Rachel Reeves and David Lammy have been sacked by Andy Burnham as the Prime Minister begins appointing his Cabinet.

Primrose53

Doodledog

Casdon

There is a solution to landlords pulling out of the rental market. It’s down to councils having sufficient money to invest in buying additional properties to add to their portfolios. Where I live the council has added to its stock by developing new properties, buying "turnkey" off-the-shelf homes from developers, repurchasing former council houses, and the council is planning a significant building programme. Provided the government provides earmarked funding to councils, that is a better solution for tenants.

Yes, that's one way to ensure that those who don't want to operate under the new rights can pull out, and tenants will get properly regulated contracts and reasonable (rather than 'market') rents. That seems like a good deal all round.

Reasonable social rents will also cut the amount of money spent on shoring up low wages so private rents are affordable.

Tenants already have to have proper contracts, deposits in protected accounts etc.

Yes, but private rents are not pegged at an affordable level, whereas council rents are. That’s why the majority of long term private renters have their names on the local council waiting list.

And there is a difference between a 'proper' contract and a secure one, as the MN thread showed. I can only imagine the stress of being told I had short notice to move out of my house to make room for a niece who couldn't cope with sharing as a student, and if that happened when I had children at school and both my husband and I worked nearby it would be even worse. From what I remember the tenant had paid the rent on time for years, too.

Councils buying up private rentals.

That needs a lot of funding. Not only do the properties have to be bought and many will need renovating but there is a lot of tax lost that landlords would have paid.
Income tax on Landlords and CGT on sale

You either decide to provide social housing which gives people lifetime, affordable homes, or you allow landlords to make profits from renting to others, and reap the tax, David49. Both options have significant consequences, nobody would deny that. What is very clear though, is that something has to be done, the present housing situation is untenable for renters - and it’s not all because insufficient properties have already been built.

What job did Reeves refuse, anybody know ?

Well there is still a Reeves in the cabinet😊

Graphite

All this about Haigh is being stirred by the Daily Mail, of course.

It fails to mention that it receives a substantial amount of its revenue from Reform, which has received a substantial amount of its funding from convicted fraudster George Cottrell, the source of which cannot be traced and is now under investigation by the police.

Reform paid the Daily Mail over £900,000 alone for a week of sustained advertising from 28 May to 4 July 2024 (at the same time Cottrell was funnelling money into Reform) and has received substantial amounts since.

Nothing to see there, of course. Let’s focus on a 12 year old crime which was punished with a £100 fine. You can be fined more for littering.

Reform should definitely be under scrutiny and I don't read the Daily Mail. I would love to see the book thrown at Reform and the death nell sounded. That doesn't mean that I think there shouldn't be scrutiny for other parties. Two wrongs do not make a right. I should have thought that after the fiasco of other incidents within all parties for dishonesty in what ever form, Andy Burnham would avoid any controversy about his selection of close colleagues. It doesn't fill me with the greatest of confidence.

Yes, the Labour Party paid the publisher of the Daily Mail for advertising during the 2024 General Election campaign.During the campaign, the party purchased high-visibility digital advertising slots and prominent "takeovers" on MailOnline. Financial declarations to the Electoral Commission revealed that Labour spent nearly £230,000 on adverts with the Daily Mail.This tactic was used to ensure that the party's core campaign messaging reached a wide audience across traditional news platforms, even though the Daily Mail's print newspaper historically endorsed the Conservative Party in the election. GOOGLE

Well we have a Convicted Fraudster Louise Haigh in Burnham's Cabinet now although the Fraud brief has been taken off her that obviously would be a step too far even for this government.

Sunshinegirls
That’s funny. So the Labour government paid nearly £230,000 to advertise in the DM to reach all the people who are scorned for reading it . . .

12:23Mollygo

Yep 😀

There's no point in preaching to the choir, is there?

Casdon

Primrose53

Doodledog

Casdon

There is a solution to landlords pulling out of the rental market. It’s down to councils having sufficient money to invest in buying additional properties to add to their portfolios. Where I live the council has added to its stock by developing new properties, buying "turnkey" off-the-shelf homes from developers, repurchasing former council houses, and the council is planning a significant building programme. Provided the government provides earmarked funding to councils, that is a better solution for tenants.

Yes, that's one way to ensure that those who don't want to operate under the new rights can pull out, and tenants will get properly regulated contracts and reasonable (rather than 'market') rents. That seems like a good deal all round.

Reasonable social rents will also cut the amount of money spent on shoring up low wages so private rents are affordable.

Tenants already have to have proper contracts, deposits in protected accounts etc.

