A divided society-what can be done?

'Sokay petra I'm no stranger to controversy Just saying .
And what with people living longer....

The people now needing homes will have been born some 20+ years ago.

Even if birth rate is declining the increase in population means that more people will be giving birth.

This link suggests that immigration accounts for under half of our population increase.

visual.ons.gov.uk/uk-perspectives-the-changing-population/

It doesn't alter the fact that we aren't building enough houses for our current/projected population.

There are immigrants living in this country who were born 20+ years ago.

We have known for a number of years that the numbers of houses built each year are not sufficient to accommodate this demand.
And that is the nub of the problem MaizieD, not enough social housing and requisitioning houses from people who have bought them is not the answer.
If, of course, LAs wish to purchase houses that buy-to-let landlords/ladies wish to sell at a reasonable market value or to purchase empty houses, that is another matter altogether.

I think one of the best ideas was selling houses for £1 provided people were prepared to renovate them.

It is interesting that some of the posters who think requisitioning other people's property is quite in order are some of the same posters who think it is perfectly OK to requisition someone's private life to further a cause.

In our village of 300 houses a development company has just lost its final appeal to build 200 houses on the field in the centre of the village. Presumably they will put the land on standby for another few years then reapply.
Most of the new owners (if they had got the permission) would have been second home owners. We need housing for real people to live in not weekenders.

Yes I know that Anniebach I'm just being an awkward cow as per usual

So you think it is okay that this country is being used as a tax haven for foreign despots, do you, Jalima?

Best to keep things private, particularly for those rich people who are defrauding their own country and buying millions in real estate in London to hide their ill-gotten gains.

Don't think that's what Jalima said at all durham . How did you extrapolate that from her post!

So would you rather the State requisitioned these houses and spent millions converting them into homes for the homeless than built decent social housing for those who require it in areas where it is needed?

I did say I thought perhaps that they should sell their homes and go and help the poor and needy in their own countries.

But read it as you like!!

Who will buy these £multi-million houses?
Presumably another mega-rich person, such as a football player or media 'personality' who has avoided paying tax.

An interesting article by Mary Beard about Immigration.

www.the-tls.co.uk/roman-britain-black-white/

She was told the left are always trying to rewrite history to pretend Britain always had mass immigration.

Because that is what is happening, Chewbacca. If we don't use the laws we have to change things, we will always have 150 families being made homeless every day.

How much money does Kensington council have?
£274 million, enough to buy up and convert a few mansions for those on its waiting list.

"That’s certainly true in Kensington and Chelsea where, as of 1 April 2016, there were 2,753 households on the council’s housing waiting list and 1,652 empty homes listed. But it would be a start. "

anyone can call it immigration

I call it invasion (the Romans)
Anyway, veni, vidi, vici then left
Too cold and I don't blame them

Not all of them invaded. Some came as traders and stayed, intermarrying, ( how dare they?)

"It is interesting that some of the posters who think requisitioning other people's property is quite in order are some of the same posters who think it is perfectly OK to requisition someone's private life to further a cause."

Have you noticed they are the ones who do not want the NHS to be sold off, or US chickens and GM foods to be imported, Jalima?

durham, no matter how reasoned or well intentioned your arguments are for state enforced compulsory purchasing of unoccupied properties is; it just won't happen. No government, whether left, right or central leaning would ever want to be the ones to take the decision to compulsorarily impound the property of some Russian or Chinese oligarchs. If the owners of the huge, expensive, unoccupied properties are so vastly wealthy that they can afford to leave their properties lying vacant for years; they would simply take their investments and businesses elsewhere. No political party would want to risk it. So whilst I recognise that your vision for the future is an altruistic one, borne only for the benefit of those in need; it ain't gonna happen. No government would risk losing the vast amounts of money that foreign investors bring to the UK. Not even Jeremy Corbyn's if he ever got in the position of being able to make the decision .

Why not?

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/aug/01/britains-housing-market-landlords-tenants-under-35-profit

How many of you have under-35s having problems finding anywhere to rent?
My granddaughter has to find somewhere new because her landlord has decided to sell her flat to a property developer, because he owns lots of other flats in the complex.
She offered to buy it as soon as it went on the market, but he said it was less hassle to sell it to the developer.

I suppose you think that's fair, too.

Disappointing for your granddaughter Jen, but it is the owners right to sell his property as he wishes. You do seem to be way past caring about people's legal rights

You should be pleased your granddaughter is in a position to buy durhamjen I'm sure she'll have loads of fun looking at properties. Buying your first place is an exciting time and sometimes you do lose out to other buyers, but it's not the end of the world!

Just as I thought.
She wasn't buying on her own but with a friend.

Fortunately she doesn't live in London.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/aug/04/london-exodus-warning-uk-cities-culture

What rubbish, Annie.

No durham, I don't think that's fair. There's nothing, nothing at all, in my post that could possibly give you the impression that I think that leaving large properties empty for months or years at a time, whilst others are homeless is fair. Frankly, I'm perplexed as to how you arrived at your assumption.
You asked me why the enforced requistioning of such properties wouldn't work. If you'd read my post, you'd have seen that I gave my reasons for my opinion. I was generous enough to recognise your reasons for suggesting enforced compulsory purchasing. I still recognise that. But I stand by my opinion that no government will actually do it. It's not what you wanted to hear but there's nothing I can do about that durham. I hope your granddaughter gets her accommodation sorted soon.

Primrose, I don't suppose you read the article about landlords not wanting to rent to under 35s?