Mr News Rent Rises Next Year Council Houses

[mojomonkey]

Price of Fags? Are you saying that Corpy dwellers are not entitled to some of the pleasures of life? Is that the exclusive domain of Mortgage holders? Perhaps mortgage rates should be increased for smokers, afterall, if they can afford to smoke then they can pay that cost in Mortgage interest and give up smoking, can't they?

 

No, and you seem to have completely missed the point. I picked an item that is probably around the £4 mark, I could have chosen anything non-essential. The point being that £4 a week really isn't much and I'd very surprised if the majority of people really cannot afford that, and I speak as someone who is currently unemployed and living in rented accommodation (albeit not on the Isle of Man). If £4 is really an issue for some is that not a bigger indication that proper means testing is required.

 

Kopek - you advocated the means testing of Local Authority housing in your 2011 Election manifesto, do you still stand by that belief?

 

http://election.manxradio.com/media/52629/john_karran_manifesto.pdf

[ballaughbiker]

Shouldn't efforts be made to bring private rents down instead of increasing Public Housing rents? If Public rents are increased, then sure as eggs... the Private sector will increase their rents in parity.

The alleged deficit on Public Sector Housing is about £20 a week per house, last years increase should have covered this?

Rates are included in the rent.

Price of Fags? Are you saying that Corpy dwellers are not entitled to some of the pleasures of life? Is that the exclusive domain of Mortgage holders? Perhaps mortgage rates should be increased for smokers, afterall, if they can afford to smoke then they can pay that cost in Mortgage interest and give up smoking, can't they?

I get the distinct impression that this isn't an entirely serious post.

[Max Power]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't understand why public sector tenants don't contribute to rates ?

Err, what? I pay rates.

 

 

Ok, but is that factored into rent? My sons rates in town are the equivalent of £20 per week, are Public sector rates same?

 

 

Sort of factored into rent. Pay it at the Post Office weekly. It's a little over £300 per year for a tiny terraced house in Arbory. It would be more in the bright lights of old Douglas town.

 

 

Rates? in reality it's a property tax , I pay £40 per week (in Onchan)

 

 

That must be the highest rate bill on the island? You must have some house to be paying £2080 a year?

[Manxfarmer65]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't understand why public sector tenants don't contribute to rates ?

Err, what? I pay rates.

 

Ok, but is that factored into rent? My sons rates in town are the equivalent of £20 per week, are Public sector rates same?

 

Sort of factored into rent. Pay it at the Post Office weekly. It's a little over £300 per year for a tiny terraced house in Arbory. It would be more in the bright lights of old Douglas town.

 

Rates? in reality it's a property tax , I pay £40 per week (in Onchan)

 

That must be the highest rate bill on the island? You must have some house to be paying £2080 a year?

 

This is why I find it strange that large farmhouses pay very small rates, yet new houses in town pay a lot. I have 6 rooms and pay around 500 per year, yet the bin men have to travel down a long lane to get my rubbish, the water mains and electricity also have to go out of their way.

 

It may seem daft that I'm pointing this out, but I'm of the view that we should all pay a fair rate.

[Moghrey Mie]

Is this the thread about council house rents?

[Rob Callister]

Evening guys,

 

I have looked through Mr. Robertshaws press release.

 

Taking Onchan as an example, housing rents are set to rise by a further 5% in April on top of the 27% (approx) applied since 2010. The increases would be fine, but surely means testing should be applied as a matter of urgency.

 

Who has had a 32% wage increase since 2010 over the last three years?

 

The Minister also states that the average rise for general housing will be around £4 per week, with a 3-bed household paying £85 per week and that a similar property in the private sector on average would be about £250 a week.

 

The figure of £85 does not include rates - again take Onchan, an average three house is around £85 per week or £4,420 per annum, plus £663 in rates = £5,083.00

 

Where did Mr. Robertshaw get the private rent of £250 per week = £13,000 annum and who says it's a fair value for a three bedroom house?

 

From looking at a number property websites tonight you can rent a three bedroom house for £650 - £800 per month or £8,000 (approx) per annum.

 

The real gap is a lot less than Mr. Robertshaw is stating.

 

Most people in local authority housing are struggling just like the private sector and the Department of Social Care and Mr. Robertshaw need to give local authorities the powers to address the 3% to 5% of tenants that should no longer be in local authority housing.

