Right to Buy coming to an End.

I know I've said Before that this should Never have Happened in the First Place....AND got my Head Chewed Good Style...... But I was very glad to read this Today..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...itics-20363094

Re: Right to Buy coming to an End.

I seem to remember the theory being that; as most council tenants would regard their tenancy as being for life, and therefore the house was of no use to the council once the tenancy was taken out, the tenants might as well be sold the freehold, and the cash could then be spent to provide more council housing and the responsibility for maintenance of the property could be passed onto the owner. Unfortunately this never came to pass and the new replacement housing stock was never built, but I do believe nevertheless that the theory was sound although I never understood the need for such huge discounts on market value.

But the problem with social housing still persists, without time limits on tenancy how do you use the housing to the maximum benefit. Unless you can provide housing which can be tailored more to the needs of the individual, by moving people on to other types of accommodation when, for example, they no longer need a three bed house after the kids have left home, then you still might as well sell the house to the tenant anyway because there is a good chance it might not become available until they die!

Re: Right to Buy coming to an End.

In some areas of the country, councils will no longer give a tenancy for life to new tenants.
To put it simply, they have to leave when children have left home and the property becomes to large for their needs

The government has also capped housing benefit, so forcing tenants to move to cheaper and smaller properties.

And then there is the bedroom tax.

Anyone who is in rented property, either council or private and are in receipt of housing benefit and have a room that is unoccupied will have to pay for the empty room and if they can't afford to, then they will have to move to a smaller property.

This may explain the bedroom tax better.

http://www.housing.org.uk/policy/wel...’_penalty.aspx

Re: Right to Buy coming to an End.

Personally I think the bedroom tax for public housing tenants is a good idea, though a better solution would be to move public housing tenants to more suitable accommodation as their circumstances and needs change.

Public housing is not a right but a privilege and no one should have security of tenure other than a normal commercial lease term ie one or two years. I am not sure about private rental accommodation.

Re: Right to Buy coming to an End.

Well I bought my flat from the Housing Association. They wanted to shift me to a one bedroomed flat because, they said, I wasn't entitled to a "back and front" door as I wasn't married, didn't have kids - and, of course, not on the dole!! I did not want to leave what was my family's home, having moved here from Govan with them - kicking and screaming!! It is a 4 apartment flat.

I don't see why people who have lived in any type of house should be forced to move out of the family home. That was the reason I bought my flat.

A lot of flats where I live are all sold, some of them are let out. Linstone, who now own the buildings having taken over from the Scottish Special Housing Association, have issued letters to their tenants about paying for the extra rooms they have lying empty.

I am thankful I own my flat. Those of us who have bought our homes, pay thru' our noses for factoring fees and insurance to either the housing association or the council, thereby saving them money when decorating and upgrading their property! I also have to pay for any work being carried out to the building, such as guttering, repainting of the internal building. Now Linstone intend to re-render the building and I am waiting to hear what that is going to cost me! It isn't cheap being an owner in these flats and I know it is the same in all areas of the country!

What councils and housing associations didn't do was to build more houses to replenish their housing stocks!

Where would the tenants go if we worked such a policy of a one or two year lease on a house? Live on the streets?

Re: Right to Buy coming to an End.

Bedroom tax, whatever next? Are we going to re-introduce window tax or clock tax? OK, I have always owned my own house and now that our daughters have their own places, we have spare room - but it is needed when they or friends visit. Same for some people in council housing - if you have family or friends who visit regularly - where are they going to sleep? A vacant bedroom doesn't mean that it's not needed!

On the other hand, I feel that council housing should not be a lifetime deal. Tennants should have to renew their tennancy every few years, but should not be penalised just because they have one spare bedroom.

Re: Right to Buy coming to an End.

When I was a tenant, I had to renew my tenancy every 5 years, as did my parents and then my brother before me, with the SSHA!

I think the bedroom tax only applies to council housing and housing associations!

Re: Right to Buy coming to an End.

It only applies to people in receipt of housing benefit, who are in rented accommodation of any kind.
If you pay full rent on the property the bedroom tax does not apply.
The rules are not very fair. If a family of four, two parents and two children under ten, regardless of the sex of the children, and living in a three bedroomed house, will be deemed to have a spare room because the children will have to share. So the bedroom tax will apply.

Likewise, a family of four, two parents and two children of sixteen and the same sex, the same rule applies, they will be deemed as having a spare room, if they live in a three bedroomed house.

In both cases, if the families cannot afford to pay the bedroom tax, they will have to move to a smaller property.

Now what would happen if the family, with two ten year olds of a different sex reach the age of ten and need a bedroom each.

I think it is ill thought out and would be a nightmare to sort out.

There are lots of others that it will affect too.
I feel sorry for those that it will affect.

Re: Right to Buy coming to an End.

I think it is a good thing that the right to buy is coming to an end. I have always thought it wrong to sell what is after all "community" owned property. Many nice family council houses have been "cherry picked" and sold off cheaply over the years and a lot of what is left of council accommodation is now poor quality and/or in problem areas. From what I see even though these flats and houses left are re-furbished regularly, many (but not all) are frequently not taken care of by the tenants. It seems reasonable to me that tenancies and size of property actually needed should be regularly reviewed and re-newed or terminated as appropriate. There will probably always be the need to build suitable good quality subsidised council or housing association owned housing for rental, particularly for the qualifying elderly, infirm or handicapped, but maybe the way we think of such accommodation will change over the coming years and not be regarded as permanent and for life but rather "social housing" let by the council/housing association for a specific need and period of time. Such accommodation should not be thought of as a permanent entitlement regardless of income, changing circumstances or actual need.

Re: Right to Buy coming to an End.

I don't think you understand the concept of a lease; at the end of a lease you can either renew it or revert to a monthly tenancy. Just because a lease expires doesn't mean you have to leave but it means that you can if you wish or the landlord can give you appropriate notice if you are a lousy tenant or he has plans for the property.

All landlords would want to keep a good tenant, it costs money to advertise and arrange a new lease not to mention the lack of income if the property is empty even for a week.

Personally I am in favour of subsidised social house but there should be no right to buy nor any right to occupancy in social housing, if the property is to big for a tenant then they should be moved, if their income/circumstances improve then they should pay market rent or move into the private rental market.

If they want security of tenure they buy a place, end of story.