Forum Topic

Last nights How to get a Council House

I think my blood has just about stopped boiling and I am just glad I try and ignore where my some of my hard tax goes towards those spongers shown last night especially the Romanians otherwise I would go round the bend thinking about it

Paul Fisher ● 3362d39 Comments

I don't think exploiting people is cultural, it's financial and it is intolerable, they are not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts are they?

Vanessa Smith ● 3354d

Beds in Sheds as we all know is mainly an issue in the West of the Borough involving the Asian community who the late Alan Keen MP completely condoned the practise as "Its part of their culture and should be tolerated" so may be ingrained in some Landlords mindsets and also I suspect a few Officers

Paul Fisher ● 3354d

Several things struck me about last night's programme, the complete acceptance by the Director of Housing that councils were pretty dependant on the private sector and nothing was going to change, and the appalling state that even Environmental health officers were prepared to leave people in. Even though that 'bed in a shed' hadn't been built properly the landlord seemed to get away with providing a couple of electric fires instead of addressing the building issues! Why aren't councillors and council officers up in arms and protesting and making representation through regional and national associations about this dreadful state of affairs? Let's not forget that a lot of private landlords are in receipt of a massive chunk of the benefits bill via housing benefit - that means you and me, why aren't the government tackling this if they're so intent on getting the benefits bill down?The other thing that took my breath away was the landlord, Ali, who really believed that allowing garages and sheds to be used to house people was the answer. Even though I thought that tenant who landed up in court was a complete plank, I did note the Bentley the poor old landlord was driving around in.  As for the moron who'd spent all that money on a wedding - ironic to say the least that they got a decent flat and the newly-weds were coming back to it as well. Judging by the antics of some tenants featured in the 'Council House Crackdown' programme I do wonder how much checking Hounslow does to ensure that the people living in their properties are the rightful tenants?

Vanessa Smith ● 3354d

Let's hope that none of the relationships are too cosy.

Philippa Bond ● 3355d

Yes he did say that.

Simon Anderson ● 3355d

Perhaps I misheard the programme Simon but I also think that when the happy couple returned from their holiday they would be living with the parents too, in the flat the Council paid something like £3k as an incentive to the landlord to house them.

Adam Beamish ● 3355d

I don't believe the council rehouse a couple who was able to afford to pay out £10,000 for their daughters wedding. That money could of been used as a deposit. There are lots of people homeless because they cant pay the deposit and this couple just get a place just like that its disgusting. When i was homeless and went to the council they wouldn't do anything i had to find my own property.

Simon Anderson ● 3355d

I've recorded last night's programme because I read about the couple that spent all the money on a wedding! Priorities spring to mind? There is also in the mornings, a programme about fraudulent tenancies - it is quite unbelievable the lies and scams that some people get away with, and it is clear councils and housing associations need to get their act together, as it seems clear they are only scratching the surface of this at the moment. But underlying all this is the chronic shortage of decent housing and the lack of rent controls, alas the government don't look like they are going to take any of this on board anytime soon.

Vanessa Smith ● 3355d

Some great examples last night of how messed up the system is from top to bottom.Hounslow has approximately 500 beds in sheds despite years of enforcement (which of course I've got first hand experience in) against such accommodation.  Clearly the deterrents/penalties aren't sufficient, and a considerable proportion of the landlords have this mentality that because some people can't afford private rent levels, they should be happy to live anywhere, whilst the landlords drive their Bentleys...And the concept of Councils paying incentives to landlords to house people is just absurd.  Particularly when the tenant in that case that just spent £10,000 on his daughter's wedding, which was completely reckless and irresponsible.The whole system is simply crazy and isn't going to improve because (1) housing in the SE isn't affordable for many people these days, not just the less well-off but those on decent incomes, and rents are so high it's impossible for young people to save up for a deposit without relying on their parents, and (2) the house building market is relatively stable at the moment, yet population growth is happening at a much faster rate through both in-migration into the cities and existing residents having bigger families.The 2nd issue (population growth) is the underlying cause, but no government dare try to tackle that, especially when you have the Turkish PM telling his population to "go forth and multiply".Which, going back to last night's programme, one of the Council Officers hinted at herself when she said something like "they're not the only ones with a child, we have families with more children so they are a greater priority", at which point various four letter terms of abuse spouted from my mouth about how irresponsible it is for anyone to give people the idea that by having more kids they'll become a priority at the expense of any poor sod who doesn't reproduce like a rabbit !.

Adam Beamish ● 3355d

not sure if I can watch tonights program, just seen another programme about social housing, and its looks like many people sub-let their property and worse have two or three solcail houses...shame on that.....

Raki Smith ● 3356d

"A TV programme of this nature is somewhat stage managed"? Make that TOTALLY stage managed. Programmes of this kind are written and edited to create the desired result - and typically that aim is to stir up controversy and boost the viewing figures. And it seems to have worked really well here. It reminds of that "Benefit Street" stuff, which is part of why a large proportion of this country has a wildly exaggerated idea of the size of the welfare budget, where it goes, the amount of benefit fraud, etc.

