I'd also like to add that Councils rarely build their own housing these days. As far as I can tell it gets handed to housing associations most of the time. I've not seen, or been in, any new council builds in the past few years. It's always housing associations or private builds. I'm with a housing association the now and they are nothing but arseholes. It's not much different than renting from private landlords. My lease specifically states I don't have the right to buy (Even though the houses were part funded by the council). The only plus side I give the housing association is that they respond to callouts just as quickly as the council do. It's already been said by a few people here but you can't expect the councils to allow the right to buy while building more affordable housing. It's unsustainable.
Me? Aye, I chose not to move to London at one point, because I wasn't spending 2k a month rent for a family home somewhere within 45 minutes commute to the office - and 40% ****ing income tax before you even pay out that 2k.
I bought my first house about 2004 when I was still 19. At the time my monthly wage was just under £800 (after tax) working for a local bookie - I managed to cobble together £5k from gambling and saving as a deposit on a £100k house, and my mortgage was £450 a month interest only (good old Northern Rock). I had £350 left for me, my 17 year old missus and my baby to live on a month. When I left for Malta in early 2006 I had to borrow money from the company that employed me as a deposit for a flat, because I left Ireland with only about £200 in my bank account.
I`m looking at moving soon and a 2 bedroom flat even in a **** area of London is minimum £1300 a month before bills.
You started that with "I bought my first house" That gives me the impression that you've not struggled to find affordable housing. It's not only about how much money you have in your pocket. I was living off roughly the same as you a when I was 21/22. Had a job, was living in the same flat I'd lived in for 2 years and I certainly didn't struggle finding it. After mid 2008 though when I moved out I was ****ed for finding housing. Still had my job but it took me 1 year of living in a ****ty scheme and 1 year of being robbed by some prick landlord to finally find a house I could afford to live in. I scanned that ****ing housing association website EVERYDAY for 9 month, knowing fine well they would be advertising new builds at some point, just so I could get in an early application. I don't think the right to buy was a bad idea when it was introduced but it definitely should have had an expiry date.
Aye I did buy my first house, but my point was it was hardly easy and the only reason I could afford the deposit was because I don't mind playing a long game, delaying gratification for future gain - at the time I was saving all my mates were spending their money on dope and Peugeot 206s.
I'm not saying it was easy. I am saying it was significantly easier than it is today, which is why the laws being changed.
When everyone gets bird flu i will just take a nice house in Mayfair, all the rich will have left the country and the home should not be infected
No I don't,10 years paying rent in London and always believed I was going home so never thought of buying hence 10 years dead money,hindsight and all that jazz.We were both ****ing stupid paying rent and it never entered our minds that we could apply for some help or join a co-op or housing association.I hold me hands up thick Paddy and split up then.I'm back in Dublin and very happy and a house owner and living what once a labourers cottage.
I wish,mad days over and funny enough was mates with lads from Glasgow and Belfast and they would be known(not crims)!
I can't comment with authority on how hard it is today and I guess it is much more difficult to get on, since 5% mortgage deposits have disappeared. In saying that 69% of my net monthly income was going on property at that stage, which is much more than almost everyone spends these days - so, deposit aside, things are surely not that much harder? If I comment on my social situation at the time with such little disposable income... I was absolutely fine, I was not in poverty, I still had an Xbox (360 in 2005!), I had chipped NTL to get my channels, I could afford a few drinks, a few times a week.... And actually, it is a little comforting to know that I didn't derive a much lower level of happiness when I was skint vs maybe now where I have a bit of excess. The pretty painless skint years have left me not really stressed at all about going back to that lifestyle if/when I have to. Once I get my kids off to Uni (and have it paid for) I'll seek a little mortgage free house, and maybe a dug, and the wife, and a decently stocked bookcase - and I think I'll be happy with my lot.
