Alpha One
One end of the Galaxy
I want to challenge the status quo, to make you think about your views and cahllenge your beliefs, in a good way.
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Comments (589)
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Comment on: Spurs in bid to drop affordable housing quota
So, if you have a lot of money you can avoid affordable housing requirements!
Seems Harry has been teaching them how to do it, since he did something similar in Portsmouth.
Still, it's a pipe dream at the moment, with Harry soon to be departing Spurs will doubtlessly be in administration come next year! -
Comment on: Flint: ban benefit payments for substandard homes
How about some perspective, she's not talking about properties that a dilapidated or are dangerous, just ones that don't meet energy efficiency standards!
Seriously! -
Comment on: Government advisor warns of benefit cap harm
So you're actually saying that several senior politicans are child molesters....
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Comment on: Government advisor warns of benefit cap harm
F451, so Shapps, IDS and Cameron are a child abusers now, nice to see you've taken the measured tone. I suppose I am a racist for daring to suggest that Abu Qatada should be deported to face trial in Jordan!
Honestly, I know we've had this argument before, but it doesn't seem to be going in really does it. How can you justify not capping benefits?
Why should anyone, fully able to work but unfortunately unemployed, be entitled to receive more than the average wage in benefits payments for any reason?
I totally agree a cap is inappropriate for those unable to work, but when it comes to normal working age people who simply can't find work or can't be bothered to, then why should the state fund them without limit?
Your rent caps argument would be all well and good, if it hadn't failed miserably in the past. Even NYC are now removing rent control as it has failed to work, and they were probably one of the nest examples before now.
It also doesn't get over people popping our kids to increase their benefit entitlement, people claiming for a 'disability' which they don't suffer from (I bet you know someone, or know someone who knows someone, who is getting incapacity who aren't really incapcitated), or who are playing the JSA system to ensure they go to job interviews but don't get the job.
Sure those people may not be prolific in the system, but capping rents will not combat them, capping the amount they can receive will.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, £26k is too high. People should have an individual maximum below minimum wage, which can be topped up to minimum wage if they do some volunteer work. Add to this an increased tax free allowance, so those on minimum wage do not pay tax, and work pays. -
Comment on: Labour wants benefit cap to be set locally
Rick, then your example was not getting properly advised as to their entitlement.
F451, I've not said, at any point, that cutting benefit will make low pay higher (in fact I think I said at one point, quite categorically, that it will not). What cutting benefits will do is reduce the benefits bill.
Therefore if you are in work and you are receiving benefits, then you will continue to receive them, the only difference is that you won't get to receive more than £26k a year in benefits.
If you are not in work you can't get paid more than £26k a year in benefits either.
I'm not sure what part of this, relatively simple, idea you can't get your head around.
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Posts (3)
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Posted in: Panorama on subletting
I'd agree with that, we need to be focusing on the supply of which there is a distinct lack. I've seen a few programmes recently about how we built more social housing in the 60s and 70s (albeit vastly inferior accommodation) but that seemed to dry up.
Now I know everyone likes to point to Thatcher for the RTB, but the truth is more complex than that I feel.
As for sub-letting, you'll find anonymous that most HA's have a policy on sub-letting (albeit usually unpublished) where they will let people in those circumstances sub-let, but not for a profit. It would be unworkable to have a tenancy that allowed subletting for certain reasons, as those reasons whould have be exhaustive, which would then lead to problems in the future. The very notion of needing to be able to sub let was unthinkable 20-30 years ago, times change.
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Posted in: Panorama on subletting
PSR, going back to your first post, can I point out the flaw in your logic, the social home is not an asset of the police officer, it is merely an expense, he can't sell it, he can't realise it, therefore it cannot be an asset.
Sub-letting expenses, well you'll have to talk to MP's and bankers about how that turns out!
Personally, no social tenant should be allowed to sub-let except in extreme circumstances (such as being required to work away from home for a period of time - but not permanently). Those that do should have their tenancies terminated summarily and be forced to handover any profit they've made on renting it out.
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Posted in: Poor Housing Association Performance with Shared Ownership Tenants
Ben Perl, I think you've been advised wrongly, RTM doesn't extend to RSLs, and so whilst your solicitor is correct that your status as a shared owner won't affect anything, they are wrong that you can claim RTM against an RSL. RSL's are exempt from the legislation for some very good reasons.
Martin, you're problem is easily solved, stop paying your service charge, if you are correct and they are not maintaining the building then you shouldn't pay for a service you are not receiving.
You may also like to consider the possibility of taking them to the LVT, but that may prove costly.
I'm fairly certain the Ombudsman is wrong, it is his jurisdiction to hear complaints about an RSL, regardless of whether you are a shared owner. However, you will have to take the complaints process seriously, that means going through every level of complaint within the RSL and then taking it to the ombudsman. Most RSLs have a defined complaints procedure and, whilst some are slow to respond, they do have to respond and you can report them to the TSA if they don't respond.
You could raise the problem with the TSA, and with the local authority, both of whom would generally be interested to here about this.
Finally, and whilst you've already started this, it is in IH and not the populist media, you should consider highlighting the problem to the local media, and perhaps even the national media if they will listen. Your local paper and probably local news station may well take the story on. RSL's don't like bad publicity.
Hope some of this helps, but I will check back if you want to post further.