Councils encouraging law breaking

simples - high unemployment up North who already live in houses subsidised
by tax payers like you.

seriously the north south divide , that has always existed , is now so wide Yorkshire needs to follow Scotland's lead and go for independence with Geoff Boycott as president elect.

Reply to the comment left by "Jeremy Smith" at "02/02/2014 - 19:42":

Jeremy,

They keep trying this they employ people, train them build new houses and then when the work stops they all get laid off again.

Hull has 5,000 empty properties and the Council wanting to build 5,000 more in the next 5years, the only way to break the cycle is to get the City running like a successful business as London has. However they do have some small advantages over us including nearly all of the tax payers money to boost their economy.

So yes there are some basic flaws in your idea unfortunately.

Reply to the comment left by "Michael Barnes " at "02/02/2014 - 19:47":

Alan didn't express any pride but he got a backdown and that was a result.

Sadly in these loathsome politically correct days we live in it is becoming increasingly necessary to at least get a bit angry now and again to achieve desired results. I hate doing it but needs must on occasions.

Reply to the comment left by "steve middletton" at "02/02/2014 - 20:30":

My suggestion was, of course, tongue in cheek, and of course it can't work!! - But if, as you say, they have tried it, these people who run the schemes must be more stupid than I give them credit for !!

One thing I think they have tried is knocking down houses to create more demand for the ones that are left, this still doesn't address the fundamental problem of unemployment....

If they created task forces to renovate property, instead of building new ones, that would help to create habitable housing without building more, and some demand whilst the taskforces are working and paying tax...
...this would go some way to preserve the heritage of the areas which are run-down at present.... some of these areas have beautiful stone cottages, like one I have just bought for renovation.

They should put funds into training people to renovate and decorate, instead of paying them to do now't, and just sit on their backsides complaining.
(sorry, I'm sure they are not all like that stereotype!)

Reply to the comment left by "Jeremy Smith" at "02/02/2014 - 23:47":

spot on renovate not new build

its a lot cheaper than having to CPO large chunks of cities . knock down and re build poor quality rabbit hutch style units that will have a short life span

Reply to the comment left by "Julie Ford" at "29/01/2014 - 12:36":

Canterbury council tell tenants to stay put and ignore section 21 and any other notice (even if aware tenants are not paying rent) until the court bailiffs turn up on the door to execute the possession warrant .. That is a fact Julie...

Reply to the comment left by "mark standley" at "04/02/2014 - 21:37":

telling them to stay put

or

telling them they don't have to leave until a bailiff forces them too

are entirely different at things

the former is in my opinion an illegal incitement to breach a court order . the latter a statement of fact

if you can get the council to put the former advice in writing then you will have grounds for a complaint and hopefully some officer re training

sorry but there isn't really much you can do. it goes on every where and has done for decades

In south Cambridgeshire (SCDC), the local council told my tenant that if he moved out before the bailiff forces him to, then he would jepodise/forfeit his right to be rehoused.

- Jim, which category does that fit into ?

Reply to the comment left by "Jeremy Smith" at "05/02/2014 - 00:22":

Same thing happened to me. Below is the relevant Housing Act section that Councils say they are "statutorily" obliged to observe. Like anything it is open to interpretation. Merely drawing a tenant's attention to their "rights" and actively encouraging them to exploit them are two entirely different matters. Jim is right that some staff re training is needed.

179
Duty of local housing authority to provide advisory services.
(1)
Every local housing authority shall secure that advice and information about homelessness, and the prevention of homelessness, is available free of charge to any person in their district.

(2)
The authority may give to any person by whom such advice and information is provided on behalf of the authority assistance by way of grant or loan.

(3)
A local housing authority may also assist any such person—

(a)
by permitting him to use premises belonging to the authority,

(b)
by making available furniture or other goods, whether by way of gift, loan or otherwise, and

(c)
by making available the services of staff employed by the authority.

Reply to the comment left by "Richard Adams" at "02/02/2014 - 21:22":

Angry: yes.

Abusive: no.