Bedroom Tax - Coming Soom

[osdset]

They may go for it purely for financial reasons. The Government has foisted the responsibility of defining a bedroom which then allows the Housing Benefits to be reduced. It is Housing Associations who will be faced with huge rent arrears on their balance sheets, the cost of evictions and legal fees then the impossible task of rehousing tenants in suitable properties which do not exist.

Don't get me wrong I think your idea has merit, I just don't see them queuing up to get the idea off the ground. With regard to rent arrears, they should also be worried about the proposals to pay rents directly to the claimant, my association has already written to tenants outlining this proposal, plus under the umbrella of UC benefits will be paid monthly I can see plenty of claimants getting into financial difficulties, and if it's a toss up between feeding the kids or paying all of this months rent, well......... you don't need a crystal ball do you?

[id6052]

JimTheGent

 

I understand your logic about trying to utilise the shared ownership exemption, however I do not think a HA would buy into it for a number of reasons

 

1) it would make eviction process more difficult for non payers

2) it would cause greater difficulties if tenant died, whereby a relative would inherit

3) they would recive less income than even under the welfare reforms, as shared ownership rents are less than a HA rent would be (even after taking into account a reduction for the bedroom tax)

4) the administrative/legal side of it would be a nightmare

5) they would have less control of their housing stock

6) the application and collection of various service charges

Edited August 25, 2012 by id6052

[JimTheGent]

id6052

 

Thanks for your thoughts. I agree a lot would need to be thought through but much of what you pointed out could be sorted out with amendments to the tenancy agreement and a new contract. I have commented on each of your points in turn below:

 

1) it would make eviction process more difficult for non payers

This is a valid point. Perhaps a clause in the contract mentioned above would solve this problem. Something for the lawyers to do

 

2) it would cause greater difficulties if tenant died, whereby a relative would inherit

Again, a fair point and once again this could be addressed in a contractual agreement

 

3) they would recive less income than even under the welfare reforms, as shared ownership rents are less than a HA rent would be (even after taking into account a reduction for the bedroom tax)

I disagree with you on this point. Rent levels would be based on the number of rooms in the property and whilst the shared ownership portion would not attract rent, the rented portion could remain at market value or increased to compensate. I certainly seems a more viable proposal than losing the rent and being saddled with arrears which are unlikely to be recovered.

 

4) the administrative/legal side of it would be a nightmare

How so? They seem to manage pretty well with collecting rents at the moment. All this would mean is an extra box stating the customer had "purchased or leased" part of the building. Administration may be more complex in the short term but when faced with losing £millions in rent, systems have a way of adapting very quickly

 

5) they would have less control of their housing stock

Again I cannot see why. This is a contractual matter and I do agree would need legal experts to think it through but the contract would revert the ownership back to the HA upon succession of the tenancy or outright purchase by the tenant. I cannot see how the HA would lose control of their housing stock under these conditions. If anything they may actually sell more of their housing stock and then be able to build more houses.

 

6) the application and collection of various service charges

A fair point. Granted their would be increased administrative burdens but no more than the Bedroom Tax would appear to bring.

[RaeUK]

Just as an aside, and it probably isn't the same today, the main reason I live where I do is that no-one wanted to move here. The Housing Association couldn't rent the bungalow for love nor money. A semi-remote village with no facilities wasn't appealing. We might even end up with more empty properties! But that was 15 years ago ...

[count orlok]

the rent for my HA 3 bed house would not even get a room in a shared house in the university town that i live in.

[JimTheGent]

the rent for my HA 3 bed house would not even get a room in a shared house in the university town that i live in.

 

As you correctly point out, rents in most HA 3 bed houses are often cheaper or the same as 1 Bed houses. In the Private sector they are often much more expensive. It follows then the cost of rehousing people and paying their "eligible" Housing Benefit for a 1 Bed or 2 bed property is likely to cost more than the property they currently occupy.

 

The Bedroom tax is madness and will cause untold hardship, mental health problems, poverty and suffering for the hundreds of thousands of people who will be affected. It appears the Government have also changed the laws on Squatting in residential properties - no doubt because people will refuse to move out and claim squatters rights.

 

If they have predicted mass squatting and changed the law to suit, they have given the Bedroom tax and its repercussions a lot of thought. It seems they know exactly what they are doing and don't seem to care.

 

I am astonished this thread has not attracted much more attention. People are sleepwalking into homelessness.

[jadeybags]

Sadly the council are not obliged to rehouse people evicted for rent arrears. Well said the government go on about fathers taking responsibility then kick them in the teeth. I guess the government target the minority and effect the majority

We have a woman in a 4 bed house around here on her own. Only been their 6 yrs all kids have now moved. She's says why should move. I waited long enough to get it.

