On 28 Oct, 15:50, "Niteawk"  wrote:
> "Mogga"  wrote in message
>
> news:lk99i313u9qkoah3gn1q2t4drhmiv35lj2@4ax.com...
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 14:58:43 -0000, "Niteawk" 
> > wrote:
>
> >>Yes, the same good old nanny state that got rid of affordable housing and
> >>sold control of our utilities to forigners, privatised everything and told
> >>us by creating competition it would bring the cost of living down, all
> >>lies
> >>of course.
>
> >>You are meeting people who would rather be on benefits because it is an
> >>affordable way to live without the risk of being made homeless. Nobody
> >>wants
> >>a job that will leave them struggling to pay rent with an altrenative to
> >>claim help with housing costs. Thats a definite no, people on the dole
> >>cant
> >>afford to be in debt.
>
> > Rents are too high! The rent officer says a fair rent for my street is
> > 85 a week. Council charges 75. Private landlords charge 135 and 150
>
> Rents are not that high, they are in line with the cost of living,
> considering what it costs a private landlord in mortgage payments.
> The council may well charge £75 pw, but then its property is provided free
> courtesy of the tax payer anyway.
> The problem is, councils are moving out of the lettings market and giving
> away their remaining housing stock free to housing trusts which charge about
> the same in rent as a private LL. The government must allow councils to
> start building to provide affordable properties for rent or more and more
> people are going to stay unemployed.
>
> Council houses should never have been sold off in the first place, this is
> why we have so many people on the dole, no one is going to work in a low
> paid job an pay £135 pw rent. Its not happening, even councils charging £75
> pw is to much for a NMW job that pays £220 pw. How much is left after tax,
> NI, council tax, travelling costs are deducted, then knock £75 quid off that
> lot, you aint left with much.
>
> > ...
>
> > If rents were fixed then landlords wouldn't buy houses so overpriced
> > and non-landlords would be able to buy a house and live in it.
>
> There is always the private market, most landlords do not let property to
> unemployed people so they will still buy to let.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Our local council sold its entire housing stock to housing
associations. £1,900 each it worked out as, though the housing
associations spent in excess of £10million between them doing the
properties up locally.
And of course charged higher rent, but at least repaired the roofs,
fitted central heating, fitted kitchens and so on.  :)

Means sudden cash payment one year with a cut in staffing for its own
departments (though many staff would transfer under TUPE with same
conditions). Followed by no more years of income from council housing.

I'll agree councils should be able to build new stock. But not have it
purchased by anyone.
Where people used to get given a council house, now locally they go on
lists that may or may not get them something. Regardless of urgency of
need.

Martin  <><