Yes, but private rents are not pegged at an affordable level, whereas council rents are. That’s why the majority of long term private renters have their names on the local council waiting list.

Tenants agree to a certain rent at the outset and if the rent rises they can get it checked as to whether it is a fair rent.

Social housing waiting lists mean waiting years. I know people who have waited up to 10 years and we are not even a densely populated area.

Waits will be even longer now thanks to the Renters Rights Act.

If social housing stock increases, which, with a will and funding from government, will happen during the life of this government, and has already started, we will see an improved social housing stock position by 2029.

Casdon

If social housing stock increases, which, with a will and funding from government, will happen during the life of this government, and has already started, we will see an improved social housing stock position by 2029.

Let’s hope they stand by their word then.

Yes, Burnham has said he’s committed to building more council housing, much needed. I wish the govt would stop the sale of housing asscn and council houses
And get rid of the bedroom tax

Casdon

If social housing stock increases, which, with a will and funding from government, will happen during the life of this government, and has already started, we will see an improved social housing stock position by 2029.

Two huge blocks going up near me. ‘Funded by UK Government’ one and two bed apartments with Juliet balconies and parking. I’ve been passing the site for months. It looks not far off ready. It’s on the way to my daughter and son in law’s house 5 minutes from them.

As I passed on my way home I got chatting to one of the construction workers. He was just putting his boots and helmet into his new reg electric car.

I said “this is coming on well soon to be finished?”
“Aye love, all for social housing. Migrants the boss has been told. Where’s your doctor’s surgery?”

I pointed to the one on that very road.
“There” I said.

“Well good luck getting an appointment sweetheart when you need one” he said. “They get us on this but there’s no extra doctors and dentists in the planning”. Hmm.

They've stopped the sale of council housing stock here, it must be possible for a local council to do it. Of course this leaves some people fed up.
I know one woman who was - she wanted to leave something for her adult children. but she hadn't thought through what was involved maintaining for and caring for a house, not that the AC concerned wasn't in work and therefore also not in a position to care for it....atm tho it may take time, the council shells out for all repairs and updates.

Sadly it's the mentality created by Thatcher as in "there is no such thing as society".....and look what happening to housing as a consequence.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Casdon

If social housing stock increases, which, with a will and funding from government, will happen during the life of this government, and has already started, we will see an improved social housing stock position by 2029.

Two huge blocks going up near me. ‘Funded by UK Government’ one and two bed apartments with Juliet balconies and parking. I’ve been passing the site for months. It looks not far off ready. It’s on the way to my daughter and son in law’s house 5 minutes from them.

As I passed on my way home I got chatting to one of the construction workers. He was just putting his boots and helmet into his new reg electric car.

I said “this is coming on well soon to be finished?”
“Aye love, all for social housing. Migrants the boss has been told. Where’s your doctor’s surgery?”

I pointed to the one on that very road.
“There” I said.

“Well good luck getting an appointment sweetheart when you need one” he said. “They get us on this but there’s no extra doctors and dentists in the planning”. Hmm.

Increasing public sector housing benefits people who live in this country who need a home, whether they are seeking asylum, coming from overseas to work or study, or whether they are already British citizens. The government pays higher rents to private landlords for people on benefits, whoever they are, so it makes sense to increase social housing so that we all pay less ultimately.

FGT, you surely cannot rely on the word of "the boss", the builder, who is possibly surmising himself, because of his personal views of doom and gloom. Is this really a reliable source?

I'd suggest ringing a local councillor at the very least to check it out before you make all the assumptions that you just have posted?

"Yes, but private rents are not pegged at an affordable level, whereas council rents are. That’s why the majority of long term private renters have their names on the local council waiting list."

The reason that council rents are lower is that councils or Housing Associations dont pay tax on rental income, or CGT on sale, or stamp duty on purchase.

That why private rentals are more expensive, alrivage landlord has to pay a lot of tax.

Well, that and the fact that private landlords want to make a profit, whereas social housing is not a profit-making concern. Many private landlords are also paying mortgages with the rent, so need to cover the interest on those, too.

Doodledog

Well, that and the fact that private landlords want to make a profit, whereas social housing is not a profit-making concern. Many private landlords are also paying mortgages with the rent, so need to cover the interest on those, too.

They think they are making a profit but by the time they have paid all the expenses and taxes and CGT on sale an ISA would be a better investment, and a lot less hassle.

Not what my well off Sister's financial advisor says at all. They are good landlords: big on social responsibility but still a good long term investment David.

Well, also they would only invest in ethical funds so maybe that means less return on those.