mrmadcap

It’s just been brought to my attention that as from April the government says all housing benefit will be paid directly into the bank account of the recipient.

They are all on facebook kicking off because their bank accounts are massively overdrawn.

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

This has been the case for a while now anyway. I used to work for a housing association and it was a common problem the tenants spunking it away on crap rather than paying the rent. It's the new so called bedroom tax that comes into force in April

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Wouldn't it be better to pay it directly into the bank accounts of their landlords?

nik52wrx

My thoughts exactly

pslewis

OR don't pay it at all .......................................

steve ex vauxhall

iTrader: (5)

This is what happens to my drug dealing scum bag neighbour.
Money gets paid direct to him, he blows it on drugs, then can't pay the landlord.

The landlord is trying to get him out now, and I'm having the BIGGEST party ever seen the day the scum get thrown out

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

THIS!!!

I'll bring my decks and choons round slim

scoobynutta555

That used to happen. I let a room out once to someone on housing benefit. IIRC it was a complete pain in the **** and they paid in arrears. Never bothered with people on benefits again.

dukeoffenland

I don't accept it for my tenants . Did once when the guy lost his job then they tried haggle with me !!

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

No more housing benefit tenants for me.

nik52wrx

I'd never even consider them. We use an agent who do checks on tenants, minimum income etc applies

Nik

dpb

Most un tory like

Ellie*

I got housing benefit when I lost my job and it was paid straight to the housing association.
(my house was shared-ownership I had mortgage and rent)

I'm suprised at the stupidity of giving it to the tenants.

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

It was supposed to help make people on benefits more responsible with money .

Chip

^Qwerty^

You should go in to politics with radical out the box thinking like that

steve ex vauxhall

iTrader: (5)

Will let you know as soon as it finally happens cob, it will be the highlight of the year!

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

I know, I'm a regular genius NOT!! It just seems so fecking obvious to me!

corradoboy

Given the exorbitant rates some landlords charge, and the current low interest AND property prices, the government would do better BUYING houses and renting them out. When property prices recover they'd have a nest egg appreciating in value and would be able to rent them out too, instead of just pouring away public money into the hands of the fortunate few who managed to acquire property in the past.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Careful, with views like that around here you'll get called a socialist Agree entirely btw

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Same here. I'm kinda on the right regards politics "bring back work houses ", but the above suggestion by Dave isn't a bad one. But then you have to think of all the poor BTL property owners who charge housing associations or whoever said exorbitant rents

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

That's the trouble though Andy, greed creeps in and then it all goes to pot!

Sti_Prodrive

x2

corradoboy

Greed doesn't creep in, it is always there, in everyone, and is why socialism can never work, and especially communism. I am indeed to the right in politics, but when interest payments on a £50k 3bed terrace in some grotty backstreet is £100/m, but private rent covered by housing benefit is £400/m+, it's not hard to see how beneficial it is to cut out the greedy middle-men whilst acquiring an appreciating asset for the nation.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I'm not of a fan of buy-to(i)-letters by no means as I think its a huge drain on our economy (especially London landlords).

BUT

Given that if you do have money, enough to buy a house. In the current climate one of the only ways for that money to safely earn anything and make a return with little risk, is to invest it in property. The alternative is higher risk investments, as pretty much everything "safe" and low risk offered in the financial or business sector that isn't over-complicated barely covers inflation. Round here for a basic 2 bed house it works out at roughly 6 to 7% pretax return with a very low risk, so I can see the attraction.

For example, I know a few buy-to-letters and the only reason why they are doing it is to serve as their pension income....they did have private pensions, but guess who wrecked it? Yes Gordon, thanks to you all the economy's money is now tied up in housing stock.

Until there is a good means to safely invest money and get a good return, those who do have money will just plough it into renting out property. There is little alternative for the laymen who's not capeable of comprehending or trusting the investment funds offered in the financial sector, unless you want to lay ALOT of trust in a IFA to do the donkey work.

Leslie

Not the answer one would expect from a heavily committed Labourite!

Les

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Dunno what goes on in your parts of the country, but people I know who live in ex-council accomodation, (now local authority housing association), had their benefit just paid direct to the association when he was out of work.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Well it would seem that greed dioesn't work too well for capitalism either then

In all seriousness though I agree with what you are saying, makes a lot of sense!