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Post by spinno on Sept 8, 2023 6:56:10 GMT
Councils should have not only have been allowed to replace discounted housing stock, but made to do so. Doing so was affordable at the time. Agricultural land could have been bought at fair agricultural prices with compulsory purchase and used for social housing. This is something Thatcher got wrong. Damned commie pinko, talk about a red under the bed |
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Post by andytake2 on Sept 8, 2023 7:46:51 GMT
Renters have everything on a plate...No, renters certainly do have a plate, and it is often full of the shite that the landlord decides to serve them. Anyone thinking that the majority of landlords behave nicely is living in the green, lush sunlit uplands of unicorn infested Brekshitland. Landlords do the minimum they have to.
Financing people who have not secured their own futures? It makes a bloody great assumption that those of us renting ever had the opportunity and means to do so. As for financing, where the hell does that come in? The council house stock was sold off or given away to housing associations. I don't recall any householders sending out cheques to those in rented accomodation, maybe I missed mine.
Renters pay rent. The rent covers the property. Money does not come in from outside to support them.
Social housing was and always should have been the most basic of rights. If one was fortunate enough to move on from there, fair enough; it was never meant to be a stack of cash we live in - it was a home. If the government wanted everyone to own the properties, put the damn wages up in line with house prices.
If renters can afford the rent? Renters are charged a rent. It's not like there's a large choice. I haven't come across many people who say 'nah, that's a bit too much, I'll just pop along the street and see about all those empty houses there'
The choice is simple - pay the rent, or bugger off to the streets. Many (including me) get a few weeks behind on the rent because of minor things like food or clothes or (fill in whatever here) and the landlord soon pipes up. THey don't seem to do the same when things are all paid up and expensive repairs are required - funny how it works.
As pointed out, if you have a home that you don't want to be in, can't afford etc etc, why not have everything handed to you on a plate, and sell up and rent somewhere?
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Post by kate on Sept 8, 2023 7:55:30 GMT
I live in a place with excellent social housing for those either not wishing to buy or who can't afford the low prices here.
It is run by a Housing Association which was an offshoot of the Council's Housing Department and is run very well. Houses have been upgraded when they needed to be and are in great condition.
So now I live on a mixed estate in town, which used to be a Council housing estate, I am often very envious when I see the work and workmen working on houses which were not bought up and are still 'social' housing. My gripes are not being able to source good workmen to do jobs on my house when I need them. To be fair, it's like Johnny said, we might have the money to get the jobs done, but organising it is a nightmare and difficult to find tradesmen able and willing to come and do the work - they all want large contracts -- and we no longer have the excellent Polish workmen we used to have!
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Post by andytake2 on Sept 8, 2023 8:16:37 GMT
I live in a place with excellent social housing for those either not wishing to buy or who can't afford the low prices here. It is run by a Housing Association which was an offshoot of the Council's Housing Department and is run very well. Houses have been upgraded when they needed to be and are in great condition. So now I live on a mixed estate in town, which used to be a Council housing estate, I am often very envious when I see the work and workmen working on houses which were not bought up and are still 'social' housing. My gripes are not being able to source good workmen to do jobs on my house when I need them. To be fair, it's like Johnny said, we might have the money to get the jobs done, but organising it is a nightmare and difficult to find tradesmen able and willing to come and do the work - they all want large contracts -- and we no longer have the excellent Polish workmen we used to have! So that's where the Unicorns are!
A Housing Association that does it's work - don't tell anyone, it may catch on! IIRC Scotland was the first to put a stop the to the sale of Council Houses. Perhaps your local authority should run the countryies! I don't know what the rest of Scotland is like, I have seen some pretty deprived looking areas up there, but it would be nice to see your experience spread.
As for the lack of tradesmen, I think they all buggered off riding the unicorns. The lack of tradespeople from Poland etc is a two edged sword - it was often the case that UK tradespeople would just quit when other EU tradespeople came in and did the job for a quarter of the price. Whilst getting the work done cheaply was great for the consumer, the downside is that there are few people left to take up the work any more.
