Housing War

[Hairyloon]

There should be more schemes to help the unemployed to build their own estates.
I know there are a few, but only a few.

[dls]

The most fundamental problem is as to the value of land.

Our market in land is overwhelmingly determined by political choices. It is not a sensible market as it stands. Values have been blown sky high by planning laws, and they need to come down. It may be therefore that changes in planning should come first.

[landlordnightmare]

The government could argue that they have done just that, and to a certain extent I think they would have a valid point.

Some of it is contained in the Localism Act against which the CPRE lobbied hard, there is also a growing amount of central refusal to approve local plans which means that planning decisions can bypass local government.

How this will pan out in the end is anybodies guess, the bill is not a good one in my view. Also where there is a large amount of money and an equal amount of passion to protect the countryside involved you are bound to have problems - no getting away from that.

However we are an island and as Mark Twain said "buy land, theyre not making it any more" (he didn't bank on Hong Kong!)

[Hairyloon]

However we are an island and as Mark Twain said "buy land, theyre not making it any more" (he didn't bank on Hong Kong!)

Yes, I think there is a big future in land building... or at least pseudo-land.
Perhaps not quite like this:

muharraqi_general48.jpg (47.51 KiB) Viewed 971 times

But you get the idea.

[Slartibartfast]

You can't drive private rents down without the prices also being driven down as private money will move to other investments offering a better return, a massive collapse in housing prices to allow rents to come down is both politically and economically very unattractive.

Thus "deregulating the market for accommodation". When it becomes more easily possible to squash multiple paupers into any space with a semi-functional roof, the market will respond (eg www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/may/09/ ... te-tenants)

[diy]

Plenty of people are (perhaps unwisely) relying on the value of their home as a pension for their old age. It would be crazy to try to rebalance a market. History says that when govt. try to control a market, they screw it up big time.

HL - why should unemployed people have subsidised self-builds when there are plenty of low income tax payers who cannot afford their home.

[landlordnightmare]

HL - why should unemployed people have subsidised self-builds when there are plenty of low income tax payers who cannot afford their home.

Actually if HL has seen the same schemes that I have - they cater for both.

[dls]

History says that when govt. try to control a market, they screw it up big time.

I agree - that is where we are, and that is how we got here. I am suggesting that they really do need to step back. Part of that is the government refusing to pay over the odds rents.

[landlordnightmare]

I am suggesting that they really do need to step back.

To what extent? Abolish all planning laws?

[dls]

Any stepping back will be like shaking a bottle of coke before unscrewing the top.

It has to be opened, but bit by bit is better.