Sancho Panza Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Channel 4 2100 1/8/13 'Episode 1 This episode follows some of the council officers and families in Tower Hamlets in East London. Each week there are 24,000 people hoping to get one of just 40 properties available. The housing team at Tower Hamlets have the challenge of working out which households are in most need within their priority band: Band 1 is the most urgent. Mike Kemp, a former investment banker, is rebuilding his life after his business failed, leaving him in financial ruin. Currently living with his wife and two daughters in a one-bedroom flat, he has bid 400 times for social housing in two years but faces a potential six years on the waiting list. Grant and Kimberly are expecting a baby in six weeks and live in one bedroom of a shared flat, so are in Band 2. The conditions are far from ideal, with little space, no lock on their door and bed bugs. Shepu Begum and her family are looking for a big kitchen, a garden and a car parking space and have already rejected 12 properties. This time however, Shepu may be forced to compromise for the sake of a new build property on the horizon. Thomas Jones is in Band 1 for emergency rehousing. With his building being demolished, he and his granddaughters have to leave the flat he has lived in for years. So far he has viewed five properties that haven't made the grade. Will a new offer of a three-bed house and garden hit the jackpot?' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Channel 4 2100 1/8/13 'Episode 1 This episode follows some of the council officers and families in Tower Hamlets in East London. Each week there are 24,000 people hoping to get one of just 40 properties available. The housing team at Tower Hamlets have the challenge of working out which households are in most need within their priority band: Band 1 is the most urgent. Mike Kemp, a former investment banker, is rebuilding his life after his business failed, leaving him in financial ruin. Currently living with his wife and two daughters in a one-bedroom flat, he has bid 400 times for social housing in two years but faces a potential six years on the waiting list. Grant and Kimberly are expecting a baby in six weeks and live in one bedroom of a shared flat, so are in Band 2. The conditions are far from ideal, with little space, no lock on their door and bed bugs. Shepu Begum and her family are looking for a big kitchen, a garden and a car parking space and have already rejected 12 properties. This time however, Shepu may be forced to compromise for the sake of a new build property on the horizon. Thomas Jones is in Band 1 for emergency rehousing. With his building being demolished, he and his granddaughters have to leave the flat he has lived in for years. So far he has viewed five properties that haven't made the grade. Will a new offer of a three-bed house and garden hit the jackpot?' DIY SOS: The Big Expense on BBC1! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer466 Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 What's all the rejection bollacks? If they refuse whisk them back to the end of the que and they can have another bash in 10 years.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porca misèria Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 The housing team at Tower Hamlets have the challenge of working out which households are in most need Very brave of them to let the meeja in. Are they suspending the usual policy of favouring those who pull the most important strings? Hmm, I guess while the meeja are watching they're the ones pulling the highest-priority strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 (edited) What's all the rejection bollacks? If they refuse whisk them back to the end of the que and they can have another bash in 10 years.... Yes I was shocked at how picky people were, when I went to a few viewings. The "waiting list" is very soft IMO. Its a case of "yes I'll have a council house, if its like Kensington Palace." Edited August 1, 2013 by aSecureTenant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 bed bugs?....better put them up a level....or spend £70 on a new mattress and put them back down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Yes I was shocked at how picky people were, when I went to a few viewings. The "waiting list" is very soft IMO. Its a case of "yes I'll have a council house, if its like Kensington Palace." as the old saying doesnt go: choosers cant be beggars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattW Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 What's all the rejection bollacks? If they refuse whisk them back to the end of the que and they can have another bash in 10 years.... Agreed. I've bid on a council flat today. Currently 9th in the queue - I expect to fall to around 40th come next Wednesday at the end of the bidding cycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Very brave of them to let the meeja in. Are they suspending the usual policy of favouring those who pull the most important strings? Hmm, I guess while the meeja are watching they're the ones pulling the highest-priority strings. I think a lot of it is making your own luck and being in the right place at the right time. I guess a lot of people put their names down, then forget, or don't check up and don't answer their phones when the Housing Officer rings them up. Some might not be actively bidding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer466 Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Chap with the Filipino family does make an important point. Social housing should be a safety net. They are making the comparison in rents with the private sector which only serve to exemplify that even people on average wages can barley afford to live here. The real problem is he lack of affordable housing for those who cannot and WILL not ever be able to buy a house. The Housing Market is locked into a spiral where government money is paying private landlords to snap up rentable properties thereby decreasing the available housing stock and driving up rental prices further. The Government is paying to increase its own Welfare bill. The only way to reduce the housing benefit bill is to build Social housing. £22 Billion a year is paid from taxpayers funds now to private landlords. It has become a self propitiating fecking disaster..