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Post by kate on Sept 8, 2023 8:24:32 GMT
I live in a place with excellent social housing for those either not wishing to buy or who can't afford the low prices here. It is run by a Housing Association which was an offshoot of the Council's Housing Department and is run very well. Houses have been upgraded when they needed to be and are in great condition. So now I live on a mixed estate in town, which used to be a Council housing estate, I am often very envious when I see the work and workmen working on houses which were not bought up and are still 'social' housing. My gripes are not being able to source good workmen to do jobs on my house when I need them. To be fair, it's like Johnny said, we might have the money to get the jobs done, but organising it is a nightmare and difficult to find tradesmen able and willing to come and do the work - they all want large contracts -- and we no longer have the excellent Polish workmen we used to have! So that's where the Unicorns are!
A Housing Association that does it's work - don't tell anyone, it may catch on! IIRC Scotland was the first to put a stop the to the sale of Council Houses. Perhaps your local authority should run the countryies! I don't know what the rest of Scotland is like, I have seen some pretty deprived looking areas up there, but it would be nice to see your experience spread.
As for the lack of tradesmen, I think they all buggered off riding the unicorns. The lack of tradespeople from Poland etc is a two edged sword - it was often the case that UK tradespeople would just quit when other EU tradespeople came in and did the job for a quarter of the price. Whilst getting the work done cheaply was great for the consumer, the downside is that there are few people left to take up the work any more.
All I can say is if there are tradesmen and women out there with experience of doing domestic jobs from roof to drains and inside, they would never be out of work here. They could even get some nice housing too.  |
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Post by andy on Sept 8, 2023 10:35:54 GMT
Not sure it's much better trying to get tradesmen here. Think I might end up with more plastering jobs as a pensioner neighbour is struggling to get someone to do her garden wall. At least it's not a ceiling though...they are brutal on the shoulders.
Another friend recently paid 10 grand to get her bathroom done and another was probably not far off that for her kitchen. Nae wonder so many tradesmen seem to be scooting about in massive new pickup trucks!
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Post by MJB on Sept 8, 2023 11:17:20 GMT
All the plumbers I know aren't interested in repair work. They only want to do new installation or boiler servicing. Similarly brickies and roofers. Want an extension building, no problem. Leaky roof, no chance.
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Post by peterba on Sept 8, 2023 12:52:14 GMT
Think I might end up with more plastering jobs as a pensioner neighbour is struggling to get someone to do her garden wall. At least it's not a ceiling though...they are brutal on the shoulders.
Absolutely agree, Andy. I've done quite a lot of plastering in my time, but I've only ever plastered two ceilings. You're damned right about the effect on the shoulders.  Never did manage to work out exactly why it's such ****ing hard work, compared to doing a wall.  |
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Post by andy on Sept 8, 2023 13:18:53 GMT
Think I might end up with more plastering jobs as a pensioner neighbour is struggling to get someone to do her garden wall. At least it's not a ceiling though...they are brutal on the shoulders.
Absolutely agree, Andy. I've done quite a lot of plastering in my time, but I've only ever plastered two ceilings. You're damned right about the effect on the shoulders. Never did manage to work out exactly why it's such ****ing hard work, compared to doing a wall. Once was enough for me. Michelangelo must have been built like David by the time he was finished the Sistene Chapel. |
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Post by peterba on Sept 8, 2023 13:32:30 GMT
Absolutely agree, Andy. I've done quite a lot of plastering in my time, but I've only ever plastered two ceilings. You're damned right about the effect on the shoulders. Never did manage to work out exactly why it's such ****ing hard work, compared to doing a wall. Once was enough for me. Michelangelo must have been built like David by the time he was finished the Sistene Chapel.
I'd guess that his neck must have been knackered, too!
