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How to get a council house!


pandagirl
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The caravan site at Annesbrae and I think at the Jubilee as well were evacuated and badly damaged in the New Years morning storm in the early nineties. Many caravans were blown over or torn apart that morning. They were removed shortly after that. Maybe not the greatest long term solution in Shetland.
who can forget the famous Hillswick caravan site first port of call for many a new arrival to Shetland at one time.
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Just a few points:-

 

The rent charged re Council properties outside of town are, I believe, lower than those in town.

 

In most cases, when people rent privately and don't pay their rent, the SIC does deem them intentionally homeless. They only house when, for example, children are involved and they have to meet their legal obligations. That doesn't necessarily mean they will put the family in a house on a secured tenancy though. Likewise, with asylum seekers and immigrants, they don't house them all; again, only those they are legally obliged to do so (usually when children/disabilities/vulnerabilty adult and so forth involved).

 

Hjaltland does offer houses whereby you can part rent/part buy.

 

SIC can only spend on housing what it gets in from housing and by ways of grants. They can't, for example, transfer money from other budgets.

 

Right to Buy was suspended in several councils when there was a severe shortage of, for example, 2 bed properties, but this requires permission from the Government to do so. There is no reason why the SIC can't apply for such permission (I believe this is also in Scottish law and not just English) should they meet the criteria.

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With the lack of sympathy or support you've received here one would think you'd take the hint.

Your opinion of the situation doesn't match with most peoples, obviously.

Probably time to give up. :roll:

Nonsense when people stop speaking out then it will really be time to give up. The OP has a perfect right to air their views and not be called names or told to be quiet. If somebody is concerned about the status quo they should always voice their opinion.

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Do you think prospective social housing applicants should be means tested.

 

Perhaps you may want to read up on the new ways the GOV want to deal with this. Current thinking, and what will soon be contracted is if you go over a set threshold, you will be evicted into the private market. Tenancy agreements will be finite.

 

So, you are in need of social housing, you work hard, spend a bit of money on your home, then, hit a limit of earnings, moved out into private housing costing 20% more if not more that 20% in some cases, that reduces your disposable income, makes you poor again and can start to claim benefits.

 

To answer your question, they are to some degree...there is a link already to the document that goes into detail about that. Have a read then we can work on your question.

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Means tested could be possible option as someone suggested ? and be perhaps reviewed yearly or every couple years, although it won't necessarily stop those not declaring everything unless deeper background checks are performed it might not be the answer, it's difficult to find the right solution with housing .

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Hope this new scheme of deposit guarantee that starts next year will help .

I am in private rented accommodation and in the catch 22 of high rent means it would take a long time to save the 30% the bank would like for a deposit.

I look foreword to this, and If workable will free up private rented accommodation (that is above average mortgage repayments) and possibly reduce rent (as more people take this up the demand for rented property's will decrease) I am sure I am not the only one in this situation.

 

So hopefully if the scheme works it should ease the strain on social housing.

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@SC What that will create is an community that will not gel. With the fear of moving every 2-5 years, doing well and moving, how are communities, especially those in rural estates have anything to build on. The community halls in those areas will not be used as much, after all, would you invest heavily in a community if you were only there for a few years?

Housing stock could also start to deteriorate. Residents are being asked to pay for minor repairs them selves, so, if you are only in a house for a short period, why spend any money on it making it more of a home.

There are too many pitfalls. All this is is about is cutting back and making folk who (bar a few) have to work hard for what they have already.

Imagine, a single mum gets a job on a good salary, great, mum is round the corner to baby sit, then you find out you go over a limit and have to move into private accommodation, or reapply and get moved again. Would the pay rise be enough to get alternative child minders?

 

But for a few folk who abuse the system, it seems, and cannot be pinned down, everyone in the same bracket will have to take the hit. Folk who have posted on here seem to think that is fair, mind, it probably is not them that will be getting hit...remember Billy Green.

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@peenk

 

Sorry, I was not replying to you, you must have posted as I was typing.

 

If folks can get onto the housing market, that is fine. You are right with the point of affordability. The system that has been used has seen house prices rocket, I have often wondered what it was all about, I put it down to the lessening of social stock levels and the greed of estate agents. Which in turn fuelled the fear of loss by the house owner, yet, many buy a house to become a home, if it just about profit, it is a business.

When my Dad got our house south, he needed 3 times his salary and a deposit. Now, for me to have bought the same house now, I would need a deposit greater than 4 times my annual take home pay and a further mortgage of 15 times my annual take home pay. My Dad paid his debt off in 20 years, I would have to pass mine onto my children. That is if I did not need long term care in a home.

 

If, buying a house with the current interest rates be much cheaper than renting, it could look attractive. I would, I am sure you would as well, get some sound advice from an independent adviser.

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More expensive than where, exactly?

 

I would have thought that anywhere in Britian would be cheaper than here. Ive heard that people sell there houses in England and can easily buy a property here and have plenty of money left.

 

You've just contradicted yourself there, PG. :?

 

Or do we have crossed wires?

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Just who would be paying for those big mobile homes that families of four could live in unlinkedstudent? And scorrie i didnt say the young couples trying for accommodation expect to get housed exactly where they choose. What Im saying is they arent being housed at all, even if they try to get housed in private accommodation they will find it difficult to get housed and will struggle with renting costs. As Im sure you are well aware Shetland is an expensive place to stay with all the greedy landlords filling their pockets with the profits of properties they rent out.

 

More expensive than where, exactly?

 

 

More expensive than where, exactly?

 

I would have thought that anywhere in Britian would be cheaper than here. Ive heard that people sell there houses in England and can easily buy a property here and have plenty of money left.

 

You've just contradicted yourself there, PG. :?

 

Or do we have crossed wires?

 

 

 

Yep wires weel tangled I wid say :roll:

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Aye it does sound a tad confused. I believe they were trying to say that living in Shetland is expensive in general: heating, shopping rents etc. But that if you were from say that London you could sell up and buy a nice piece of property here and more or less retire. Thus making the competition for what housing stock is left even fiercer.

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Nonsense when people stop speaking out then it will really be time to give up. The OP has a perfect right to air their views and not be called names or told to be quiet. If somebody is concerned about the status quo they should always voice their opinion.

 

I should take issue with you for shouting down my opinion but that could go round for ever.

 

My point was, the OP has brought nothing new to the table in this discussion and simply continues to play the 'young, struggling, Shetlander' card when very few are sympathetic.

When someone harps on about "why can't I have a house from the council?" My opinion (which you rightly said I'm entitled to) is that, anyone who comes to a local forum to whine about not getting their way is either, used to getting their way Or, ignorant as to the reason social housing exists.

And my advice was to get over it.

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