Governments First Budget

Sorry, I should have said the quote was from Doodledog.

I think it was a workmanlike budget which put the tax increases on businesses and the wealthy and borrowed to fund investment but I think Reeves could have gone further by taxing the banks and large businesses more.

I have never lived in a council house, but my sister works in housing in a popular tourist area. Houses are insanely expensive and locals are priced out by second home ownership, so I have second hand knowledge from her, for what that’s worth. She says there is a 3 tier system with older tenants in secure tenancies and younger ones in HA places worried about bedroom taxes and so on. There are many small pockets of lovely houses reserved for locals in villages, and sprawling estates with drug problems and antisocial behaviour in neglected towns.

When I married in 1980 there were few private rentals where I lived - a suburb of an expensive city. People either bought a house or rented from the council, and it usually took about 6 months to get a house - less if there was a baby on the way (remember Tebbut’s ‘little list’?’). Council estates could be a bit grotty, but they were cheap. Friends of mine got council houses and bought them ten years or so later at huge discounts. Some bought their parents’ houses too. They either sold them at a huge profit or rented them out and the next generation had to rent from them, with no secure tenancy, no RTB, no reasonable rent.

My children’s generation (born early 90s) are screwed. I really feel for them. I don’t talk about their personal circumstances online, but they both spend a ridiculous percentage of their income on housing, as do their friends, whether renting or buying.

Not sure if that answers your question Rosie, sorry

.......and not so much as a dickie-bird about compensation for the now rapidly dying off WASPI Women. Thanks for nothing "Robber" Reeves......

What exactly has been robbed from you by RR, mae?

Doodledog

Not sure if that answers your question Rosie, sorry

It does, sort of. Obviously things were very different in the SE and especially London, as a flat on a grotty estate, even if pregnant was a distinctly distant prospect, and most of us were too disciplined to contemplate pregnancy without a settled home.

As I say, much of my growing up was on a council estate. One that was fairly nice when we moved there, but gradually deteriorated and was designated a 'sink area' where the mostly troubled or trouble tenants were rehoused, causing grief to those that couldn't escape. Luckily my parents managed to escape to a SW England idyll where they spent their final years. It's ironic that I couldn't afford to buy anywhere in that area as privately owned property was out of the reach of all but the very rich. It's now a very 'in' place to live and properties sell for millions!

When I was getting married we went to an estate agent that covered the outer suburbs of where I'd grown up. On hearing our budget we were informed that a dog kennel was outside our budget, tails between legs we exited the premises. Oh the shame and embarrassment 🤣🤣 (I didn't laugh at the time!)

Because of where I live, my small house would be accessible to FT buyers and no dog kennel decisions. But huge shortage social housing. It's not all about buying, some people need the support of not having to manage all owning a home means.

Most of my friends managed to avoid pregnancy too 😂. I don’t think London was exempt from Norman Tebbit’s ‘list’ - in fact I think there are (or were) far more council estates there than elsewhere.

I wasn’t saying that my friends got pregnant more often than Londoners, but that (in answer to your question) in the 70s and 80s people across the country got houses more easily than now, and buying council houses was a fast track to affluence - particularly if you lived in the SE, as prices rose there much more than elsewhere.

That fast track left younger people facing all sorts of problems, and I really wish it had never been an option. If we can reset to when the whole country paid for and benefited from council housing, instead of everyone paying and some benefiting, I think it would be a good thing.

I'm a bit confused, too easy I know! My experience was that getting a council property was almost impossible in the London/SE area, and would involve years on the waiting list, despite the huge numbers of council estates.

Tell me about rising prices in the SE! When we were trying to buy our first house in outer London, the price rose 4 or 5 times during negotiations to the point we dropped out. Gazumping was rife!! In the end we paid over the odds to a seller that promised not to enter a bidding war.

I agree Doodledog - I think right to buy was a dreadful thing.
Why we all need to buy anyway I just don't understand. If you have rented a house you are happy in, what you really need is security of tenure, swift repairs and a rent that feels "fair".
This is what councils can (and should) offer in my opinion.

Friends living in the "nicest" areas all bought their council homes and have made money out of it- by selling or letting.
Only one is still living in their ex-council house.

The right to buy was the worst case of gerimandering, buying votes on this way made housing unaffordable for a whole generation, Even worse Blair did nothing about it.