 

It's the same round here, woman on her own in a 4 bed housing assosiation. My housing assosiation is classed as a 2 bed, but someone before me being here put a wall down the end of the biggest bedroom with a door on, so there is a little box room with enough room for a bed & chest of drawers (my sons) My door goes into his room & we both share one door to exit. Daughter is in the other bedroom.

So they may have a field day with me when my son moves out in a couple of years. Although my rent is for a 2 bed house, because that's what it is officially. Maybe i'll be ok.

Maybe i'll get a well paid job & not be claiming then, maybe i'll meet a millionaire or win the lottery!

I wouldn't want a 3 bed now though, i'm coming off the waiting list & home swapper site, because eventually i'll have to pay all the rent myself anyway, & the rate they are raising the rent, I wont be able to afford a 3 bed.

My 2 are 17 & 15 by the way & for all they know they share a room, we have been here 7 yrs now. They don't actually care about boys & girls in their teens sharing rooms do they lol

[osdset]

As you correctly point out, rents in most HA 3 bed houses are often cheaper or the same as 1 Bed houses. In the Private sector they are often much more expensive. It follows then the cost of rehousing people and paying their "eligible" Housing Benefit for a 1 Bed or 2 bed property is likely to cost more than the property they currently occupy.

 

The Bedroom tax is madness and will cause untold hardship, mental health problems, poverty and suffering for the hundreds of thousands of people who will be affected. It appears the Government have also changed the laws on Squatting in residential properties - no doubt because people will refuse to move out and claim squatters rights.

 

If they have predicted mass squatting and changed the law to suit, they have given the Bedroom tax and its repercussions a lot of thought. It seems they know exactly what they are doing and don't seem to care.

 

I am astonished this thread has not attracted much more attention. People are sleepwalking into homelessness.

Precisely, they know exactly what they are doing it's another jigsaw piece of the plan, stand back and look at the big picture and you will see that it's been happening for years.

 

The ‘bedroom tax’, the blatantly biased and not fit for purpose WCA’s, mandatory revision before appeal, workfare and sanctions, Universal Credit, the removal of legal aid and therefore the funding for organisations such as CAB…………….feel free to add anything I have missed.

 

Take any of the measures in the above paragraph in isolation and it can be argued that it was a necessary solution to a single given problem, add them all together and it’s a different canvas we are looking at, it’s a systematic onslaught against those on the bottom rungs of society.

 

We are supposedly in the midst of a world wide recession which began in the USA and spread across the pond to Europe, the unhappy result of over speculation and dodgy dealing by financial institutions, I’m sorry I just don’t buy the spin, am I seriously supposed to believe that every nation in the western world followed it’s neighbour into financial ruin blindfolded? Am I supposed to believe the spoon fed rubbish that England is skint and we all have to make sacrifices?

 

The powers that be must think that the general population have their heads firmly buried in the sand, that we don’t appreciate that measures as outlined above aren’t brought in as last minute fixes, we haven’t worked out that they are carefully thought out and structured over many years, why is it that an outgoing chancellor of the exchequer is so hotly head-hunted by banks on retirement? It’s not just because he has his finger on the current financial pulse, it’s because he was principal in structuring the economy for a good few years to come.

 

Government policy is exactly the same, these draconian measures are not knee jerk reactions to a faltering economy, they are merely laying the foundation for the real man made ‘recession’ which will hit in the not too distant future, you think things are bad now?

 

You ain’t seen nothing yet.

[cupcake69]

Sorry I have another question. My eldest two are classed as non dependants. We have been stopped £9.40 a week each for them from our housing benefit. My question is when this bedroom tax comes in, do we carry on being stopped the £18.80 a week or does it go up to £30.00 a week (25%). By the way we are stopped this even though there is not formally a bedroom for one of them, we are having to use our dining room as a bedroom. Its not a proper room in its self though, its joined to our living room divided by curtains.

[estellyn]

Sorry I have another question. My eldest two are classed as non dependants. We have been stopped £9.40 a week each for them from our housing benefit. My question is when this bedroom tax comes in, do we carry on being stopped the £18.80 a week or does it go up to £30.00 a week (25%). By the way we are stopped this even though there is not formally a bedroom for one of them, we are having to use our dining room as a bedroom. Its not a proper room in its self though, its joined to our living room divided by curtains.

 

No, your bedroom(s) are occupied, so you are only charged the non dep deduction and won't be liable for the bedroom tax - its only for unoccupied bedrooms.

[cupcake69]

Thanks for your replies. So in short we are ok until the older two move out, then we get stopped 25% of housing benefit, then when the last two go is there an increased amount taken of you. We wont be able to move because of the adaptions done, so we are going to be screwed.

