When I first rented out my flat
it went to someone on housing allowance. Granted this was in Scotland, so it might be a different story up there, but the council agreed an amount of rent, and two years later when I wanted to put the rent up by £50, they refused to honour it. I knew I'd never get the extra from the tenant, so I dropped the matter.
I'm sure what you say is true, and there are some seriously overinflated rental prices, just because councils are willing to pay them - maybe the reform should be focused on that instead. A cap on private sector rental to a certain percentage above rateable value, or something.
( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Mon 23 Jan 2012, 13:48, 1 reply, 14 years ago)

That's partly why we have the problem.
The previous government allowed landlords to charge councils something closer to market rents.
(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Mon 23 Jan 2012, 13:49, Reply)

If only we could have a system where councils themselves owned properties
because something the size of a council could take out a mortgage at fucking great rates of interest and then they could let people stay in the houses and it wouldn't really be costing the council anything, especially after a few years once the mortgage was paid off.
( Bazongaloid, Mon 23 Jan 2012, 13:51, Reply)

There are very few council properties left.
Most have transferres to housing associations, laughingly called non profit making groups.
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Mon 23 Jan 2012, 13:55, Reply)

Bloody Thatcher

( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Mon 23 Jan 2012, 13:57, Reply)

But without the market really being involved.
Say a good 4 bed house goes for £1500 a month in an area, a shit one with rubbish heating damp etc should be more like £1000-£1200, but because the "market rate" is £1500 they can charge that to the council.
fucking cowboys.
(PsychoChomp, Mon 23 Jan 2012, 13:59, Reply)