Leicester faces local lockdown

[Rickster]

My mate recently bought his council house for less than half it's market value if I remember correctly. Bit stupid of the councils I think.
I've never thought the council's should sell the houses off and then have to moan at central government that they need more building. Doesn't seem right to me. Council houses should be for people who can't afford mortgages etc.
There's probably some reason behind it but I just disagree.

It was a master genius stroke by Maggie Thatcher, sell off the council houses to folks at a discounted price, they then have a mortgage and will be responsible for the maintenance of the property..... are less likely to strike etc because they now are responsible for the roof over their heads and not the council.
The winners got a decent house at a good price.....the losers are this generation unable to afford them, so are looking to rent, but there is fk all council stock left to rent.

 

[mick brown]

It was a master genius stroke by Maggie Thatcher, sell off the council houses to folks at a discounted price, they then have a mortgage and will be responsible for the maintenance of the property..... are less likely to strike etc because they now are responsible for the roof over their heads and not the council.
The winners got a decent house at a good price.....the losers are this generation unable to afford them, so are looking to rent, but there is fk all council stock left to rent.

Devious council/government. Hard to believe isn't it.... not.[emoji57]

 

[crustyfolker]

My mate recently bought his council house for less than half it's market value if I remember correctly. Bit stupid of the councils I think.
I've never thought the council's should sell the houses off and then have to moan at central government that they need more building. Doesn't seem right to me. Council houses should be for people who can't afford mortgages etc.
There's probably some reason behind it but I just disagree.

There is the counter argument that everyone deserves the right to buy. Even those Millenials who apparently have no chance of getting on the housing ladder. Look at it this way. You pay rent for how many years, is this money wasted, IMO yes because esentially you are giving money away. Councils in my view are in the wrong most of the time but i feel when someone complains about getting huses for half their value you need to have lived and payed rent for 23 years to get 50% off. After 3 years tenancy you are given i think its 30% off the value and each year after gets you 1 extra percent off. So during the years rent is payed you are renting with the option to buy and if you decide to buy then it is like saying i have payed £300 plus a month that equates to almost £4,000 a year. Older council properties cost to build was nothing compared to today. So you can gaurantee the rent over the years has more than payed for the cost. I purchased a 2 bed flat in 1999 cost £18'000. Today it would be pushing 70 Grand. My wage then £5 an hour and just 30 hours a week. It was an upstairs flat and i had fell down the stairs a couple of times So it got sold and me and my ex wife where given a ground floor flat.
My flat is adapted ie walk in shower ground floor and a back garden which is nice i don't have to use a communal area like some in my street but they are working age.
Plus do you think a person who cannot work for medical reasons should not be allowed to buy their home, if so that is discrimination.
The only thing worth talking about is why the councils have failed to build enough homes to provide for people knowing they needed to home 6 million people who came from the EU as well as the UK population. This has led to the Anger of under 40's because they are paying private rent which is around double council rent, because the Gov and Councils didn't build enough and EU immigrants where given council homes over folks who had lived here all there lives.

 

[mick brown]

There is the counter argument that everyone deserves the right to buy. Even those Millenials who apparently have no chance of getting on the housing ladder. Look at it this way. You pay rent for how many years, is this money wasted, IMO yes because esentially you are giving money away. Councils in my view are in the wrong most of the time but i feel when someone complains about getting huses for half their value you need to have lived and payed rent for 23 years to get 50% off. After 3 years tenancy you are given i think its 30% off the value and each year after gets you 1 extra percent off. So during the years rent is payed you are renting with the option to buy and if you decide to buy then it is like saying i have payed £300 plus a month that equates to almost £4,000 a year. Older council properties cost to build was nothing compared to today. So you can gaurantee the rent over the years has more than payed for the cost. I purchased a 2 bed flat in 1999 cost £18'000. Today it would be pushing 70 Grand. My wage then £5 an hour and just 30 hours a week. It was an upstairs flat and i had fell down the stairs a couple of times So it got sold and me and my ex wife where given a ground floor flat.
My flat is adapted ie walk in shower ground floor and a back garden which is nice i don't have to use a communal area like some in my street but they are working age.
Plus do you think a person who cannot work for medical reasons should not be allowed to buy their home, if so that is discrimination.
The only thing worth talking about is why the councils have failed to build enough homes to provide for people knowing they needed to home 6 million people who came from the EU as well as the UK population. This has led to the Anger of under 40's because they are paying private rent which is around double council rent, because the Gov and Councils didn't build enough and EU immigrants where given council homes over folks who had lived here all there lives.