 

Mr. Singer would be a good starting point.

[Thomas Jefferson]

Why would private rent prices enter into the equation, anyway? Is Mr Robertshaw now a communist who believes everyone should pay equally?

[hboy]

Why would private rent prices enter into the equation, anyway? Is Mr Robertshaw now a communist who believes everyone should pay equally?

If you actually want to free up housing stock comparing to private rental levels is very valid as the closer you can push means tested council rents up to private levels in the top income brackets, the more likely it is that the wealthier tenants will decide to move into the private sector and free up a house that could be occupied by someone on a lower income who needs it.

 

At the end of the day the ratepayer is not there to subsidise people on good incomes who can afford to rent privately (but elect not to). They are there to ensure that people who can't get a roof over their head any other way have the opportunity to have a decent home for them and their family.

[Thomas Jefferson]

Are poor people exempt from the rent rise then?

[hboy]

Are poor people exempt from the rent rise then?

If it was means tested then likely yes, or at least better insulated from it.

[Nom de plume]

Thought Mr. Robertshaw was once again excellent on Manx Radio this morning.

 

Hard to argue with anything he says in regards the issue of public sector rents & means testing. Nothing to hide, nothing to fear ...

[EORH]

I don't know where Mojomonkey lives but £4 for a packet of cigs?, more like £7 to £8, anyway I don't smoke, can't afford to.

Why is Mr Robertshaw dragging his feet on means testing, most council tenants on low incomes would welcome it now.

Rob Callister is right, people like Mr Singer should be made to live in the private sector if they own a house, and live in Sheltered Housing, anybody who owns property and lives either in Council or Sheltered Housing must be told to go, because there are too many on the waiting lists.

Why doesn't Mr Robertshaw go along to the Local Authorities and ask to see what kind of people who are desperate for a house, he might get his eyes opened to how bad the problem is.

[Thomas Jefferson]

 

Are poor people exempt from the rent rise then?

If it was means tested then likely yes, or at least better insulated from it.

 

It better be means-tested; otherwise, it would amount to a poll tax.

[Cambon]

 

 

Are poor people exempt from the rent rise then?

If it was means tested then likely yes, or at least better insulated from it.

 

It better be means-tested; otherwise, it would amount to a poll tax.

Although I agree with means testing, it could be anti-productive in this case. What it seems they are doing is (hopefully) pushing all state housing rents up to be similar, or not far off private rents, then giving housing benefit to those who need it. But those who need it must prove so on a regular basis.

[Kopek]

Ballaughbiker.

More angry than 'Tongue in Cheek'.

 

Angry that once again we see the devisiveness that has pervaded our Society these last 20 or so years. Angry that our Politicians, here and in England are using this attitude to push through changes to our long held view that the Govt is there to help those least able to help their selves.

 

The growth in our economy and increases in wages have given todays 30somethings an opportunity that was not available to many of their parents and yet they seem to begrudge the 'Luck' of low rent SHing dwellers, who for various reasons have chosen not to become homeowners.

 

Many of these complainers will be Willaston boys who have had the opportunity to put on a suit and get an office job, a house in Farmhill and a mortgage? They have chosen their lifestyle and yet complain about their Parents low rent back in Willaston!

 

Their selfishness perplexes me.

 

OK., as a concession, I'll allow Mortgage holders to have their fags !!!

 

 

Mojo.

From your second post, I don't think that I inferred incorrectly that you were of the opinion that SH renters should give up something to be able to afford this increase and I refer you to the above for my opinion of such attitudes.

 

The Dole, OAPension, Bankruptcy arrangements all allow for some 'pleasures' to be factored into outgoings.

 

So too would 'Means Testing', of which I an still in favour, with many terms and conditions of course. This partly Political expediency, a Politician has to represent all sides of the argument.

 

Raising SH rents to Private rent levels of similar to mortgage repayment is not the great saviour of the Middle Classes that is being painted above.

Private rents would be raised to maintain the 'difference' and house prices would rise as a side effect, so what would the advantage be to homeowners?

 

Of course the Housing Deficit should be closed but then, Tax relief on mortgages would have to end in equinamity. Would you be better off for your selfish begrudging or just happy that everyone is now suffering?