The Money Isn't Going To The Tenants, It's Going To The Landlords

[dothemaths]

By the time of the IMF bailout, rents weren't even covering maintenance for a large and growing proportion of the council housing stock.

This `fact' sounds highly suspect to me - I am mathematically literate.

I assume you mean there was probably quite a bit of mismanagement and maybe some dodgy accounting.

[iamnumerate]

Looking at the Sunday papers and watching Andrew Marr yesterday, they are all missing the point.

Its the huge rise of "in work" benefits that are the problem, not "out of work" benefits and to really `profit` you need kids and an expensive private rental. Oh and pensioners of course, and the obscene amount of money paid to private scumlords.

It is both. I know semi pro single mums but even when they were 100% pro they still lived in better houses than a teacher could afford.

How can we have a system which gives more money to someone just off the plane from Spain with a kid than a teacher?

[RufflesTheGuineaPig]

Depends on the "ex council" place. Some like mine had billions spent on them to remove asbestos, and to ensure all the bolts were put in properly, in case the private contractors had missed any (which they usually did).

Seem to recall an "ex council" semi being featured on `DIY SOS` once, which was described as a glorified two storey pre-fab (which is what is was basically).

I suspect many of these places have far exceeded their intended design life and have been sold on to private buyers who now assume the cost.

It often amazes me that people still don't get it.

The value of you average semi isn't the bricks and mortar and roof tiles.

The value comes from the land it stands on.

[tomwatkins]

Kin hell.

Why on earth did they think anyone would want to buy it in the first place given the running costs?

Spectacular incompetence!

Dead money.

[Goat]

It often amazes me that people still don't get it.

The value of you average semi isn't the bricks and mortar and roof tiles.

The value comes from the land it stands on.

It often amazes me that people still don't get it.

The value of you average semi isn't the bricks and mortar and roof tiles, nor is it the land it stands on.

The value comes from the bit of paper that says you can build a house there.

[@contradevian]

It often amazes me that people still don't get it.

The value of you average semi isn't the bricks and mortar and roof tiles.

The value comes from the land it stands on.

..until you are faced with the cost of repairing or rebuilding it. Many struggle to replace a boiler.

[SarahBell]

The Money Isn't Going To The Tenants, It's Going To The Landlords

Yes

the money isn't going to the food in your stomach it goes to the person who sold you the food to eat.

the money isn't going to wrap around your toes it goes to the person who sold the shoes to you.

[@contradevian]

The Money Isn't Going To The Tenants, It's Going To The Landlords

Yes

the money isn't going to the food in your stomach it goes to the person who sold you the food to eat.

the money isn't going to wrap around your toes it goes to the person who sold the shoes to you.

But in many cases the money going to the rentier is far in excess of that required to feed, cloth and sustain a human being. More value applied to the "economic rent" than to a human existence. The rent also exceeding what might be achieved from human labour working in excess of 30 hours a week at NMW.

[Dorkins]

"The money isn't going to the tenants, it's going to the landlords."

While this is true, it's also true that the house is going to the housing benefit claimant.

Winners:

-Landlord

-HB tenant

Losers:

-Taxpayer

-Private tenant who would have lived in that house, but now has to live elsewhere

[Goat]

But in many cases the money going to the rentier is far in excess of that required to feed, cloth and sustain a human being. More value applied to the "economic rent" than to a human existence. The rent also exceeding what might be achieved from human labour working in excess of 30 hours a week at NMW.

Which goes to show that we have a shortage of housing and a relative abundance of food, cloth and energy.

[THE BALD MAN]

"The money isn't going to the tenants, it's going to the landlords."

While this is true, it's also true that the house is going to the housing benefit claimant.

Winners:

-Landlord

-HB tenant

Losers:

-Taxpayer

-Private tenant who would have lived in that house, but now has to live elsewhere

Winners MP's with large property portfolios

[rantnrave]

Apparently Mrs. T has just died...

[porca misèria]

This `fact' sounds highly suspect to me - I am mathematically literate.