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sancho Panza Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 (edited) The striking comment I heard was that the same ex council flat in private hands would cost £300 per week instead of the council £113,which is ironic as most of the ex council flats are in the hands of pruivate Buy to Letters. Not the most successful policy of the 1980's. Edited August 1, 2013 by Sancho Panza Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opt_out Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 AAAARRRGHHHH. Why are they offering him a lifetime tenancy on a 3 bed house, when he'll be single in 10 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Feel lucky watching that show on 4+1. Swanning around in a large 60's built one bed flat, built to Parker Morris standards, that isn't on a hell hole estate. Rent £65 a week, easily half London rents. One flat the banker bid on was over £200 a week. Not exactly affordable really. Still Boris has diverted social housing funds towards his core voter base, so many will have to wait a while longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattW Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 One flat the banker bid on was over £200 a week. Not exactly affordable really. I was shocked at the £200 asked for that flat. And on the 19th floor too. I thought social housing rents in London were pretty much on par with the rest of the country. A 3 bedroomed council flat in Norwich would be around the £80-90/week mark. The caption at the end of the programme did indicate that the ex-banker and his family moved out of London, so he should stand a better chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sancho Panza Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 The real problem is The Government is paying to increase its own Welfare bill. That's pretty much it,isn't it?Banks get cheap money from the government to bid up the price of housing stock and then,lo,rents need to rise to keep the banking system solvent,so the toilets in the City can get cleaned by people on minimum wage. I don't watch television at all these days and I can see why.So depressing on so many levels-people in dire need going behind people with a dire sense of entitlement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live Peasant Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 With these sorts of shows the twitter commentary can be amusing to follow. What was interesting was that at the same time as this show went out featuring a significant number from the ethnic minorities the Home Office was tweeting a list of numbers of illegal immigrants caught in this week's 'round up'. All a little bit much for the delicate types who are comparing the present situation to 1936 Germany. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 The caption at the end of the programme did indicate that the ex-banker and his family moved out of London, so he should stand a better chance. That was the sensible option I thought as his job wasn't anything special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer466 Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 That was the sensible option I thought as his job wasn't anything special. He was some sort of recruitment consultant commission only. He can do his job from pretty much anywhere all he needs is a phone and a sparsely furnished office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wurzel Of Highbridge Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 The caption at the end of the programme did indicate that the ex-banker and his family moved out of London, so he should stand a better chance. If the guy doesn't need to live in London to work then great, but if he does work in London then this clearly shows that the system is an utter failure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
council dweller Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 The striking comment I heard was that the same ex council flat in private hands would cost £300 per week instead of the council £113,which is ironic as most of the ex council flats are in the hands of pruivate Buy to Letters. Not the most successful policy of the 1980's. 113 quid a week is the 'subsidised' price whereas 300 quid is the 'market price'. I thought everyone knew that on this site! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 (edited) 113 quid a week is the 'subsidised' price whereas 300 quid is the 'market price'. I thought everyone knew that on this site! Except its a market price no one can afford unless they get housing benefit top up in order to subsidise it. Clearly it makes far more financial sense to pay a rentier the difference. The only thing I thought about last nights documentary was giving a more of a bias towards those in work. Sounds harsh but if you are out of work in Tower Hamlets, you have problems. You just won't find work anywhere. Pretty much all the housing goes to huge extended Asian families, because errr they are the ones with huge extended families so have a higher "need." Edited August 2, 2013 by aSecureTenant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamnumerate Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Sounds harsh but if you are out of work in Tower Hamlets, you have problems. You just won't find work anywhere. You could move to a cheaper part of London and commute. Pretty much all the housing goes to huge extended Asian families, because errr they are the ones with huge extended families so have a higher "need." I am scared to say what I think about that. However I will say that I think after two children you should get no extra benefits/social housing etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 You could move to a cheaper part of London and commute. I am scared to say what I think about that. However I will say that I think after two children you should get no extra benefits/social housing etc. I am not saying they deliberately have more kids to get social housing (or other benefits) but the excuse, that you have a lot of kids so need more space wears a bit thin, when you knew you didn't enough space (or money) before having them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamnumerate Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 I am not saying they deliberately have more kids to get social housing (or other benefits) but the excuse, that you have a lot of kids so need more space wears a bit thin, when you knew you didn't enough space (or money) before having them. It would be interesting to divide the country into bits where some places you get more money if you have 2+ kids and some you don't (possibly get more something else to make up for it) and see what happens to family size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Yes I was shocked at how picky people were, when I went to a few viewings. The "waiting list" is very soft IMO. Its a case of "yes I'll have a council house, if its like Kensington Palace." When I got one - you would be offered two 'as an emergency' option and then if you rejected both you'd get offered nothing again for probably forever as you'd be deemed to not to actually be in housing emergency need at all. I refused the first one as it was directly opposite my soon to be ex's house and accepted the next one. The one I took had been home to a smoker who had a million pictures on the wall. Once their wallpaper was stripped off it was fine though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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