'bedroom Tax' - Anyone Agree With It?

[Gromit]

The so called 'Bedroom Tax' starts today. Anyone receiving Housing Benefit (HB) who has a spare room will have their HB reduced.

Will it solve the housing shortage?
or
Is it a cynical stealthy way to cut the benefits bill?

[emmie]

tambourine, do they, why if the house is theirs. If they love their homes, with the memories of all the good times, why would you want to if you can afford to stay there. I can understand if you want to leave it all behind, and have no ties, but that clearly isn't the case for many, and this isn't just applicable to the capital surely.
I have posted any number of links and said the kind of rents that apply here now, priced out of the area for the most part, especially if it's private. The local agent constantly sends letters about viewing the properties, as they have buyers queuing around the block to purchase property in the capital, even at vastly inflated prices, they are bought by companies for rent to their clients, or overseas workers, so can pay and pay...

[daffy654]

As usual tamborine is making daft comments that she can't provide back up evidence for.

I know of many people who upon the death of a spouse have remained in the family home until health or death forced them to move. I don't know a single one who has had to downsize.

[emmie]

daffy, as shaney pointed out downsizing mostly applies to those in social housing, i don't know anyone who owns their own home and lost their spouse that chose to move.

[tamborine]

If your left with an unpayable mortgage then finances force a move or lodgers.

[Answerprancer]

It's just another scam to squeeze more revenue out of us afaic.

[cathfromsaron]

IMO they should have used 'incentive' not 'punitive' action for the first year, eg. £500 grant to voluntarily move to a smaller property, if tenants needs had changed since being allocated the property. similarly overcrowding should be helped much faster.

AND also many people have family members who come and go, or couples who need to sleep separately for whatever personal reasons, and it will cause stress and increase the need for social housing NOT an overall reduction.

the other issue is fraud, eg subletting and phantom tenants etc. I hope this will make that more difficult.

[emmie]

it will cost more in the long term, cause a lot of hurt in the long term, and be as hated as the poll tax, and that is not just because i have been affected by it. I have as i have said over and again already seen this happen with friends.

[Sharingan]

I would guess that fraudulently letting rooms to lodgers will become worse as lots of people try to make up the new shortfall in their rent.

[emmie]

that is also a big problem, those who have council homes but sublet, all the while having an owned property.. it's illegal, and wrong..

[emmie]

thing is if you do that and are found out you will lose your home, i wouldn't do it, morally wrong...

[joko]

how does council renting work? do you pay a price based on the specs of the property? or based on your circumstances?

because surely if you are renting a 4 bed house then you should pay the going rate for it, and equally if its a one bed, you pay the going rate for a one bed.

this is how it usually works in private renting - the price is usually based on the size and certain level of accommodation, including any facilities included, condition etc.

is this really what the council are doing? just bringing their rents in line with private housing?

[emmie]

sorry each council will differ, i rent from the local authority, they set the rent, then increase it each year, or not, just depends on whether there is money in the pot, sorry i can't explain it better than that. You got housing benefit based on your income, and circumstances, at least our does, you may be eligible for full rebate, or pay part rent depending on your income. not sure i am finding this hard to explain. It also depends on whether you are with a housing association as i believe though can't be 100 percent the rents are higher..

[emmie]

it's a government initiative to supposedly make it fairer, to make you downsize if you have more than one room, bedroom that is. to free up the space for families, carefully omitting that the 1 bed properties are scarce and indeed can be more expensive to rent in the long term. As one or two have already mentioned. If they bring in rents along with private then no one would afford them, at least no one i know.

[arwyn]

EM10 you don't have to explain yourself on here, I'm shocked at how this turned into a *lets bully em10*. thread,,
Chuck the bl00dy immigrants out and problem solved, loads of houses for them that want to down/up size.. I admire how you have held your own em10..

[emmie]

arwyn, thanks, however some still seem to see me, us as benefit scroungers, liars and all sorts, i have heard worse, though none is warranted. Standing your ground seems to be anathema to some.

[arwyn]

em10 theres a HUGE difference between you and some @rseh0le who has sat on the dole all their life living off the tax payer. AS you have said you paid into the system as did you husband. Some people are mixing the two types of people up.
Those that paid IN.
Those that NEVER..

[jackthehat]

The trouble is that very early on this thread became 'personalised'.
It would have been better if the matter could have been discussed in more general terms.

This thread was never meant to be a direct criticism, or attack, on any ABers, I am sure about that!

[emmie]

JTH, perhaps but if you read right through, that is how it has come across, if i wasn't worried, and frightened of losing my home then i wouldn't have bothered to participate. Some vitriolic comments makes me wonder if some were in the same position they would make the same comments. Now we hear that Iain Duncan Smith reckons that if he had to, he could survive on 53 quid a week, blimey..

[DaisyNonna]

Most areas do not have enough houses or flats to accommodate those people who need to downsize. Removal men might benefit.
How many older people living alone would feel comfortable (or safe) taking in a lodger?

[emmie]

daisy, they wouldn't, however it doesn't apply to those who are already pensioners... i believe they are exempt.