| Topic: | Re:Re:changes to housing policy needed. | |
| Posted by: | Mark Pattinson | |
| Date/Time: | 06/01/15 13:34:00 |
| I'm not sure how this country became obsessed with home ownership. Why do we all want to burden ourselves with a working life of mortgage debt? Then when it is paid off have to sell it to afford care in old age! With everyone taking out mortgages now with rates so low how much will they struggle when rates rise a little? Some councils are now trying to find a way out of Right to Buy, a foolish and short sighted policy which has contributed to the severe social housing shortage. Labour are talking about rent controls. If rents were reasonable people could afford to have more spending money and thus contribute more into the treasury coffers. Housing Benefit costs would be lower. Do rich, middle aged people really need to Buy to Let? How many of the reported surge in new owners were self funded without the help of the bank of mum and dad? Maybe if the economy wasn't based solely around housing we'd all be happier and richer and not just the few? Mind you I'm loving the equity in my Chiswick property that I bought 22 years ago. But unless I move out of London its meaningless. |