news & politics:discussion

[steviewevie]

8 hours ago, Neil said:

There's quite a lot of brownfield building happening around me. Most looks low quality squeezed into a space too small. cant see it being desirable to the types who complain they can't buy.

near where I live they're replacing an old precinct, which was not long ago still full of shops, with flats/houses and a few shop units. I think with any of these new housing plans they have to have some that are "affordable", not sure if that is nation wide thing or just manchester..

[steviewevie]

8 hours ago, Neil said:

People struggled to get on the ladder in the past too. The market worked by always having houses to buy just out of reach. If they weren't out of reach anyone could buy and then demand is greater than the stock which is pretty much what has happened.

yeah, but the way house prices have increased vs wages the last two decades is silly.

[steviewevie]

I guess just have a mortgage for life, pass it on to your children...

[Neil]

15 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

I guess just have a mortgage for life, pass it on to your children...

Problem with that is that everyone could do that. Are there enough houses to do it? what happens when the houses run out. we're back where we are now.

[Neil]

20 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

near where I live they're replacing an old precinct, which was not long ago still full of shops, with flats/houses and a few shop units. I think with any of these new housing plans they have to have some that are "affordable", not sure if that is nation wide thing or just manchester..

They're Making houses from a shopping arcade in Bristol. Won't be affordable cos that rebuilding costs a lot.

[lost]

35 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

 I think with any of these new housing plans they have to have some that are "affordable", not sure if that is nation wide thing or just manchester..

Nationwide. I think John Prescott introduced it when he was housing minister. A percentage have to be affordable/for key workers and the developer has to supply these at cost using the profit from the rest of the development.

[Guest]

9 hours ago, Neil said:

People struggled to get on the ladder in the past too. The market worked by always having houses to buy just out of reach. If they weren't out of reach anyone could buy and then demand is greater than the stock which is pretty much what has happened.

Then keep building, we have plenty of room in this country it’s just that people claim to want to fix the housing crises without wanting to put the measures in place to do so. 

[Neil]

8 minutes ago, Ozanne said:

Then keep building, we have plenty of room in this country it’s just that people claim to want to fix the housing crises without wanting to put the measures in place to do so. 

Not enough houses is a problem. Too many houses is also a problem.

[steviewevie]

12 minutes ago, Neil said:

Not enough houses is a problem. Too many houses is also a problem.

we need just the right amount.

[Neil]

I've just been reminded by a guardian article that squatting was big in the 70s and 80s and that wasn't because housing was easy back then.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/28/squatting-rise-housing-crisis-uk-vacant-properties?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

[Paul ™]

So much obsession to buy a house...no thanks

[Paul ™]

15 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

whats the alternative ?  rent for the rest of your life ? 

Neither for me, I have a good balance of work/play.

6 months working events in the UK, I have a lovely caravan for that.

Then that goes into storage over the winter, and I spend what I earn in the UK in lovely places abroad, currently in Goa for 6 months. 

People are obsessed about working to pay mortgages, bills etc... life is too short!
 

[steviewevie]

6 minutes ago, Paul ™ said:

Neither for me, I have a good balance of work/play.

6 months working events in the UK, I have a lovely caravan for that.

Then that goes into storage over the winter, and I spend what I earn in the UK in lovely places abroad, currently in Goa for 6 months. 

People are obsessed about working to pay mortgages, bills etc... life is too short!
 

sounds rubbish. Much prefer to be in my sh*tty terrace in sh*tty manchester.

[Guest]

 

2 hours ago, Neil said:

Not enough houses is a problem. Too many houses is also a problem.

Let’s try having too many houses for a bit then, as not having enough isn’t working. Tories and their supporters will never go for that because it’ll actually improve things in this country (something they secretly don’t want but will never admit).

[steviewevie]

at least we don't have a housing shortage like they do in Gaza.

 

[Paul ™]

4 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

What does 60 / 70 / 80 look like when you are sat freezing in a caravan on some sh*tty trailer park in the height of winter or paying rent still without a job because age discrimination kicks in etc.

Once I reach an age I can't work.... I'll live in my parents current property (they are late 80's so won't be around when that happens)

I'll still be abroad in the cold winters, can easy survive over here on the pension I'll get too.. hundreds already do so! 

 

[Paul ™]

You're living for the future, am living that life currently as you never know when times up... 

[steviewevie]

I have an amazing life etc

[Neil]

1 hour ago, Ozanne said:

 

Let’s try having too many houses for a bit then, as not having enough isn’t working. Tories and their supporters will never go for that because it’ll actually improve things in this country (something they secretly don’t want but will never admit).

tories are just sh*t at govt - nowt more, its not some huge conspiracy.

[Neil]

39 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67831478

Hezbollah about to suffer the consequences of their actions...  No doubt when it does it will be all Israel's fault.

I said the right wingers want more than Gaza they covert the bottom part of Lebanon (and bits of Jordan and Syria) too as part of their religious heritage.

[Neil]

Israel held that part of Lebanon a while back and gave it up. Prolly regret that now hizbollah are doing Israel a favour.

[Neil]

May election, apparently

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/dec/28/may-election-is-worst-kept-secret-in-westminster-says-senior-labour-mp?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Neil said:

tories are just sh*t at govt - nowt more, its not some huge conspiracy.

The Tories purposely make things worse in this country so they have funnel money to them/their mates, then just before an election they’ll offer the electorate something like tax cuts and claim the good times are just round the corner. 

[steviewevie]

7 minutes ago, Ozanne said:

The Tories purposely make things worse in this country so they have funnel money to them/their mates, then just before an election they’ll offer the electorate something like tax cuts and claim the good times are just round the corner. 

Question is which taxes they'll cut?

[Neil]

1 hour ago, steviewevie said:

Question is which taxes they'll cut?

inheritance tax (which'll be popular - its a hated tax by those who hate tax).