Even though I agree with some of what you say there are portions I disagree with.

You say "right to buy" , yes buy your own house the normal way like a lot of people do.
IMO, nobody "deserves" anything. I've always worked for what I've got and payed for it.
You say that council tenants pay rent for years so I'm assuming you mean this gives them the right to buy it ! Private renters don't have the right to buy the house they're renting... that's the problem with renting, it's wasted money.
You say, a person who cannot work for medical reasons should be allowed to buy their council house because if not it's discrimination. What's disability got to do with it. Either everyone can or nobody can. If you allowed the disabled to buy but not others then thats discriminatory to the able bodied isn't it !
If somebody is on disability benefits then how the hell can the poor souls afford to buy anyway. Their benefits are being cut all the time from what I understand.

It really beats me why people expect handouts nowadays. You want it, you work for it.

Now I've not said any of that to be a dick , and I do, believe it or not, have sympathy for people in difficult situations. I'm not writing this to start an argument either. That's not in my nature, just the way I see it.

 

[Leni]

It really beats me why people expect handouts nowadays. You want it, you work for it.

Now I've not said any of that to be a dick , and I do, believe it or not, have sympathy for people in difficult situations. I'm not writing this to start an argument either. That's not in my nature, just the way I see it.

I work part-time (or at least I’m currently furloughed but still employed) - I’m disabled, and struggle with the hours I do (did) work, but did so because it gave me some self-esteem. I grew up in army accommodation, and was taught to work for my money. I never expected ‘handouts’ and never wanted them - I accept benefits because it’s the only way I can keep a roof over my head. That said, I agree with you in part. I’m not sure about whether I agree with council house purchases as you describe, it does discriminate in a way against those able to work.

 

[crustyfolker]

Even though I agree with some of what you say there are portions I disagree with.

You say "right to buy" , yes buy your own house the normal way like a lot of people do.
IMO, nobody "deserves" anything. I've always worked for what I've got and payed for it.
You say that council tenants pay rent for years so I'm assuming you mean this gives them the right to buy it ! Private renters don't have the right to buy the house they're renting... that's the problem with renting, it's wasted money.
You say, a person who cannot work for medical reasons should be allowed to buy their council house because if not it's discrimination. What's disability got to do with it. Either everyone can or nobody can. If you allowed the disabled to buy but not others then thats discriminatory to the able bodied isn't it !
If somebody is on disability benefits then how the hell can the poor souls afford to buy anyway. Their benefits are being cut all the time from what I understand.

It really beats me why people expect handouts nowadays. You want it, you work for it.

Now I've not said any of that to be a dick , and I do, believe it or not, have sympathy for people in difficult situations. I'm not writing this to start an argument either. That's not in my nature, just the way I see it.

Certainly no offence taken matey, If i could work i damn well would. Some people on benefits cannot afford to buy. My Nan rest her soul, payed rent for 50 years before buying her flat. She still payed more than the flat cost to build, Some people who are disabled get a severe disability payment, those who have no named carer and live alone. This is given to people so they can pay differnet people for their care needs. In my nans case neither my Mom or her sister where full time carers due to having jobs, They wouldn't take my nans money so she used it to buy her home. So for working aged disabled people. They get £113 a week esa. 80 a week SDP. so £193 a week approx. Pip could give them another £150 a week, plus rent payed and council tax reduction. Add it up its over £400 a week. PIP is a none means tested benefit. It can be spent however the claimant wants, so it could be for extra food, it could be the claimant is alcoholic, they get PIP to help pay for booze because it can be really dangerous for them to cold Turkey. As said i did work up until my sight got bad. Would you say it unfair if i applied to buy my council flat?. The discrimination part is merely this , everyone has the right to buy. Even someone who does not work because of illness. That's the point i was putting. If it is said that they cannot because they are on benefits due to disbility then it is wrong. Folks out of work and claiming JSA would struggle to pay a mortgage i agree. But because someone can not work it doesn't mean they can't buy same for anyone the Bank will only give you a mortgage if they know you can afford it. You want it you work for it doesn't count for some people as they cannot work through no fault of their own. That is when things like you want it you work for it become discriminatory

 

[mick brown]

I work part-time (or at least I’m currently furloughed but still employed) - I’m disabled, and struggle with the hours I do (did) work, but did so because it gave me some self-esteem. I grew up in army accommodation, and was taught to work for my money. I never expected ‘handouts’ and never wanted them - I accept benefits because it’s the only way I can keep a roof over my head. That said, I agree with you in part. I’m not sure about whether I agree with council house purchases as you describe, it does discriminate in a way against those able to work.

