Ft Article - Uk Property Old, Pokey And Expensive!

[ILBB]

Britain is a rich, modern and dynamic country but its housing is among the oldest, pokiest and most expensive in the developed world. I am German and have lived in London for just over a year. When my friends and family visit, they are surprised at how sub-standard British houses look. That surprise turns into astonishment and shock when I tell them how much one has to pay for them. I am becoming increasingly irritated at being pitied all the time – and yes, I know I could afford something better in Germany.....<snip>.....The culprit is the planning system. .....<snip>...If Britain wants to solve its housing crisis, the solution cannot come from better central planning but only from more local and incentivised planning. Only then will it escape unflattering international comparisons

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/28dbf370-22e9-11d...000e2511c8.html

[2005]

Your are correct..our housing stock is rubbish. old houses are inflexible (e.g terrace can't be extended) and new houses look like they would fall down in a strong wind.

I used to work for a window fitting firm many years ago...we used to call new houses 'lego houses'. The joiners loved them because they were easy to work with but it was a standing joke that it was only the roof that was holding them up!!

I have just returned from Germany were I stayed in a three storey 6/7 bedroom detached house with a large garden. The owner told me it was probably worth the equivalent of about £100-130k on the market.

Every time I see a new build estate rise up I shake my head at the poor quality and planning and find it hard to believe people would pay £250k for these.

I think it is all to do with the British way of thinking..constantly 'keeping up with the jonses'. Who cares if it is a tiny, cr@ap house on a main road as long as it has a good postcode

We are also a nation of homeowners and don't feel settled until we are buying our own homes.

It would also seem we are extremely foolish.

[George]

uk property for the most part is shite

[theChuz]

uk property for the most part is shite

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

along with the most part of its population.

[Nelly]

along with the most part of its population.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lol couldnt agree more mate, good shot!

[BandWagon]

There was a study made a few years back.

People were asked whether they would prefer:

1) To be earning £100k a year, and know their friends were earning £100k a year.

2) Earn £50k a year, and know that their friends were on £30k.

Can you guess which one most people would have been happiest with?

Yep, it was number two. People would rather have a lower standard of living provided they were in superior position to their peers.

In other words their feelings of wealth are relative.

[libitina]

Theres an estate by my in-laws thats known locally as 'Legoland'.

BTW anyone else having problems with the site? I couldn't get it to load last night, and it's only coming through by the skin of it's teeth today.

[2005]

There have been other studies that look at this. One I seem to remember looked at promotion..in the army I think. It found that people didn't really mind if soldiers from other regiments were promoted etc. It only bothered them when others within their same regiment were promoted above them. It seems we create our own social groups and compete within them.

[200p]

The richest people, don't need to display their wealth.

The people who look like they;ve got money - scratch the surface and theres probably nothing there!

Edited September 12, 2005 by trev

[Once in a lifetime]

The richest people, don't need to display their wealth.

The people who look like they;ve got money - scratch the surface and theres probably nothing there!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Kippers and Curtains is what my mother use to say?

[mustrum_ridcully]

The richest people, don't need to display their wealth.

The people who look like they;ve got money - scratch the surface and theres probably nothing there!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good point.

Look at Richard Branson, if you didn't know who he was and you walked past him in the street you'd think he was some hard-up history teacher or something, not a millionaire.

On the side of the coin, look at your local chav estate - they're all wearing (or to try to look as if they are) designer goods and expensive sports wear. Someone who knew burberry was an expensive brand but didn't know about chav's would think these people are loaded.

[libitina]

The 'Burberry' chav is just a UK phenomenon isn't it?

[BoredTrainBuilder]

British houses are shite . . .

along with the most part of its population.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think that's a shocking, negative, unpatriotic, neghead thing to say. It's a total exagerration. They are only crap.

[Smell the Fear]

Kippers and Curtains is what my mother use to say?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Or fur coat and no knickers!

[Smell the Fear]

The 'Burberry' chav is just a UK phenomenon isn't it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Poor Burberry. They once had a very exclusive brand. I hope they can adapt to their new market!

[Scarecrow]

You can't talk about London houses as being representative of the UK as a whole. Traditional tenement housing in Scotland could never be called pokey - and houses here are nowhere near the cost of London. It is a real bugbear of mine when people think that the south east of England is the UK.

[Time to raise the rents.]

Britain is a rich, modern and dynamic country but its housing is among the oldest, pokiest and most expensive in the developed world. I am German and have lived in London for just over a year. When my friends and family visit, they are surprised at how sub-standard British houses look. That surprise turns into astonishment and shock when I tell them how much one has to pay for them. I am becoming increasingly irritated at being pitied all the time – and yes, I know I could afford something better in Germany.....<snip>.....The culprit is the planning system. .....<snip>...If Britain wants to solve its housing crisis, the solution cannot come from better central planning but only from more local and incentivised planning. Only then will it escape unflattering international comparisons

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/28dbf370-22e9-11d...000e2511c8.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hate you mention the war, but it occurs to me that had the war been won by the Germans, German houses would be old & mouldy whilst British houses would be new & modern.

We erased many of your older houses from the map for you.

[The Masked Tulip]

The British are the biggest snobs in the World - hence we are known as mugs and live in rip-off Britain re cars, houses and virtually everything else that we buy.