Bryan Betts ● 3360d

Aren't the wheelie bins being introduced as a freebie to sort out problem and irresponsible landlords - if any of those are also council officers and/or councillors - they should definitely be named and shamed!

Philippa Bond ● 3360d

Almost everyone I know who lives in Council or Housing association homes are terrified of daring to put their head above the parapet and exercise their right to free speech and comment.They are convinced that they will be singled out as troublemakers or risk losing their home.Trouble is with some of the events and rumours of people getting polite advice from certain people, it has reinforced that fear.You would have to be clever and thick skinned to even contribute on here which in my view is a real shame that so few dare to.Plus the exclusion of those who do not have great or any safe internet access.Does not say much for our 21st century society really.

Raymond Havelock ● 3361d

I know this has nothing to do with the topic but instead of making up a new topic. Is there anyone on here who live on a council estate in the Hounslow Borough? I want to know if the council has banned posters being put up in the estate blocks from Resident Groups and community centers?

Simon Anderson ● 3361d

Why complain about lack of social housing whilst at the same time selling off council-owned propertied to developers? Not so long ago a 14-room women's hostel in Old Isleworth was sold off to a developer who converted it into 2 houses and put on the market for rent at 10-£12,000 PER MONTH each!

Marina Thomas ● 3361d

The real scandal is the unrealistic charges made by B&Bs.30 years ago local papers exposed just how many of these B&B empires were indirectly owned by local politicians and council officers via their families and rather carefully hidden by using family maiden names and obscure company names.If it had not been for the terrible conditions of a row of houses I think, in Bulstrode Road, this would never have come to light.This is still going on in some boroughs, as are favoured deals over land. Ealing being one of them. Involving a very prominent politician with a business empire gleaned from his position.I trust it is not still going on in Hounslow.

Raymond Havelock ● 3361d

I was reading in the Standard last night that I think it was nine out of ten Boroughs with the lasrgest amount of empty council houses were in London and all controlled by LabourHounslow has the same problem but thankfully nowhere near the scale of others in our Capital

Paul Fisher ● 3361d

I think everyone also overlooks that fact that there has been a chronic lack of really affordable (public) housing being built for donkey's years. Similarly investment in most public services. I have two sons both working without contracts, never sure what work they will have and not earning massive wages either, even assuming they had the wherewithal to, who would give a mortgage to someone who doesn't know when they will next be earning a wage?No wonder people build up arrears of rent, they take on a commitment assuming they can pay, only to find out they then haven't got any work to meet their bills. Surely everyone is entitled to the security of knowing they can keep body and soul together. As for these £35K a year jobs please do tell where they are and what they consist of. Then tell who will clean our streets, collect our refuse, work in our NHS etc. provision has to be made for people who will never earn fabulous salaries to have a roof over their head, a massive public house building programme and utilising all the stuff standing empty is what's needed.

Vanessa Smith ● 3361d

sorry "education" in that if people were educated better, than they could hold down a job that pays a decent wage, so they actually wont need a council home. Decent I mean in excess of £35k. With a little brain power, these paying jobs are not that hard to hold down...i know as I was there before....For sure I agree on attitude and entitlement, as people think the council job is to home them...

Raki Smith ● 3362d

I agree to a small extent Raki but I am not sure in what context you 'education' being at the root of the problem. I think 'attitude' and 'entitlement' are also a major factors.

Keith Iddon ● 3362d

Well they need to remove that Zero hour contract crap, it’s a total nightmare.Owning your own home now is a problem. Even council houses isn’t really your own home, still paying cheap rent to the council, its a shame, as council houses were meant for the needy, now its  for people with many kids who try to use their children as a method to get one. It’s a hard one for Hounslow Council, they need to change the system bottom up, as it is a mess, people who need it, cant get it, while people on it, who dont need it, just relax and look down on people trying to get on it.....At the end of the day, it’s a political game where every five years people promise dreams, only to let you down.I believe it is down to education, some people cant save a penny (even when staying at parents), while some people just cant work in jobs that pay a decent wage…..

Raki Smith ● 3362d

What this did show was how difficult it is for people who do work but have zero hours contracts to meet their financial obligations, what chance have they got of ever owning a home? Why we don't bring back rent controls I will never know. As for the Romanian family, they were completely irresponsible, but I don't think we can draw the conclusion that this is a very common situation. The woman from Bermuda? Why come here in the first place - stupid cow.

Vanessa Smith ● 3362d

Adam..hopefully your good lady wife still has time to talk some sense into you..;-)

Keith Iddon ● 3362d

Maybe we should ask Julian Bell how he gets away with it..

