Council tenants offered bribes

[Caz]

Council house tenants offered £30,000 bribes to move out - Times Online

I don't get the logic in this.

People being offered money to vacate social housing, because people are being made homeless due to repossession, and the demand on their housing stock is greater.

OK the money may be an incentive to some people, but why should people be asked to leave their homes to house victims of repossession, when they themselves can look in the private sector?

[SPUGGIE J]

It seems daft but an irony is that if those in the house take the "bribe" then they have a fat deposit for a house of their own if they can get a morgage. Those that have had their home repossed might now be unemployed and have no other option. The money could be better spent but in a time of crisis those in charge take somewhat wierd decissions.

[accyman]

i was wondering when teh right to buy scheme woudl come back to bite teh councils in the ass and look how expensive its getting

if peopel were eligable for mortgages tehy shoudl have been told to buy a house and leave council property but instead a lot of council tennants got to pick up very cheap houses which they sold later for a huge proffit or rented out and charged teh council twice as much as what they woudl have been paying if they had not sold the property in the first place

the scheme was there to be taken advantage of and i dont blame peopel for taking advantage but simply put teh right to buy scheme shoud never have existed in the first place

[MUMMIBOO]

Well i bought mine and lets just say that its the biggest mistake of my life so far! If they had offered me £30,000 before i bought it i would have snatched their arm off and run,

[MargaretR]

There are many elderly folk living in houses with unused bedrooms.
It would be better for them to move to smaller social housing.
The prospect of moving is traumatic when you are elderly and in failing health.
Rather than just throw money at them, what they need is a team of people dedicated to-
showing them other houses/flats and offering them the choice
taking on the organisation of packing/removal
and paying for all of it, including carpets, curtains and their fitting.
Then we may see more houses freed up for family occupation

[mattylad]

Spot on there Margaret.

There are a great many in social housing that no longer need to be or are in bigger houses than they need to be.

[Speedy]

I'll happily move house 3 times a week for 30k.

[derekgas]

Once again Margaret you make more sense than the people who are PAID to make decisions, karma sent, what I want to know is, when are you going to stand for election to the local council?

[MargaretR]

Originally Posted by derekgas

Once again Margaret you make more sense than the people who are PAID to make decisions, karma sent, what I want to know is, when are you going to stand for election to the local council?

I am flattered that you think that I could do such a job
...but when I recover my health (hopefully by Summer) I plan to travel a lot and
ENJOY BEING ALIVE AGAIN
selfish of me I know - but I'm worth it

[derekgas]

I dont blame you Margaret, the chances are, someone with your common sense would not be appreciated there anyway!

[entwisi]

Posted via Mobile Device
Margaret may be right but there is no where near enough houses to take the elderly. My mum has been on a waiting list for over a year for a bungalow near me and is no where near getting one despite having the maximum support possible from her doctor and hospital saying that her house is not suitable for here any more.

[MargaretR]

Social housing bungalows are hard to get, and to specify a location (near you) makes it even more likely that she never will get one.
The ground floor flats are harder to get than 1st floor flats, but 1st floor flats are worth considering if she can use grocery deliveries as I do.
At least I don't need to go up and down stairs to the bathroom, so only need to use the stairs a few times a week.

I recently websearched for flats and bungalows to let in the private sector.
Rents are near double that of social housing, but are worth consideration if she could qualify for Housing Benefit.
I found only one bungalow to let locally - on Livingstone Rd near the Stanley ground and that had 3 bedrooms - too big
There are several new build flats to let and some are ground floor.
Apart from Waterside(Puddleside) Accy (which has no ground floor but has lifts),
I found some on offer at Tinkerbrook Close Ossy, Roman Rd Blackamoor, and on the boundary between Rising Bridge and Haslingden.

Harwood Red recently posted that there will soon be some liason and swopping available between Twin Valley and Hyndburn Homes tenants and waiting lists..
Maybe you should register an interest at the Twin Valley BwithUs waiting list too.

[Benipete]

Of course a lot of couples(partners)have 2 council/housing association houses/flats, just in case the relationship goes pear shaped.
But what the hell the council pay the rent and council tax.

[MargaretR]

Originally Posted by Benipete

Of course a lot of couples(partners)have 2 council/housing association houses/flats, just in case the relationship goes pear shaped.
But what the hell the council pay the rent and council tax.

Both darwendosser and I occupy separate housing association flats and we were once a couple in our owner/occupied house.
We were 'estranged' for 5 years and although we are now on friendly terms again, we do not regard ourselves as a couple and neither of us has any desire to cohabit again.
A relationship should not be judged by any person outside it - it may not be as it seems

PS I get no Housing Benefit

[emamum]

sometimes its better not to live together, i prefer my own space tbh and get annoyed when theres other people under my feet, i also like my own big bed and dont want to have to share it every night.