[Nystagmite]

I would hope that as the house is adapted, you won't get penalised; as some disabled people do need bigger houses.

[Like-Im-Being-Ripped-Off]

Precisely, they know exactly what they are doing it's another jigsaw piece of the plan, stand back and look at the big picture and you will see that it's been happening for years.

 

The ‘bedroom tax’, the blatantly biased and not fit for purpose WCA’s, mandatory revision before appeal, workfare and sanctions, Universal Credit, the removal of legal aid and therefore the funding for organisations such as CAB…………….feel free to add anything I have missed.

 

Take any of the measures in the above paragraph in isolation and it can be argued that it was a necessary solution to a single given problem, add them all together and it’s a different canvas we are looking at, it’s a systematic onslaught against those on the bottom rungs of society.

 

You ain’t seen nothing yet.

 

I agree on all counts with this post, we are doomed..

well im getting ready to do a prison sentance because i have had enough of this so called life, i did not asked to be disabled, so i decided to save anymore crap im gonna make a stand with these idiots and get me point across some how. atleast i won't have to go cold and try to pay my bills and get a bit of food im sick of struggling to get bye as are many of us. i have no social life ane no one, im am so alone in this crap world. i want to work but i suffer to much and it's only getting worse. so i will get the attention of these idoit and will be in the press it's just a matter of time. my life is over.

Ps i had a nice 1 bed bungalow untill i have sevre anti social behaviour, and the police council did nothing untill i lost the plot hence moving me to a 2 bed place which i hate, it was that or be on the streets, so im then goto now have more money taken off me as if that aint enough!!! whatch this space that's all i can say...it's a sad world in witch we live:-(

[worried33]

cupcake69

 

i have just had a look at the draft regulations and the only apparent exemptions are:

 

1. shared ownership
   
2. pension age
   
3. mooring charges for houseboats and payments in respect of the site on which a caravan or mobile home stands;
   
4. temporary accommodation
   
5. supported exempt accommodation
   

there does not appear to be any exemption for accommodation that has been adapted to meet disability needs

 

funny how pension age excempts all the evil welfare reforms, age discrimination yet again. How much of it is it to do with the high % of pensioners voting in GE's and the sympathy they get of the media.

[count orlok]

Prison looks like a good option for many disabled. I bet they wouldn't make you work if unfit. No problem with food either. Good access to medical care, feee medication, warmth roof over your head, no problems getting around. Plus i don't think cons abuse the disabled like the sun and mail readers do. As it is many disabled are going to be imprisoned in their own homes anyway, unable to afford to heat and keep warm.

[Like-Im-Being-Ripped-Off]

Prison looks like a good option for many disabled. I bet they wouldn't make you work if unfit. No problem with food either. Good access to medical care, fee medication, warmth roof over your head, no problems getting around. Plus i don't think cons abuse the disabled like the sun and mail readers do. As it is many disabled are going to be imprisoned in their own homes anyway, unable to afford to heat and keep warm.

 

I agree to your post aswell c orlok

My point, that's why i'am going to prison im sick of all this.. struggling.. i have told my medical people this awell.what im going to do!. im documenting my struggle for life. that's why im posting how i feel so everyone will no i have had enough..

[count orlok]

The house we live in, a HA one is described by the HA as a home for life. The house is built with to allow for wheelchair access and has wiring for stair lifts already built in.

 

This new idea make no pretense at homes for life for the less well off who will be expected to live in a single room no doubt when widowed and in old age.

 

Also no consideration is made for all the smaller dwellings that will be needed. Even if they existed no consideration is made for moving costs, new carpets, furniture etc.

 

All it will do is force people onto the streets, with them losing everything they have taken their lives to build up. The vast majority of people caugth up in this will not be able to afford the moving costs, or costs for new carpets etc. when they move. So even if they can find somewhere to move to they will have to leave most things they own behind and live in a home with nothing in it.

 

I think most will decide to stay where they are and die of malnutrition or hypothermia, rather than give up all they own.

Edited August 29, 2012 by count orlok

[worried33]

Its all not looking good for the future.

 

30 years back, most jobs were long term, most accomodation was long term.

 

Now most jobs are temp, and the government is pushing for high turnover of tenancy.

[Like-Im-Being-Ripped-Off]

Bromford housing advertised on midlands today about there bedroom tax, that will be implamented next year!

O'what fun this is gonna be... so it's getting closer for many of us to be homeless. im sick of the **** in the uk,, whatch this space.

[worried33]

I still have had no notice telling me of a sharp drop in housing benefit (expected), I am approaching 34, hopefully they have a year+ backlog.