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Post by spinno on Sept 8, 2023 13:52:11 GMT
Once was enough for me. Michelangelo must have been built like David by the time he was finished the Sistene Chapel.
I'd guess that his neck must have been knackered, too!
He struggled to get it back into his shell |
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Post by dorsetmike on Sept 8, 2023 15:57:18 GMT
Once was enough for me. Michelangelo must have been built like David by the time he was finished the Sistene Chapel.
I'd guess that his neck must have been knackered, too!
I seem to recal being told (or maybe read somewhere) that some form of scaffolding or platform was erected so he could do it lying on his back |
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Post by willien on Sept 8, 2023 16:29:20 GMT
When the restoration was completed everyone was horrified because the whole thing looked so garish. Until they realised that candles put out a lot less light than the new electric lights and they turned down the electronic wicks.
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Post by andytake2 on Sept 9, 2023 6:48:06 GMT
When the restoration was completed everyone was horrified because the whole thing looked so garish. Until they realised that candles put out a lot less light than the new electric lights and they turned down the electronic wicks. I'm a bit like that when I look in the mirror in the morning  |
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Post by mick on Sept 9, 2023 8:26:01 GMT
Renters have everything on a plate...No, renters certainly do have a plate, and it is often full of the shite that the landlord decides to serve them. Anyone thinking that the majority of landlords behave nicely is living in the green, lush sunlit uplands of unicorn infested Brekshitland. Landlords do the minimum they have to. Financing people who have not secured their own futures? It makes a bloody great assumption that those of us renting ever had the opportunity and means to do so. As for financing, where the hell does that come in? The council house stock was sold off or given away to housing associations. I don't recall any householders sending out cheques to those in rented accomodation, maybe I missed mine. Renters pay rent. The rent covers the property. Money does not come in from outside to support them. Social housing was and always should have been the most basic of rights. If one was fortunate enough to move on from there, fair enough; it was never meant to be a stack of cash we live in - it was a home. If the government wanted everyone to own the properties, put the damn wages up in line with house prices. If renters can afford the rent? Renters are charged a rent. It's not like there's a large choice. I haven't come across many people who say 'nah, that's a bit too much, I'll just pop along the street and see about all those empty houses there' The choice is simple - pay the rent, or bugger off to the streets. Many (including me) get a few weeks behind on the rent because of minor things like food or clothes or (fill in whatever here) and the landlord soon pipes up. THey don't seem to do the same when things are all paid up and expensive repairs are required - funny how it works. As pointed out, if you have a home that you don't want to be in, can't afford etc etc, why not have everything handed to you on a plate, and sell up and rent somewhere? Here's something from the other side. First one of my sons is an 'accidental' landlord. He owns a property that he can't live in for health reasons. He's not well off but the rental income covers the mortgage and other outgoings with a little left over that he saves for repairs. There are three flats in the building and he owns one of them. He lived in it before his health prevented him. He is not the freeholder.
Here's the story of one of his tenants - a single mother.
1. The top of the frig/freezer ruined with cigarette burns. It was new when she moved in. 2. The bath needed to be replaced because of the candle (?) burns all around the rim. 3. The carpet had to be replaced because of innumerable, indeterminate, stains in every room.
4. She had been keeping a hamster in the shower cubicle. 5. Every work surface in the kitchen needed replacement (burns again) 6. Front door frame smashed after an argument with her boyfriend.
7. A professional oven cleaner refused to touch the oven because it was too bad. 8. She failed to pay the full rent - but that didn't reduce the mortgage or the other bills.
9. My son or I were constantly fielding complaints from the other tenants (not my son's) about noise, arguments, comings and goings, child left alone etc. 10. I forgot - 'sharps' found on top of cupboards and in various drawers after we got rid of her.
I could go on for several pages. I'm just pointing out that the lot of a landlord isn't all milk and honey!!
Mick
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Never did manage to work out exactly why it's such ****ing hard work, compared to doing a wall. 
