Councils of Britain are you ready for Osborne’s Housing Crisis?

Councils of Britain are you ready for Osborne’s Housing Crisis?

10:37 AM, 20th November 2015, About 8 years ago 35

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Councils are going to be on the front line of this complete disaster and we should all make this clear to them. I don’t just mean detailing our own financial predicament and explaining the mathematics behind it. I mean making clear what we are going to do (be forced to increase rents and/or sell-up) because of George Osborne’s Tax on Mortgage Interest and the emergency that every council will face in consequence.crisis

They need to know that they have just 5 years to dramatically increase their own housing provision, because their worst nightmare is coming: their housing waiting lists are going to be utterly overwhelmed by 1) people pushed out of the private rental sector by our withdrawal from the market, 2) housing benefit tenants that we can no longer afford to house. Their current predicament is going to look like a picnic in comparison to what is heading their way.

We have all had those phone calls I am sure, when our council wishes to inquire if we’ve spare capacity for some of their potential tenants: When you tell them no, tell not for any longer after the passing of clause 24 and that you’ll probably have to sell up as a result. Sorry but it’s out of my hands, take it up with George.

I believe we could cause a real stir with a concerted, collective effort in this area. Council’s are going to absolutely hate trying and failing to clean up this mess left to them by the Chancellor.

We each need to direct our e-mails to our local council’s housing departments and key figures in the organisation. I also think that we should share these e-mail addresses on this forum. In addition to contacting my own council I am planning on sending a massive one bearing the title of the forum, so I may need help gathering as many addresses as possible for that.

Gareth


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Comments

Luke P

12:20 PM, 20th November 2015, About 8 years ago

Whilst I completely agree with the idea behind this, with my extensive experience with my council and the housing department in particular, I expect even the bosses will take their usual stance of, 'I-just-turn-up-do-my-job-and-if-there-isn't-enough-money-or-resources-then-it's-not-my-fault-nor-do-I-particularly-care-because-I-collect-my-salary-whatever-and-as-long-as-I-can-get-by-until-the-end-of-today-then-tomorrow-is-a-new-day'.

They won't have the intellectual capacity (perhaps an explanation as to why the work for a local authority...I often find they are filled with failed business people who despite being unable to successfully manage theor own financial affairs, are then left to administer million pound budgets) to understand the gravity of this. At least not until it actually starts to bite, when it will be too late.

Sorry to be all negative but this is, I expect, exactly as it will go down.

Steve Masters

12:22 PM, 20th November 2015, About 8 years ago

A pity landlords can't go on strike?

But what if all landlords threatened to issue all their tenants with section 21 notices simultaneously across the land?

Luke P

12:23 PM, 20th November 2015, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Steve Masters" at "20/11/2015 - 12:22":

A better idea already discussed was a synchronised rent increase with a standard letter of explanation as to why.

We need to agree a date and the content of the standard letter.

Gareth Wilson

13:11 PM, 20th November 2015, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Luke P" at "20/11/2015 - 12:20":

I know, I know but every once in a while you can end up speaking to someone that is motivated and serious about what's going on in their field.

My point is, that if we don't try the chances of making a connection are automatically zero. For the time and effort put in by each individual user in sending such a message, which isn't really a great deal, surely it is better to at least have a go.

Later tonight I am planning on sitting down to write to my own council. I will copy and paste the main body of the text here for people to potentially draw from or copy and paste from if they are stuck for ideas.

Gareth Wilson

13:12 PM, 20th November 2015, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Luke P" at "20/11/2015 - 12:23":

Hey Luke, is this synchronised letter for the attention of our tenants, the council or our constituency MP?

13:28 PM, 20th November 2015, About 8 years ago

I think the raising of rent and giving the reason is good but the other way is all to join together and hit the Government with action to get this matter of an unfair Tax on landlords overturned as - WE NEED A COMMON VOICE.

Luke P

13:33 PM, 20th November 2015, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Gareth Wilson" at "20/11/2015 - 13:12":

The clearly laid out, easy to grasp letter will go to the tenant with notification of a rent increase and we should guide them to make their own complaints to both the Council and their MP.

13:57 PM, 20th November 2015, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Luke P" at "20/11/2015 - 13:33":

I agree Luke and also one to every council in the UK as to the implications of such Tax and maybe one signed by as many landlords as possible

Robert M

14:00 PM, 20th November 2015, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Luke P" at "20/11/2015 - 13:33":

I like these ideas, and look forward to reading the text of Gareth's letter and your letter.

However, it has to be remembered that probably 95% of landlords are not subscribers to Property118, so will not know about this. Also, some landlords (even some Property118 subscribers) just won't bother to send such letters. Many will stick their heads in the sand and hope it does not affect them, or that someone else will stop it from happening. Some landlords will not grasp/understand how significant this is or the impact it will have on them (until they get the tax bill that bankrupts them).

Gareth Wilson

14:04 PM, 20th November 2015, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Peter Fisher - Fixed Fee Law" at "20/11/2015 - 13:28":

I feel that Rosalind and Mark communicate very well on behalf of all of us.

What if Property118 were to issue each of us with some form of declaration that we can each print, fill in, sign, and scan back to them (Or download, print and re-upload to the website). In it we would each give them permission to represent and speak for ourselves as a collective group. Then when Rosalind and Mark are issuing correspondence on the front line, they could refer to themselves as lead representatives of I don't know, the Property 118 Campaign Group or whatever and display all our captured names and signatures afterwards.

We could in turn copy and get other landlords we know to complete their own declaration to build up the numbers.

That way it would combine their articles and letters, which are probably the most detailed and effective being produced on this matter with a reinforced perception of wider landlord outrage..

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