Help With Paying The Rent

[Albert Tatlock]

I disagree with the "...it's so tough for me, therefore everyone should have more taken off them - especially the poor" approach.

 

The fact of the matter is that rents are high because they are no restrictions on purchasing property here. It is down to speculators, second/third home owners, many of whom do not even live here. Rents are high because we have so many work permits issued here.

 

Rents are also high because salaries are high - and a quarter of such salaries are government paid salaries. Rents are high because they restrict building and have not built the number of homes that were required here.

 

Govt don't give a real hoot about the people living here being able to buy homes, especially those on lower incomes. I wonder how many people in the government have second homes they rent out? And how many highly paid civil servants etc. etc. that includes. I often wonder what has really been going on between people in power here and developers? I'd love to see our MHKs accounts and interests published. I'd bet a few have done more damn well than their salary might indicate.

 

Rents will go down soon I think. When at least 2000 people have left the island following what is to come over the next 3 years. And it is coming...

 

...the impact of £180M out of the economy will impact many many things - including jobs, the property and rental market - everything.

 

Just be grateful if you still have your own job in 3 years.

[The fact is]

Government minister thinking of paying Rent? Boy - that is not a good idea.

There was no need for the question mark.

[Albert Tatlock]

I have no idea what you mean.

[Addie]

The Govt already gets a tax return from everyone so they can use that. Means testing is long overdue to assist those who really need the help and to get those who don't need it to pay substantially more. Someone I worked with until recently was on £30k and had her partners income going into the house and she was paying buttons for rent. 2 cars and 3 to 4 holidays a year. That's just unfair to those who really need to be housed. From what she told me it's not an isolated thing either.

I totally agree and believe that all public sector housing on the island should be assessed (quantity, quality and capacities etc). All occupants living in public sector property should be assessed for genuine need - age, health and financial. They should regularly be means tested.

 

I know of one young and healthy family with four wages going into their three bedroomed house every week. Why are other people still subsidising them? Their time of need and support - if it ever existed - has passed. Their house should be used for others with a genuine need.

 

Likewise a couple with two children who worked but didn't pay tax on all of their income. He worked and paid dues on the day jobbut worked as a taxi driver for cash. She took in children as a childminder and didn't declare income. They had a big four wheel drive car, took two holidays a year - America was favourite - and she had private breast enhancement surgery. Very needy, eh?

 

Yet another couple we met on holiday. They were hunting for a holiday home in Tenerife. Their second such trip that year. They picked that fortnight because they were having a new central heating system put into their subsidised home and didn't want to put up with the mess!

 

What of the poor folk who can't access housing because it's being blocked by people like this?

 

Surely housing should not automatically be for life, nor handed down like a private estate? If circumstances can change, so can need or right. More or less.

I've long thought that on this small island, all island social housing should be brought together under one department. Maybe this has already been done?

Until this is done and the need is proven, I believe that no new properties should be built.

[Merkin]

Bravo, Addie.

 

 

[Tugger]

Must raise this issue with Houghton and Henderson. What do you think they'll say?

[Grianane]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with providing subsidised housing for those who cannot afford to buy their own home or who can't afford to pay private sector rental.

 

There's also not really much point in arguing about the level of private sector rents, if private propoerty wasn't available to rent then the island would be littered with people living out of cardboard boxes, and as has been said already private rent levels will adjust to market forces.

 

That said there are clearly a large number of people in subsidised housing who really shouldn't be there. This is evidenced by the number of council tenants with bright new cars, campervans, boats etc parked outside their houses. In general parking is more crowded on council estates than anywhere else on the island - why? because most people with a mortgage can't afford to replace their car or to buy a boat, less so now with increasing inflation and reduced job security.

 

Social housing rent should be determined by the tenants ability to pay - just like the private sector. Government needs to either apply private sector rent levels to all council housing and let the benefit system help those who actually need it, or set the rents on some form of assessment of household disposable income.

[William_Hartnell]

Where is the cap?