Respect to you Leni. You work to make yourself feel better ever though it's hard and except benefits not expect them.

As for the house purchase bit. I may have worded it badly. Writing is not my thing.
I meant what you said, I think. Crusty said people who are disabled and not working should be allowed to buy otherwise it's discrimination. I disagreed only because he mentioned disabled non working people. That's being discriminatory against the able bodied working people.
If you are allowed to buy then anyone and everyone can. I think I've worded that badly again [emoji38]

 

[crustyfolker]

I work part-time (or at least I’m currently furloughed but still employed) - I’m disabled, and struggle with the hours I do (did) work, but did so because it gave me some self-esteem. I grew up in army accommodation, and was taught to work for my money. I never expected ‘handouts’ and never wanted them - I accept benefits because it’s the only way I can keep a roof over my head. That said, I agree with you in part. I’m not sure about whether I agree with council house purchases as you describe, it does discriminate in a way against those able to work.

I agree. with this and everyone does have the right to buy even workers, they also get the same discount as everyone else so it is a fair system. I feel workers do not understand that they would get the same if they where disabled so why is it unfair, Disabled folks lives are a lot harder in most cases. But i guess those complaining never stop to think how much easier life is for themselves. Try spending a day wearing steamed up glasses with one eye the other eye gives so little i am classed as blind. this is the easiest way to describe my vision. Thank god for googles accesability, i can blow the screen up to read the larger writing, it just becomes a pain scrolling side to side to read it. or use the speak and listen software.

 

[mick brown]

Certainly no offence taken matey, If i could work i damn well would. Some people on benefits cannot afford to buy. My Nan rest her soul, payed rent for 50 years before buying her flat. She still payed more than the flat cost to build, Some people who are disabled get a severe disability payment, those who have no named carer and live alone. This is given to people so they can pay differnet people for their care needs. In my nans case neither my Mom or her sister where full time carers due to having jobs, They wouldn't take my nans money so she used it to buy her home. So for working aged disabled people. They get £113 a week esa. 80 a week SDP. so £193 a week approx. Pip could give them another £150 a week, plus rent payed and council tax reduction. Add it up its over £400 a week. PIP is a none means tested benefit. It can be spent however the claimant wants, so it could be for extra food, it could be the claimant is alcoholic, they get PIP to help pay for booze because it can be really dangerous for them to cold Turkey. As said i did work up until my sight got bad. Would you say it unfair if i applied to buy my council flat?. The discrimination part is merely this , everyone has the right to buy. Even someone who does not work because of illness. That's the point i was putting. If it is said that they cannot because they are on benefits due to disbility then it is wrong. Folks out of work and claiming JSA would struggle to pay a mortgage i agree. But because someone can not work it doesn't mean they can't buy same for anyone the Bank will only give you a mortgage if they know you can afford it. You want it you work for it doesn't count for some people as they cannot work through no fault of their own. That is when things like you want it you work for it become discriminatory

Ok mate, I may have misunderstood some of your original post. If you can buy your house then I have no problem with it as that is the council's offer/rule. As long as everyone who lives in a council house can do the same if they want/can. What I was saying before I responded to your post was that I don't think anyone should be allowed to buy a council house. IMO, and it is just my opinion, I believe that they shouldn't be sold. They're there for people who can't get mortgages for whatever reason.
But, the part where you say my statement "you want it you work for it " is discriminatory and everybody has the "right" to buy I'm afraid we are going to have to agree to disagree.
If you are disabled and unable to work and buy something then I don't see that as discrimination. It's just life being shit. Unfortunately it happens.
I'm currently having issues with my back and elbows and can't see myself being able to stay in the same career until I'm 66 (53 now ) , so am trying to save as much as I can so I can retire from it early and maybe do a part time job that is less stressful on my joints. I have always stood on my own 2 feet and have never relied on anyone else. I'm too independent for that. Maybe I've been luckier than some.
If the worst comes to the worse, there's "other" options for me.

Take care of yourself. [emoji106]

 

[Simon G]

Some people on benefits cannot afford to buy.

To be honest most people that work can't even afford to buy a home.