Rent controls - good or bad?

[Cyclone]

Not in the short term, it might be helpful in the much longer term.

 

New York is a very specific and limited area. The UK is an awful lot larger and more varied.

 

---------- Post added 06-05-2015 at 07:33 ----------

 

I didn't make a claim about the number or personage of people in receipt of HB. My claim was about the number of households, aprox 26 million households in the UK, you claim 5 million people are in receipt of HB and that equates to aprox 1/5th of households in reciept of HB.

 

What is your source, where is your evidence? I've asked about 5 times now.

 

---------- Post added 06-05-2015 at 07:35 ----------

 

Amazing - half a dozen people saying that a house price crash would not harm the economy.

Despite the evidence of 2007, precipitated by the mortgage market and resulting in a house price crash, taking us into the worst double dip recession in memory.

[loraward]

Not in the short term, it might be helpful in the much longer term.

 

New York is a very specific and limited area. The UK is an awful lot larger and more varied.

 

---------- Post added 06-05-2015 at 07:33 ----------

 

 

What is your source, where is your evidence? I've asked about 5 times now.

 

Aprox 5 million people in receipt of HB, Your figure.

Aprox 26 millions households, easy for you to check.

 

A bit of maths and you get a figure of aprox 1/5 of households in receipt of HB.

 

---------- Post added 06-05-2015 at 07:43 ----------

 

Not in the short term, it might be helpful in the much longer term.

 

New York is a very specific and limited area. The UK is an awful lot larger and more varied.

 

---------- Post added 06-05-2015 at 07:33 ----------

 

 

What is your source, where is your evidence? I've asked about 5 times now.

 

---------- Post added 06-05-2015 at 07:35 ----------

 

Amazing - half a dozen people saying that a house price crash would not harm the economy.

Despite the evidence of 2007, precipitated by the mortgage market and resulting in a house price crash, taking us into the worst double dip recession in memory.

 

Did it have negative consequences for the majority, personally I didn't notice any difference between the before and after everything stayed the same.

[loraward]

Assuming that HB recipients live in households of the average size, which is a massive assumption to make.

 

 

It doesn't assume that at all, only one person per household claims HB regardless of the size of the family.

 

---------- Post added 06-05-2015 at 22:26 ----------

 

Yes, I believe that it did. Job losses, wage freezes, the inability to move house for many, interest rates at an ongoing all time low causing massive harm to savers. Pension annuity values at an all time low, locking anyone who retired in the last 5 years with a money purchase pension into a low income for the rest of their life. Business going bust, tax receipts down, government spending on front line services down, austerity...

 

But you didn't notice any of that .

 

The crash didn't cause all those things, interest rates at an all time low caused the crash because it encouraged unsustainable and reckless borrowing.

[mort]

Keep it civil please or there will be consequences.

[SteveJ68]

It doesn't assume that at all, only one person per household claims HB regardless of the size of the family.

 

---------- Post added 06-05-2015 at 22:26 ----------

 

 

The crash didn't cause all those things, interest rates at an all time low caused the crash because it encouraged unsustainable and reckless borrowing.

 

I agree, it was the bankers who caused it!

[salou4]

Indeed, but Labour probably isn't that concerned about Landlords not getting in on the game (the gravy train as they'll see it) but rather more concerned about Tenants currently perceived to be getting a raw deal from existing Landlords. It remains to be seen whether Labour getting into power and introducing these kinds of measures would instigate an exodus of Landlords from the private rental sector... but, then again, do they care? Would it really result in a reduction in available rental properties... the properties don't just disappear into thin air.

 

Someone else will be along to buy them for letting... and, if not, to live in and, if not, the price will drop and drop... and drop and then either a) or b) again.

 

No, those houses don't just disappear, but they could get bought up by people wanting to buy, particularly if, as you say, prices fall. Resulting in less rental properties available, which in turn will drive up rents for those who can't / won't buy.

But you are also right in that Labour probably don't care, the point is though, that those intending to vote Labour in the hope that they might benefit from rent controls, should consider the reality of the proposals.

[Hippogriff]

It may not be expressed perfectly but, I think, what is being said is something like... think about the overall impact as opposed to the headline.

 

There are plans to stop Agents charging upfront fees to Tenants. That sounds great. I've not met anyone yet who appreciates paying fees to make an application or be referenced. But if those fees can't be charged to the applying Tenant then what will really happen?

 

The Agent isn't going to do the work for free, so they'll charge the Landlord. The Landlord isn't going to take the hit to the pocket, so they'll charge the Tenant... but in increased rent. Which, in my mind, is just less transparent and could result in the Tenant paying more over, say, a 12 month AST.

 

The Agent might have charged a Tenant an upfront fee of, say, £300. The Landlord might put the rent up by £50 per month to cover that cost over a minimum 6 month AST, if the Tenant stays any longer than that then they are losing-out.

 

I suspect similar activities around proposed rent controls / caps. But let's see...

[Cyclone]

It doesn't assume that at all, only one person per household claims HB regardless of the size of the family.

 

---------- Post added 06-05-2015 at 22:26 ----------

 

 

The crash didn't cause all those things, interest rates at an all time low caused the crash because it encouraged unsustainable and reckless borrowing.

 

You're confused about the timeline. Interest rates were dropped after the crash to try to stimulate a recovery.

The crash was preceded by a bubble that was driven by easy credit, but the crash then caused all the things I listed.

[Slikkwiver]

It doesn't surprise me at all that for some, the depraved criminal landlord 'Rachman' is, 'an interesting character.'

 

This extremely repugnant individual exploited desperate people by cramming as many of them as possible into filthy diseased hovels - and he forced thousands into prostitution (children included) if they failed to pay their rents on time.

 

Such men still exist - less extreme, well - perhaps but just take a look around some areas of this fine city and most others where rundown soul destroying slums fester in areas that might well be compared to London's East End during the fifties.

 

Yes - Rachman really is 'an interesting character' isn't he?

And the innumerable latter day Rachmans continue to prosper today - whilst their unfortunate tenants sleep ever more uneasily in their precarious households.

 

I'm betting some will tell me what a good deal tenants get these days and how protected they are, by law from irresponsible parasitic landlords.

 

While my writing may sometimes contain passion and always, honesty - It never 'seethes'. Hippogriff will vouch for that I'm sure.

[Cyclone]

Did you have anything to post that's actually about the topic we're discussing?