 

I take it, if I leave Mrs Hartnell and the cat they wont pay half of the rent on my new penthouse Spectrum or Majestic Apartment.

 

To many landlords are happy to sit on empty apartments and look at the recent Heritage Homes development Quay West. It’s like a ghost town but most if not all of the apartments are sold but are the “permanent address” of Manx residents that aren’t quite resident.

[Max Power]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with providing subsidised housing for those who cannot afford to buy their own home or who can't afford to pay private sector rental.

 

There's also not really much point in arguing about the level of private sector rents, if private propoerty wasn't available to rent then the island would be littered with people living out of cardboard boxes, and as has been said already private rent levels will adjust to market forces.

 

That said there are clearly a large number of people in subsidised housing who really shouldn't be there. This is evidenced by the number of council tenants with bright new cars, campervans, boats etc parked outside their houses. In general parking is more crowded on council estates than anywhere else on the island - why? because most people with a mortgage can't afford to replace their car or to buy a boat, less so now with increasing inflation and reduced job security.

 

Social housing rent should be determined by the tenants ability to pay - just like the private sector. Government needs to either apply private sector rent levels to all council housing and let the benefit system help those who actually need it, or set the rents on some form of assessment of household disposable income.

Likewise if social housing were not available there would be far more people living in cardboard boxes! Private housing would never ever meet the demand for somewhere to live. It's not always the rent that attracts people to apply for social housing, it's the security of not being at the whim of a private landlord who can sell the property underneath you to a less scrupulous person! Council house tenants pay the rent they are asked to pay, if this really is not enough then why are rents not increased? I grew up in a council house, money was tight but we never missed the rent or refused any increase. Why should everyone in council accomodation be thought of as a basket case or not allowed to own a car? It sounds like it's sour grapes from those who are locked into a mortgage??

Private rental prices on this island is crazy and until there are fairer rents this argument will rage on forever. I pay less for my mortgage than a person I know living in a council house but he could never get a mortgage like that these days so there will be pressure on social housing for a good while yet!

[Barrie Stevens]

Apparently Allan Bell is suggesting the government should look at ways to help people paying high rents in the private sector?

 

If rents are too high should they not be regulated by fair rent tribunals rather than giving people help to pay them?

 

My conspiracy theory is that you lot are being prepared for the Island's economy to gradually come more into line with the UK as the "Vat and Offshore" stuff slowly fails to expand or becomes static

 

In this instance they are softening you up for the advent of something akin to the UK's "Housing Benefit" which is massive and means tested.

 

Likewise, I would expect that some time into the next administration after September there will be introduced some sort of more aggresive/progressive Capital Gains Tax (With a different name)and likewise a variation of UK Council Tax. (With a different name)....After all, Income Tax produces not so much but home owners, tenants and landlords are prisoners of war....the economic war to make up for the VAT raid.

 

Such new or revised taxes will be used partly as a general revenue with the sweetener that it will mean "help" or "housing benefit" for rents.

 

The UK is now introducing a cap on the rents charged under Housing Benefit. Landlords had been charging commercial rents and so families put into say a London West End address could claim weekly Housing Benefit for rent of even thousands per month. This is being stopped.

 

The Island MIGHT avoid this route but bearing in mind the "collaboration" endemic on the Island I am not sure that such a benefit would not be aimed primarily to support the Landlords/builders and thus by extension the property market generally.

 

Many millions in the UK get Housing Benefit whether unemployed or just on low wages. Those who know say that the majority of people getting Housing Benefit are working and not unemployed...

 

Some Landlords refuse to take anyone on Housing Benefit because the local Councils who receive some of the funds from the UK Treasury and manage its distribution can delay payment for months...(Some on purpose to discourage claimants)...

 

Last I heard was not the Government on the Island undertaking an upwards capital re-evaluation of property for rateable and taxation purposes as the then current valuations were way below true capital appreciation? ie a relatively untaxed resource.

 

Take note: Housing Benefit is a close relative of Council Tax and the one is not much use without the other under a means tested system without also Council Tax Benefit for the low paid and/or those with high rents.