‘This is what councils can (and should) offer in my opinion.’ NotSpaghetti
Up until the early 1990s Local Authorities had their own in house Architects, Surveyors and built their own council houses with their own Building Works dept.
In the 1990s the laws changed to ban LAs from borrowing money for building programmes. The Architects depts were disbanded and the few building projects stopped or put out to private tender.
Councils are unlikely to reinstate the in house building of their own properties ever again.
I totally agree that they should never have been sold off.

I’m not sure you’re right J52, as my local council is building new council properties now. It will depend on the politics in each area, we have a Labour/Lib Dem alliance here.

www.mywelshpool.co.uk/viewernews/ArticleId/23894/Go-ahead-given-for-hundreds-of-new-council-houses

Casdon

I’m not sure you’re right J52, as my local council is building new council properties now. It will depend on the politics in each area, we have a Labour/Lib Dem alliance here.

www.mywelshpool.co.uk/viewernews/ArticleId/23894/Go-ahead-given-for-hundreds-of-new-council-houses

My council set up its own company to build council houses. To be honest, I don't know much about the legalities of it, but I do know that's how they got round the rules about not building.

Incidentally Casdon, housing is a devolved issue in Wales and I think the rules are different from England.

I should have made myself clearer, Councils can build new properties in conjunction with Private House buildings companies, but they no longer have the In House building capacity that they once had with more control over the out comes.
I think I’m right in saying that since 2023 they have been allowed to keep revenue from house sales to build more.

*Architects Journal April 3 2023
Councils will be allowed to keep hold of million of pounds to help deliver almost 4,000 new council homes by 2025 under plans announced by Levelling Up and Housing secretary Michael Gove.*

I know growstuff, but it’s definitely possible in England still, it’s happening in Manchester.
www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/andy-burnham-pledges-10-000-new-council-homes-by-2028-in-greater-manchester-as-he-unveils-plans-to-tackle-the-housing-crisis/
I don’t know whether it’s only allowed in areas that have devolved responsibilities to mayors though, possibly?

J52

I should have made myself clearer, Councils can build new properties in conjunction with Private House buildings companies, but they no longer have the In House building capacity that they once had with more control over the out comes.
I think I’m right in saying that since 2023 they have been allowed to keep revenue from house sales to build more.

*Architects Journal April 3 2023
Councils will be allowed to keep hold of million of pounds to help deliver almost 4,000 new council homes by 2025 under plans announced by Levelling Up and Housing secretary Michael Gove.*

I don’t think not having the in house capability to actually build new homes is an any way a showstopper though J52?

Mollygo

The discussion on the radio earlier talked about building smaller units, preferably terraces because the space in between houses (when they are crammed close together) is wasted. I couldn’t help thinking that the speaker had never lived in a terraced house next to someone who gave piano lessons for a living, or where children learning an instrument lived, or even just noisy neighbours.
Smaller houses with limited or no parking even for EVs will certainly drive people back into public transport despite the increases.
Do you think a government is right to do things that will compel people to make that decision, whilst they themselves are sitting in large houses, plenty of parking and expenses to cover their travel?

Terraces can work very well. 26% of all housing in England and Wales is terraced, over 40% in my area. Plenty of people, including me, live perfectly happily in terraced houses and actually choose to do so. Of course the houses need decent sound proofing and insulation, with that they’re a good option for many families.

The worrying thing on my street now is that when houses do come up for sale, young people wanting to buy are being outbid by buy-to-letters.

“I don’t think not having the in house capability to actually build new homes is an any way a showstopper though J52?”
Casdon

No, but having In House building teams avoids having to go out to tender. They also worked with the maintenance depts. so the original properties were well maintained. Not so now, I believe.

Whether “ councils” should “build” houses is debatable, adding an extra beaurocratic department to a council is not likely to result in cheaper better houses. Currently most are built/managed by housing associations that are not for profit organizations, the council pay the rent of those that cannot manage an “affordable” rent.

The new estates in this area a lot of good affordable dwellings are being incorporated within housing projects. The rate of house building will be regulated by the labour available and finance for mortgages.

Terraces are incorporated into new estates, they are 1&2 bed properties with communal parking in front. Intended for singles or those with one child. My step son has an affordable, 2 bed semi, they have 2 parking spaces, both work, it’s compact with a small garden, everything they need and cheap to heat.

Just as an aside, the IMF have endorsed Reeves budget and the “sustainable” tax rises.

Reeves is laying the foundation for the recovery of our public services.