Elederly To Blame For Housing Shortage?

[FredPuli43]

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article3903989.ece

(Hope you get enough before the paywall limit. Couldn't find it free)

Apparently immigrants and the elderly are to blame for the housing shortage. And, adds the housing minister, the elderly are more to blame than the immigrants. That means me and AOG, for a start, and goodness knows how many other ABers.

What are we doing wrong? Is it like bed-blocking; die or be put in a secure home for us? I have four bedrooms but use only one; is that it? Do we buy second homes and leave one home empty?

What do you think?

[emmie]

totally agree, but look at the local authority and it's policy on refurbishing social housing, it's poor in our borough, so expect it may be in other parts of the country. One local social housing estate had no work done on it at all for 25 years. Tenants may well do some internal works themselves, but the externals work cannot be done by anyone other than the local authority. And you have to get permission from the local authorising for any internal works you would wish to do, like bathrooms, not always granted. there seems some misconception that those in social housing get handed everything on a plate, sorry it's just not true.

[factor-fiction]

Mikey- I agree we have needed more social housing over many years. And we also need to make better use of what we've got and change the benefits system to discourage people from having children in order to get a council property or a bigger council house.

But I'm not sure why you felt the minister's comment was "stupid"- what he said is true isn't it?

[emmie]

please note the first line in Camdens policy on affordable homes

http://camden.gov.uk/ccm/content/environment/planning-and-built-environment/two/planning-applications/making-an-application/supporting-documentation/affordable-housing-statements.en;jsessionid=FEED86AB948B4C73BE5B0D04C21D34F0

[emmie]

ff, but the council will house a single young woman with a child, or is that a tabloid lie?

[factor-fiction]

Yes emmie, I think they usually do I think. But I'm not sure why you ask- is it in response to a comment I made?

[cazzz1975]

where I live there is a row of council houses 3 and 4 bed, all the occupants are single ladies over 60, I can see why people would think elderly could cause these problems as they are exempt from bedroom tax.

[emmie]

one more and last point, our council has had a poster and local newspaper campaigns on a house key amnesty. Those illegally subletting their council home to hand the keys in and no questions asked, how is that right. Going on a recent report and documentary, illegal subletting in the capital is rife, so is the poster campaign going to work or should it be employ more officers who can do spot checks on properties to see who is living there.
the poster campaign over sending illegal homes has been widely condemned, perhaps rightly, however a poster campaign saying you won't face prosecution as long as you hand the keys back has as much affect, it will be ignored.

[emmie]

have they always lived there alone? have they worked, paid tax, and had families?

[emmie]

ff
quote

use of what we've got and change the benefits system to discourage people from having children in order to get a council property or a bigger council house.

if the policy is to house single girls, women with a child, children, how can one discourage them? if say the bloke does a runner, not unheard of, then where are they supposed to live.

[jno]

no good demanding that councils hire more people to do anything, they're busy closing libraries and shedding jobs. I agree they should, but who's going to pay? Do you think they'd get enough proceeds from fining ilelgal subletters to cover their own wages?

[emmie]

like the jobless parents have endless kids, how do you stop it, cut off child benefits or other ways.. ?

[cazzz1975]

I think restricting benefits after the 2nd or 3rd child would help, kids would stop being a cash cow

[cazzz1975]

also I do think that the amounts of these jobless superfamilies are much less than the amount of over 60s living in large houses on there own

[cazzz1975]

their*

[emmie]

what do the councils do with the money they collect in rent for one thing, parking fines, humongous amounts there, and the money from all the property the council have been flogging off and not just recently, what happens to all that cash. ours has been closing libraries, some have now been taken over by volunteers, quite disgraceful actually, and many mental health units have been pared back or closed. That includes social housing for the mentally ill, those unable to care for themselves well enough, like residential homes, cutbacks all around. where does all the money the council collects from every revenue go? cutbacks also to lunch clubs and home care for the elderly.

[Mosaic]

What about that jobless superfamily who live in a huge place at the end of The Mall, constantly going off on jaunts and never done a hands turn, all on state hand-outs. How many bedroom have THEY got spare?

[cazzz1975]

if they are of working age and have surplus bedrooms they will be subject to bedroom tax

[factor-fiction]

I agree emmie, in some cases the council have to help find a home for the mum and child. Some mums are single mums because they have been treated badly by a father who has left the scene. I just feel the present priorities for benefits and allocating social housing encourages some couples to have a child just to help them get a council house (whereas a single person/couple with no children may have to wait years). And certainly we often read of couples/mums having more children and then demanding a bigger house. I don't how to tackle it but I think that the system seems to reward those having children ahead of those who choose to wait until they can afford it or can afford suitable accommodation

[emmie]

cazz you didn't answer my question, did those women once have families, jobs - worked and paid into the system, if they live in these properties were they once their family homes, also there are a distinct lack of single properties, so if you can find these 60 year old women a one bed flat, where will it be, out the borough, out the county? our borough has a shortage of housing of all types but the one beds are hardest to come by for some reason.

[cazzz1975]

no most of them were of a generation where their husband worked and they raised the family