 

So if the Island does introduce its version of housing benefit in line with the UK then the chances are it will introduce a form of council tax as well...and which may lift some of the burden from the ratepayers of Douglas? I query?

[Moghrey Mie]

Apparently Allan Bell is suggesting the government should look at ways to help people paying high rents in the private sector?

 

If rents are too high should they not be regulated by fair rent tribunals rather than giving people help to pay them?

 

My conspiracy theory is that you lot are being prepared for the Island's economy to gradually come more into line with the UK as the "Vat and Offshore" stuff slowly fails to expand or becomes static

 

In this instance they are softening you up for the advent of something akin to the UK's "Housing Benefit" which is massive and means tested.

 

Likewise, I would expect that some time into the next administration after September there will be introduced some sort of more aggresive/progressive Capital Gains Tax (With a different name)and likewise a variation of UK Council Tax. (With a different name)....After all, Income Tax produces not so much but home owners, tenants and landlords are prisoners of war....the economic war to make up for the VAT raid.

 

Such new or revised taxes will be used partly as a general revenue with the sweetener that it will mean "help" or "housing benefit" for rents.

 

The UK is now introducing a cap on the rents charged under Housing Benefit. Landlords had been charging commercial rents and so families put into say a London West End address could claim weekly Housing Benefit for rent of even thousands per month. This is being stopped.

 

The Island MIGHT avoid this route but bearing in mind the "collaboration" endemic on the Island I am not sure that such a benefit would not be aimed primarily to support the Landlords/builders and thus by extension the property market generally.

 

Many millions in the UK get Housing Benefit whether unemployed or just on low wages. Those who know say that the majority of people getting Housing Benefit are working and not unemployed...

 

Some Landlords refuse to take anyone on Housing Benefit because the local Councils who receive some of the funds from the UK Treasury and manage its distribution can delay payment for months...(Some on purpose to discourage claimants)...

 

Last I heard was not the Government on the Island undertaking an upwards capital re-evaluation of property for rateable and taxation purposes as the then current valuations were way below true capital appreciation? ie a relatively untaxed resource.

 

Take note: Housing Benefit is a close relative of Council Tax and the one is not much use without the other under a means tested system without also Council Tax Benefit for the low paid and/or those with high rents.

 

So if the Island does introduce its version of housing benefit in line with the UK then the chances are it will introduce a form of council tax as well...and which may lift some of the burden from the ratepayers of Douglas? I query?

 

'Reform of the rates' can join the queue behind 'reform of local government', 'limiting the scope of government' and 'direct election of MLCs'.Pigs might fly and white elephants might come home to roost.

[spermann]

Apparently Allan Bell is suggesting the government should look at ways to help people paying high rents in the private sector?

 

If rents are too high should they not be regulated by fair rent tribunals rather than giving people help to pay them?

 

Quite agree. Greedy landlords should be maid to justify high rents. The tax payer should not contribute (other than family income support).

[MilitantDogOwner]

It sounds like it's sour grapes from those who are locked into a mortgage??

 

Think of it more as resentment to having to subsidise someones living arrangements through the Tax system.

 

And not everyone living outside of subsidised accomodation is tied into a mortgage. Some of us have to make do with something called "private" rental, you know the type that isn't made cheaper by government hand outs and maintained out of governement funds.

 

Think of it as resentment for people who "need assistance paying their rent" but need no assistance spending the money they save on their rent on holidays and shiney new cars.

[Snowflake]

Apparently Allan Bell is suggesting the government should look at ways to help people paying high rents in the private sector?

 

If rents are too high should they not be regulated by fair rent tribunals rather than giving people help to pay them?

Liberal Vannin are highlighting this in a 'Rent regulation' thingy atm I believe.

[Snowflake]

]

more government subsidy? if they means tested council houses perhaps this wouldn't be necessary...?

 

Another thing being brought up by Liberal Vannin.

 

(I read the press releases!)