I'm slightly surprised the figure is so high.
Just shows how well people (workers !) have done.

and presumably renting them to other Brits who need rent assistance.

Thus millions of others are paying off mortgages for small time property investors.

Only ITK could see an advantage in a minority profiting off the majority.

Hedda wrote:
Only ITK could see an advantage in a minority profiting off the majority.

and why not? If you can make a profit and provide a (needed) service, surely thats good?

But - as usual - veritas completely missed the point !

These are NOT houses rented out to other people, but SECOND HOMES where one lives for (at least) 30 days a year.

I think ITK's grasp on how capitalism works is minimal.

You take a simple statement like 1.5M have second homes as proof of something that is proof of nothing.

I would need to know how they got those 'second homes' as proof of wealth means nothing. You take it as proof (as though you know each one personally) of their hard honest work.

Perhaps it IS, perhaps it's not. Althogh I'm old enough to remember a time in Britain when 'property developers' were not worshipped, had TV shows made about them etc.

I believe it points to a larger problem..the one you are obsessed with..the need for tens of millions to receive some sort of government subsidy.

My anecdotal evidence points to a huge problem. On Sunday I had a long conversation with friends moving from a not too wealthy coastal area to Maidstone so each could continue their work. One as a NHS nurse, the other an employed electrician.

Renting a nice but non grand house (with a frightening lease including 600 quid deposit on pet dog) and renting out their own flat, they applied for and were granted housing benefit in order to pay for their new home. Nor did they have a choice on house after 4 months looking and a perfect credit record.

I see the end result of Thatcher's disastrous decision to sell off the taxpayers (of the previous 100 years) valuable assets at knock down prices that can only lead to a housing price boom that inevitably lead to a bust (but ITK probably believes rising house prices are an asset when they are not)

There is proof of inflated property prices : housing associations still operate in the UK building and renting homes for far cheaper rents than private landlords and flourish.

Blair continued and Cameron will as well no matter what you say.

Meanwhile tens of millions of Europeans live in community housing devoid of the silly pretensions like "owning" their tiny patch of ground (but hocked up to the eyeballs).

Hedda wrote:
I think ITK's grasp on how capitalism works is minimal.

You take a simple statement like 1.5M have second homes as proof of something that is proof of nothing.

I would need to know how they got those 'second homes' as proof of wealth means nothing. You take it as proof (as though you know each one personally) of their hard honest work.

Perhaps it IS, perhaps it's not.

Yes - its clear proof that working hard, saving, and building your assets provides financial security for you and your children.

Unless of course you think they are all drug dealers?

I see the end result of Thatcher's disastrous decision to sell off the taxpayers (of the previous 100 years) valuable assets at knock down prices that can only lead to a housing price boom that inevitably lead to a bust (but ITK probably believes rising house prices are an asset when they are not)

Are prices NOT increasing then in countries not ruled by Thatcher?
Prices will always rise when demand outstrips supply.

ALL council houses that were bought are being looked after and maintained (you only need to look around to see which houses are "owned" and which are being squatted by the benefits mob).

"If it costs nothing - why look after it" is their motto.

A house is probably the BEST asset that any family will have.

A house is probably the BEST asset that any family ( the bank) will have.

as my Dad used to say..you talk poppycock.

Hedda wrote:
A house is probably the BEST asset that any family ( the bank) will have.

Millions (who work !!!) and started families in their 20s have BOUGHT and PAID FOR their houses and they are now a rent-free asset which is accumulating in value and can be passed onto their children.

QED

Hedda wrote:
A house is probably the BEST asset that any family ( the bank) will have.

as my Dad used to say..you talk poppycock.

I should add..my Dad meant it was me talking poppycock. That's how I know when ITK is as well.

Hedda wrote:
[quote..my Dad meant it was me talking poppycock. [/quote]

Your Dad is far wiser than you are LOL !

In The Know wrote:
Hedda wrote:
[quote..my Dad meant it was me talking poppycock. [/quote]

Your Dad is far wiser than you are LOL !

indeed a great compliment and my relatives all claim I am the most like him in wisdom.

Hedda wrote:
There is proof of inflated property prices : housing associations still operate in the UK building and renting homes for far cheaper rents than private landlords and flourish.

Found a BARGAIN house for you, veritas !

Auction starting price £750 !!!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-20135248

(thats what happens to property prices when your sort move into the area LOL !)

In The Know wrote:
Hedda wrote:
There is proof of inflated property prices : housing associations still operate in the UK building and renting homes for far cheaper rents than private landlords and flourish.

Found a BARGAIN house for you, veritas !

Auction starting price £750 !!!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-20135248

(thats what happens to property prices when your sort move into the area LOL !)

I do like to think I lower the tone everywhere I go. Alas sometimes that's an impossibility.

and did ITK read the story :


The resident said: "It used to be like the suburbs, it was out of the way, we even had a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

"It all changed about six or seven years ago; the street stopped being about families, and the houses were sold on to landlords who didn't care about the area."

Hed.. etc wrote:
and did ITK read the story :

YES !

and the houses were sold on to landlords who didn't care about the area."

... and let the dolers in !

Doesn't surprise me. Over the last 10-15 years lot of people have bought second (or even third or fourth homes) using their pension pots. This was certainly more prevalent after the Equitable Life scandal when trust in pensions started to dwindle.

Foz wrote:
Doesn't surprise me. Over the last 10-15 years lot of people have bought second (or even third or fourth homes) using their pension pots. This was certainly more prevalent after the Equitable Life scandal when trust in pensions started to dwindle.

Exactly, Foz ... people have looked after their income and invested it wisely.

Good luck to them.

The only people who begrudge them are the wasters who never saved a penny (but still expect everyone else to look after them !)

Foz wrote:
Doesn't surprise me. Over the last 10-15 years lot of people have bought second (or even third or fourth homes) using their pension pots. This was certainly more prevalent after the Equitable Life scandal when trust in pensions started to dwindle.

Indeed ..this is understandable.

Doesn't bode well for your Super Fund though if all that rent subsidy suddenly vanishes.

Hedda wrote:
Indeed ..this is understandable.

Doesn't bode well for your Super Fund though if all that rent subsidy suddenly vanishes.

It doesn't "vanish" - its exactly where it always was.
We simply dont hand it over to people to use to buy scratchcards with, that all.

In The Know wrote:
Hedda wrote:
Indeed ..this is understandable.

Doesn't bode well for your Super Fund though if all that rent subsidy suddenly vanishes.

It doesn't "vanish" - its exactly where it always was.
We simply dont hand it over to people to use to buy scratchcards with, that all.

??? didn't quite follow that.

surely housing subsidy goes to landlords.

Hedda's Housing wrote:
??? didn't quite follow that.

surely housing subsidy goes to landlords.

Not always - sometimes paid to tenants (and they foolishly expect them to pass it on to landlords !!!)

DOH !