. I found it quite fascinating I've never heard of this before. Next week's episode looks intriguing.

peachypetite · 24/02/2018 20:51

Watching this on catch up. Enjoying it so far.

RebootYourEngine · 27/02/2018 05:24

In general i liked it. I was so pissed of with the thieves. Those people put a lot of money and work into making those houses better and some dickhead thinks its ok to just take whatever they want from it.

Hope they do a follow up to see how its progressing.

peachypetite · 27/02/2018 19:02

Is it finished?! Thought it was a new series

Cassimin · 27/02/2018 19:14

I knew an elderly lady who had brought up her children in one of theses houses. They were left to get in a really bad state and everyone was moved out.
She really didn't want to go but was one of the last in there.
They were then left for years as funding was cut and the council had no money to repair them.
Most of the houses in the area are owned by investors who rent them to students and immigrants.
It was once a great community with extended families.
Hopefully it could be like this again but I think it will take a long time.

purpleme12 · 27/02/2018 19:47

No it's not finished it's on again tomorrow

ellenanora5 · 27/02/2018 22:29

I watched the first two episodes, it seems like an amazing opportunity but its a pity that red tape held a lot of people up.

The council chap looked like he wanted to run a mile from it all.

I felt so sorry for the couple that had the break in, no insurance because its not officially theirs, such a shame for them.

Why did one couple stop the work, was it in case they we're broken into.

The young girl seemed a bit overwhelmed when it was all complete.

Kikashi · 28/02/2018 09:40

I think they said that the "young girl" is a 29 year old phd student. I felt a bit sorry for her brother and siblings who aren't getting a 40k bung from their dad towards a house purchase or their insurance etc paid for. It looked like she had occupied houses to either side of her so although her argument was sound that you need people to move in to encourage others to move in, her 2 up 2 down street didn't look as bleak as the bay fronted house streets where there was perhaps one solitary new occupant.

Felt sorry for the couple who are doing lots of the work themselves with their kids in tow - that is so gruelling and hard without the extra worry of the time frame and that the area is just too bad a basket case and that you might be the only residents for the for seeable future. All the families seem nice - the break in was horrid.

The council are not covering themselves in glory!

The council really cocked the scheme up. The houses should have been released in blocks (that were restriction free) so that all 50 or whatever were almost ready at the same time. The council lied to people. That poor lady with a 2 year delay and stuck in limbo - having to keep her finance for the refurb in place, not able to apply for social housing or HB as she already "owns" a house. Not impressed with Tony or the house inspector bloke.

peony2325 · 01/03/2018 23:20

Have watched the first two episode and agree that the council came across as inept. Completely bizarre that they would allocate houses which had restrictions on title, anyone who has basic experience of property law would know that it can be a complete pain to get these removed, even if all parties are in agreement.

Would be interested to find out more about the legalities behind the scheme, e.g. seemed very unfair that the families were unable to get contents insurance - why didn't the council lease them the properties for a year at a peppercorn ground rent which would have enabled them to get insurance?

EachandEveryone · 03/03/2018 18:18

They did with with bocks of amazing town houses in Harlem. I did atour of the area and it was fascinating. Guess who bought them for a $? Friends of the mayor. Worth millions now.

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