Comments on: Distorted and dysfunctional? http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2007/08/06/distorted-and-dysfunctional/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:20:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: London http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2007/08/06/distorted-and-dysfunctional/#comment-1867 London Tue, 28 Aug 2007 11:54:41 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2007/08/06/distorted-and-dysfunctional/#comment-1867 "We want to own a house not rent a flat—low density living is the norm across the UK, even in London" - trying to buy a house in London may be an upward climb if you are not financially capable. “We want to own a house not rent a flat—low density living is the norm across the UK, even in London” - trying to buy a house in London may be an upward climb if you are not financially capable.

]]> By: Jacqueline http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2007/08/06/distorted-and-dysfunctional/#comment-1580 Jacqueline Fri, 10 Aug 2007 15:15:29 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2007/08/06/distorted-and-dysfunctional/#comment-1580 Many of the 'we' who want to own a home would actually prefer to be able to rent a mansion-type flat on a long lease, at a reasonable rent, in a block built for letting, as one is able to in Italy and elsewhere. Here, if one does not qualify for social housing, buying is the only option, whether one is obsessed with ownership or not. [I overheard a women on a bus telling her friend that she wanted a Housing Association flat, and wasn't interested in 'the right to buy', but in a secure tenancy.]And of course the British are obsessed, because it relates to social class. The 'housing ladder' is a creation of the media in collusion with developers - in London, the Evening Standard is the worst culprit in promoting housing ladder envy, and buy-to-let one upmanship. I would like to strangle those smug couples who simper 'we're thinking of getting a buy to let.' Many of the ‘we’ who want to own a home would actually prefer to be able to rent a mansion-type flat on a long lease, at a reasonable rent, in a block built for letting, as one is able to in Italy and elsewhere.

Here, if one does not qualify for social housing, buying is the only option, whether one is obsessed with ownership or not. [I overheard a women on a bus telling her friend that she wanted a Housing Association flat, and wasn't interested in 'the right to buy', but in a secure tenancy.]And of course the British are obsessed, because it relates to social class. The ‘housing ladder’ is a creation of the media in collusion with developers - in London, the Evening Standard is the worst culprit in promoting housing ladder envy, and buy-to-let one upmanship. I would like to strangle those smug couples who simper ‘we’re thinking of getting a buy to let.’

]]> By: Rod McKie http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2007/08/06/distorted-and-dysfunctional/#comment-1508 Rod McKie Mon, 06 Aug 2007 20:19:47 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2007/08/06/distorted-and-dysfunctional/#comment-1508 You're scratching the surface. The ridiculous 'offers over' bidding system that we have in Scotland makes the overall median price of property here look far lower than it actually is. A flat in Edinburgh, selling for 'offers over' £150,000 can easily fetch £250,000, and to be honest a figure of £300,000 would hardly raise an eyebrow. The truth is that the average price in Edinburgh, and in Glasgow (some parts), and in Perth, and in many other areas is far higher than the published figures because the figures are all based on the 'offers over' price being the actual price of the property. It is just impossible for first time buyers to buy in many cities and towns, and no easier in the countryside. When affordable housing is made available, the high Council Taxes in many areas of Scotland, around £2,500*, inclusive of water and sewage, for band F, has made that affordable housing unaffordable. The situation, in some parts of the country, is at the very least 'distorted' and 'dysfunctional'. *It doesn't help that all new builds are being rebanded by stealth and that their Council Tax band is based on their current value, rather than by the proper method of working out what they would have sold for, in good repair, in 1991. You’re scratching the surface. The ridiculous ‘offers over’ bidding system that we have in Scotland makes the overall median price of property here look far lower than it actually is. A flat in Edinburgh, selling for ‘offers over’ £150,000 can easily fetch £250,000, and to be honest a figure of £300,000 would hardly raise an eyebrow. The truth is that the average price in Edinburgh, and in Glasgow (some parts), and in Perth, and in many other areas is far higher than the published figures because the figures are all based on the ‘offers over’ price being the actual price of the property. It is just impossible for first time buyers to buy in many cities and towns, and no easier in the countryside.

When affordable housing is made available, the high Council Taxes in many areas of Scotland, around £2,500*, inclusive of water and sewage, for band F, has made that affordable housing unaffordable. The situation, in some parts of the country, is at the very least ‘distorted’ and ‘dysfunctional’.

*It doesn’t help that all new builds are being rebanded by stealth and that their Council Tax band is based on their current value, rather than by the proper method of working out what they would have sold for, in good repair, in 1991.

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