I assume you mean there was probably quite a bit of mismanagement and maybe some dodgy accounting.

There were several factors at work. Very dodgy build quality requiring major works. Tenants with long-term rights to peppercorn-level rents. Lots of non-payment. Alienated tenants who trashed their estates. And above all, corruption. T Dan Smith springs to mind as a name you could google.

[eric pebble]

Looking at the Sunday papers and watching Andrew Marr yesterday, they are all missing the point.

Its the huge rise of "in work" benefits that are the problem, not "out of work" benefits and to really `profit` you need kids and an expensive private rental. Oh and pensioners of course, and the obscene amount of money paid to private scumlords.

Graphs have been posted on here today that have shown that "out of work" benefits have fallen since the 90's.

We are discussing this as the Government has done some polls suggesting it can win votes, by kicking the unemployed. Tackling the more expensive "in work" benefits would not be so popular!

Agree with you very much.

The "idea" of giving people who are working extra money - TAXPAYERS' MONEY - is ABSOLUTELY ABSURD. INSANITY. It is simple a subsidy - which is HIGHLY INFLATIONARY.

COMPLETE MADNESS.

[erranta]

But in many cases the money going to the rentier is far in excess of that required to feed, cloth and sustain a human being. More value applied to the "economic rent" than to a human existence. The rent also exceeding what might be achieved from human labour working in excess of 30 hours a week at NMW.

Labour and Cameron are pulling the same 'con' to "Create the problem"

They demand local social rents get charged on a par with local private - this creates an ever upward spirall.

Therefore scum Govt deliberate policies (during biggest recession ever) are making taxpayers fork out evermore to private landlords etc

Its an "inter-party conspiracy" (there I coined it (IP) - see it in the papers soon)

[wonderpup]

The Money Isn't Going To The Tenants, It's Going To The Landlords

So the money being extracted from middle class taxpayers is simply being returned to middle class taxpayers. Why then is everyone so angry with the poor?

[Ulfar]

So the money being extracted from middle class taxpayers is simply being returned to middle class taxpayers. Why then is everyone so angry with the poor?

Because the media at the behest of the people in charge, is giving out the line that they are responsible for the state the country is in.

[wonderpup]

Because the media at the behest of the people in charge, is giving out the line that they are responsible for the state the country is in.

That's it- when the going get's tough- the tough go looking for a scapegoat.

If Cameron and co really want to deal with the Housing Benefit problem they need to follow the money- but that- of course- would lead to themselves.

Far safer to attack the people at the bottom than to deal with the rampant profiteering at the top. Build more houses- let the price of existing houses fall- these are the ways to reduce the HB bill- and what do we get?: A bedroom tax and billions spent to prop up the housing bubble.

[R K]

In the budget Osborne increased his tax free bribe to London council tenants to £100,000 to encourage them to leverage up and buy their 'council' house.

Little wonder those taking cash from other taxpayers pockets are in favour of the scheme.

[RufflesTheGuineaPig]

the money isn't going to the food in your stomach it goes to the person who sold you the food to eat.

the money isn't going to wrap around your toes it goes to the person who sold the shoes to you.

The difference, is that the landlord hasn't actually DONE anything useful in order to demand that payment.

[iamnumerate]

So the money being extracted from middle class taxpayers is simply being returned to middle class taxpayers. Why then is everyone so angry with the poor?

The poor? A lot of people living on housing benefit are living in very nice homes. Therefore they are not poor compared to people who slave

to live in less nice homes. I hope you understand why people are angry with them. When I got a good job in 2000 I was really surprised that

pro single mums got given nicer than I could afford - of course if they had been made to share then I could have bought the empty homes.

So my taxes were going to two seperate groups of parasites pro single mums and BTL's and pricing me out of nice housing.

Hopefully the benefit cap will solve this slowly - of course it needs freezing for 10-20 years.

Also not everyone who pays taxes is a BTL'er

Edited April 10, 2013 by iamnumerate