(The infamous housing crisis) Public Sector Housing - WHAT IS GOING ON?

[2112]

1 hour ago, Manxas said:

Social housing are bringing in means testing but only, when new tenancy agreements are signed. Although this is a great start, it doesn't sift out the numerous tenants on old contracts who are earning way above the threshold for social housing. Surely, social housing can get a list of all tenants, ask for a year or two salary proof (I'm sure the tax office could help them) and then push the rents up for those tenants who are earning above the amount set as being the amount for social housing need. 

Or give tenants an incentive to purchase a property. Eg Rates Holiday. 

[Maire]

12 hours ago, HeliX said:

Might be pushing the limit of the requirements for this scheme if that pay is post-NI, but some people I know have had great success with this poorly publicized Govt offering:

https://www.gov.im/categories/home-and-neighbourhood/affordable-housing/mid-rent-scheme-properties-currently-available/

Otherwise, best of luck. I'm a reasonable whack older than you and well paid, but the only reason we could afford our house was through inheritance money. Our mortgage is now lower than our rent was in a tiny flat. Go figure.

The problem with this (we did look into it) - what you save in rent you use in petrol esp if you work in Douglas or further north as the houses were in Colby.

We worked out we could save £150 a month in rent, but would be spending that or more commuting - not able to travel together as one works shifts.

Good idea but in practice not workable. 

[Declan]

Monthly bus pass is £80, although you may find discount journey tickets cheaper if you aren't using the bus outside of commuting and depending on number of days worked. 

[Maire]

51 minutes ago, Declan said:

Monthly bus pass is £80, although you may find discount journey tickets cheaper if you aren't using the bus outside of commuting and depending on number of days worked. 

x2 is £160 plus for children going to/from school on top 

 

As I say in theory its great if you work down south, if you work Douglas or North it isn't great.

 

Or have houses in different areas not just one. 

[Andy Onchan]

17 hours ago, 2112 said:

Good post and I can empathise with you, whilst one or two on here, will say tough luck. 
 

I can’t see Douglas Council doing anything, means testing etc. I can’t see MHKs, Douglas South, Douglas North in Particular ……………. Council Tenants Votes. 
 

Perhaps if tenants have a large disposable income to purchase luxuries like motorhomes no matter the condition- then perhaps they can pay a higher rent. The trouble is we then enter a dog eat dog, avarice, spite and hate situation. We will start to demonise people. Maybe if we penalise or increase rents as relative to income, there is a potential of tenants, doing the bare minimum or maybe getting cash in hand employment, to create a loophole.
 

Perhaps Government should encourage more types of ownership models - 

First Time Buyers

Shared Ownership

Shared Equity

Rent to Buy

Jersey Social Housing is operated by an Arms Length Company and there are a couple of small Housing Associations. Sadly on the Isle of Man Housing is controlled to suit agendas, politicos and housing wrong types of people - undeserving poor as opposed to the deserving and genuine poor - those genuinely in need.

Housing Trusts would go a long way to resolving some of those issues. More social housing is not necessarily the answer. 

[2112]

7 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

Housing Trusts would go a long way to resolving some of those issues. More social housing is not necessarily the answer. 

Your right. However, social housing not run by the council or by Tynpotwald politicos, each interfering. Arms Length Management Organisations yes, Housing Association - they can go to the banks to get finance for new development and refurbishment. Unfortunately this island doesn’t like change and likes to control things. 
 

 

[Andy Onchan]

1 minute ago, 2112 said:

Your right. However, social housing not run by the council or by Tynpotwald politicos, each interfering. Arms Length Management Organisations yes, Housing Association - they can go to the banks to get finance for new development and refurbishment. Unfortunately this island doesn’t like change and likes to control things. 
 

 

I 'm waiting for the prospective Keys candidates to knock on my door so that I can tell them a few home (pun intended) truths about housing and how successive administrations have managed to fuck up the market, almost beyond repair. 

[Roger Mexico]

35 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

Housing Trusts would go a long way to resolving some of those issues. More social housing is not necessarily the answer. 

Actually more social housing is almost certainly a large part of the answer.  If you look at the history of housing over the last 150 years or so, it's the only thing that stops the upward pressure on private sector rents.  But more social housing should actually mean extra social housing, not just endlessly rebuilding and refitting existing ones at way over market rates so as to keep the 'right' building firms in clover.

[Andy Onchan]

15 minutes ago, Roger Mexico said:

Actually more social housing is almost certainly a large part of the answer.  If you look at the history of housing over the last 150 years or so, it's the only thing that stops the upward pressure on private sector rents.  But more social housing should actually mean extra social housing, not just endlessly rebuilding and refitting existing ones at way over market rates so as to keep the 'right' building firms in clover.

The criteria for social housing needs an overhaul.

[pongo]

On 7/22/2021 at 11:29 AM, Andy Onchan said:

The criteria for social housing needs an overhaul.

In the UK, home ownership considerably boosts the wider economy. I'm not convinced that is the case here given that retail banking is a relatively miniscule part of GDP.

Construction boosts the economy here. But that's agnostic with respect to ownership.

There is probably a strong case for fewer people here being encouraged to own their own properties. Greater use of affordable or even subsidised social housing (homes for life) might very well mean more money being spent back into the economy.

[finlo]

1 hour ago, pongo said:

In the UK, home ownership considerably boosts the wider economy. I'm not convinced that is the case here given that retail banking is a relatively miniscule part of GDP.

Construction boosts the economy here. But that's agnostic with respect to ownership.

There is probably a strong case for fewer people here being encouraged to own their own properties. Greater use of affordable or even subsidised social housing (homes for life) might very well mean more money being spent back into the economy.

The pub you mean?

[GD4ELI]

5 hours ago, finlo said:

The pub you mean?

Shopping trips to Liverpool.

[CallMeCurious]

With interest rates at historically low levels <=1% for the last 12 yrs, how affordable will mortgages be if it were to go back to 5%-7%.
Of course, we could be in a "new economy", where bubbles never burst unlike every other period in human history.

[asitis]

 Social housing without means testing is a huge barrier to the young. The political reticence to actually target social housing to those genuinely unable to afford to enter any other market is a scandal, and says more about votes than common sense. Castletown commissioners voted no on this shall we say the results were unsurprising !

[John Wright]

2 hours ago, asitis said:

 Social housing without means testing is a huge barrier to the young. The political reticence to actually target social housing to those genuinely unable to afford to enter any other market is a scandal, and says more about votes than common sense. Castletown commissioners voted no on this shall we say the results were unsurprising !

You only need means testing when supply is inadequate. Build more. Charge market rents. But support those who can’t afford.

Reduce market rents by building more private, as well as public, first time buyers and old persons and sheltered housing.

Housing costs are dictated by two things, shortage of supply and cost of borrowing. The increase in housing purchase price knocks on to rent. The low interest rates make overpriced housing “affordable” to the few.

We need to fully explore government and local authority provision of serviced plots, like happened in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s, shared ownership, buy to rent, and housing associations.

This could be funded by transferring all our public housing to one or more Manx National Housing Associations. Sell of up to 50% shares and issue bonds. Use the money raised to satisfy demand. Allow tenants to buy, but reinvest the sale proceeds. Inject the other 50% into the NI fund, or a Manx Infrastructure Investment Agency.