What's mildly irritating you today?

[Undertoad]

Are the rents like that because it's too close to the big city?

[Gravdigr]

I don't know what a 'council tax', 'tv license', or 'bedsit' is.

Out of curiosity, could you explain those a bit further, please?

[Clodfobble]

Man, that rent is harsh. Around here you can get a budget, but reasonable studio apartment for $500 per month. In the rural edges it's more like $350, but that really is pretty far out, not something you could commute in from. I don't know the details of government subsidized costs here, but I know my uncle is about to move into private charity housing for single adults (it's a converted hotel) that costs only $150 per month, utilities included.

[Aliantha]

If you want to be anywhere near public transport and shops, you have to pay close to $200/wk around here.

You Americans don't know how affordable your housing market really is compared to other western countries!

[xoxoxoBruce]

You won't find any $500 apartments around here.

[classicman]

nor here. But I'm not that far from xob

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Are the rents like that because it's too close to the big city?

Nope, just because we're in the South of England. My rent in Leicester was much lower, but by the time I left, even those were rising.

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

I don't know what a 'council tax', 'tv license', or 'bedsit' is.

Council Tax is what every household in this country has to pay. It covers things like police, schools, roads, rubbish collection etc. I've given an approximate cost which includes a 25% single person discount.
TV licence is what every household has to pay to watch a TV. It's about £150 a year.
A bedsit is the same as a studio really. Except that studio suggests an open-plan loft-style apartment. In reality, at the lower end of the market here they are bedsits - bed-sitting rooms. A room equivalent in size to a small lounge, with a sink unit/ fridge/ oven (or even just a hob) at one end of it. With a bathroom of course.

Originally Posted by Aliantha

If you want to be anywhere near public transport and shops, you have to pay close to $200/wk around here.

Town prices are actually lower than country prices around here. But that's because you won't find small properties at any distance from amenities. The further you go from town centres the bigger the houses are. This doesn't apply in cities, where it is cheaper to live further out, but all cities have local shops and transport links anyway.

[Sundae]

So I don't feel that I've led you up the garden path: found a studio flat for £425 in Council Tax Band A - £84.50 per month.

[Sundae]

So I don't feel that I've led you up the garden path:
Found a studio flat for £425 in Council Tax Band A - £84.50.
£510 PCM is honestly about as cheap as it gets here without assistance, which I don't qualify for at present.

If you are wondering how other people manage, it's honestly a combination of having partners or alimony, children - which gets you govt help - or better paid jobs. The only other single and childless person I work with shares a house and is a qualified techer earning 5x my salary. I also work with 3 people who live with their parents. Ahem, I mean their parents live with them But it's becoming more common now as families have to pull together.

Anyway, I really don't mean to moan about this. Simply answering questions.

[Trilby]

You're not moaning. It's always been my understanding that it is perfectly OK to vent here and I'm glad that you do. I always learn something and many times when I read what other people are going thru I feel either less lonely or grateful that my problems are so puny in comparison. If I had to live with my parents there would've been an untimely death already. I think you're doing a smashing job of holding back and being polite/pleasant.


and of COURSE we'd have staff if we lived together! I very much plan on being filthy rich before I die!

[DanaC]

They've recently brought in changes to housing benefit too. So, whereas before they would pay the equivalent rent for a midrange rental (ie. the benefit claimants should have access to houses that fall at or below the median line of rent in an area) to the 30% mark. Thereby drastically reducing the number of properties accessible to people on benefits (that includes low income families as well as unemployed).

At the same time they've drawn a line at the age of 35. Below that age you can no longer claim the equivalent rent for a one bedroomed flat or house at the median line. They will now only pay the equivalent of a room in shared house at the 30% line.

As this is starting to take effect, a lot of people who are currently settled in homes are having to go back into the rental market for lower rent properties. So, not only is the number of properties available as assisted rent shrinking, but the number of people competing for that reduced pool of rentals has suddenly shot up through the proverbial roof.

This is effective nationwide, but it has a particularly profound impact in the south where prices are higher to start with. The effect is such that many people are being priced entirely out of the areas in which they and their families are settled.

There are other changes too. Things that also increase pressure. Such as families who have got smaller due to a child moving out suddenly having to move now to a smaller house because they can no longer claim for the house they're in, because they're only now entitled to a single bedroomed property.

Unfortunately, alongside all this, I have noticed an increase in the number of rental adverts that state no DSS (benefits claimants). rents which could be considered good value are routinely DSS blocked. Probably at least in part to the removal of the direct pay system. Claimants used to be able to select to have their rent paid directly to the landlord. This gave landlords a guarantee that they would be paid. Now that is only available as a sanction where someone has not been paying their rent and fallen into serious arrears. So, private landlords are increasingly reluctant to take on social tenants. Whilst the landlords who specialise in social rents charge more because they have very little competition.

because people generally do require a roof over their heads, and because finding an alternative is not all that easy when most boroughs have homeless and ill-houses populations running into several thousand, they end up staying in their unaffordable place and using the small amount of benefit they get to pay the shortfall. And then get into horrendous debt trying to keep afloat.


And then:

The additional kick in the teeth for people already struggling, was the change in council tax benefits. These used to be funded through the government benefits system. Now, the government have placed it onto the shouolders of local councils. At the same time requiring them to come up with savings of around 20-30% in benefits payments. Consequently a lot of people (single adults, students, low wage families) who got help with their council tax, or even had it waived will now have to pay some or all of the tax.

The same families who have been so badly hit by the changes to rent assistance.

[classicman]

but but but ... you have free healthcare, right?

[Sundae]

Yes
Picked up prescription yesterday. Two months cost me £7.65.
I am back on the road to normality and hope to post less in this thread.

And I promise most solemnly not to go off my meds again.
At least til the next time I get a bit crazy/ disorganised/ lazy/ short of money...
No - this has been a shocker of a week - I won't forget it in a hurry.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by DanaC

They've recently brought in changes to housing benefit too. So, whereas before they would pay the equivalent rent for a midrange rental (ie. the benefit claimants should have access to houses that fall at or below the median line of rent in an area) to the 30% mark. Thereby drastically reducing the number of properties accessible to people on benefits (that includes low income families as well as unemployed).

At the same time they've drawn a line at the age of 35. Below that age you can no longer claim the equivalent rent for a one bedroomed flat or house at the median line. They will now only pay the equivalent of a room in shared house at the 30% line.

As this is starting to take effect, a lot of people who are currently settled in homes are having to go back into the rental market for lower rent properties. So, not only is the number of properties available as assisted rent shrinking, but the number of people competing for that reduced pool of rentals has suddenly shot up through the proverbial roof.

This is effective nationwide, but it has a particularly profound impact in the south where prices are higher to start with. The effect is such that many people are being priced entirely out of the areas in which they and their families are settled.

There are other changes too. Things that also increase pressure. Such as families who have got smaller due to a child moving out suddenly having to move now to a smaller house because they can no longer claim for the house they're in, because they're only now entitled to a single bedroomed property.

Unfortunately, alongside all this, I have noticed an increase in the number of rental adverts that state no DSS (benefits claimants). rents which could be considered good value are routinely DSS blocked. Probably at least in part to the removal of the direct pay system. Claimants used to be able to select to have their rent paid directly to the landlord. This gave landlords a guarantee that they would be paid. Now that is only available as a sanction where someone has not been paying their rent and fallen into serious arrears. So, private landlords are increasingly reluctant to take on social tenants. Whilst the landlords who specialise in social rents charge more because they have very little competition.

because people generally do require a roof over their heads, and because finding an alternative is not all that easy when most boroughs have homeless and ill-houses populations running into several thousand, they end up staying in their unaffordable place and using the small amount of benefit they get to pay the shortfall. And then get into horrendous debt trying to keep afloat.


And then:

The additional kick in the teeth for people already struggling, was the change in council tax benefits. These used to be funded through the government benefits system. Now, the government have placed it onto the shouolders of local councils. At the same time requiring them to come up with savings of around 20-30% in benefits payments. Consequently a lot of people (single adults, students, low wage families) who got help with their council tax, or even had it waived will now have to pay some or all of the tax.

The same families who have been so badly hit by the changes to rent assistance.

Is Mitt Romney over there?

[DanaC]

Hahahahahahah. No. He's new money. It's Old Money that has the reins over here.