Keith Iddon ● 3362d

The system does not work. People are claiming all over the place. Its so hard for the council to house everyone, with a open door from the EU, but alot of the poepel from the EU actually work.  What is even worse, there are manay many peeple living is council houses earning more than £35,000 a year, as their job status has changed. Should they remiain in social housing? You need to drive up and down the estate and see how mamy new cars there are...The whole system is a mess and generations of family think social housing is the only way. And with this new affordable house scheme (rubbish), the whole thing does not work. Rich get richer....

Raki Smith ● 3362d

Indeed Keith, funnily enough were she eligible to vote (obviously being Slovak she isn't) my other half would vote to leave.

Adam Beamish ● 3362d

We quite often disagree Adam and this is another time.Each to their own, that's the great thing about democracy. It's just a pity the EU isn't run along the same lines.

Keith Iddon ● 3362d

As for the train fares, to Birmingham that would be paid for by the Council, the journeys around London were paid for by the priest who was blinded by his duty of love for his common man !.

Adam Beamish ● 3362d

I don't think it is quite that easy Simon but the system sure isn't what it should be.The whole ball game seemed to change last night when the Romanian family brought along documentation from the guy's previous 'dummy run' when he'd been receiving JSA - seemingly if an EU resident has been here for 3 months and either in employment or receiving JSA then that makes them entitled to housing - next thing we the viewer knew this guy was living in a 3 bed house in Birmingham paid for by housing benefit.So basically someone comes over here, claims JSA for 3 months, then brings their family over and hey presto they get a house paid for through housing benefit.  And supposedly that benefit is taken away after 3 months if the main breadwinner hasn't got a job, but I wonder how often the people are evicted, and, even if they are, they've got at least 6 months of financial support from the state.I don't personally attach much greater weight to someone being locally born and bred, and I can't stand the attitude of "I'm British and this is Britain so I deserve priority" (so charmingly displayed by the woman last night who descended into racist abuse), but nonetheless the system makes it far too easy, and the sad thing is, as Bernard and Raymond have both said, it is the most genuine and deserving people that suffer as a consequence.However, in an extremely rare venture to the polling station for me, I will be voting to remain in, primarily because I am far from convinced Britain will be any better off out of the EU, and indeed expect Britain to be far worse off.  Plus as I have always said I think many of the problems the UK faces are nothing to do with the EU but are simply problems of the world we live in - and in particular my continual bugbear of uncontrolled population growth.

Adam Beamish ● 3362d

How can they afford train fayres?

Simon Anderson ● 3362d

OMG really. U can come here, bring your kids get benefits and a council property just like that. This is ridiculous. I had to wait 7 years to get mine even though i had joint custody of my kids, i moved into 2 different private accommodations and the council would not help me. Things need to change. Has the government not now made it harder to get benefits when you come here? I too will be voting to leave as this is just ridiculous.

Simon Anderson ● 3362d

This just gets worse and is not really putting Hounslow in a good light. Although it is probably just as bad if not worse elsewhere.I've helped a few who have hit rock bottom through no fault of their own. Just bad luck and timing and string of set backs that could befall any of us who don't have resources to fall back on.  Dealing with officials can be really galling, not least because some cannot use basic communication skills. And I suspect most are jaded by the unrelenting tide of the types shown last night who demand, demand and demand.But even as an advocate, removed from the issue, on each occasion it has been embarrassing to observe and get simple facts across.So far only the housing director has come across well. No sign of a valid and able contribution from the Housing portfolio councillors…Yet.But it also reveals who local people born and bred here really are cascaded to the back of the queue, as does anyone who does not push and shove. It's not just Hounslow but Housing Associations, in particular A2Dominion who fail tenants badly and will not deal adequately with those tenants who make lives of those living in the same block a misery, or with the great deal of housing stock that is flawed or below habitable standard.There is a point where local authorities become involved but they are all but hopeless.  Incompetence, indecision, and complete lack of comprehension of what are clear cut issues that can quite easily be solved if only someone would take the plunge and do it.It's only when one digs deeper that the true murk becomes apparent, something a person in need is not likely to do.  The links between officials, both elected and unelected and the boards of the likes of A2D are questionable at the lightest and really need investigating.The profits being made by the same circles out of all this are not just scandalous but clearly close to that of organised crime.When a documentary team get under the skin of that and expose it fully, then we might see some real improvement in quality of life and opportunity for those who deserve and are set back from no fault of their own.The council leaders praise for the staff might be one thing but really a lot of work needs to be done.  No mean task in current times.

Raymond Havelock ● 3362d

'And before anyone says I'm anti-European'...it's not about being anti-European Adam, in my case it's anti -EU and it's frankly ridiculous immigration policy, amomgst other things, including not least it's anti-democracy agenda.

Keith Iddon ● 3362d

Sorry Adam you are decent bloke but you post has just increased my blood pressure quite a bit. Paul knows what I mean and unless you have hit rock bottom in the last couple of years you will have know idea of the attitude of the Hounslow housing staff, when they are like it every time you meet, not just on an off day.

Bernard Allen ● 3362d

Bernard there's always going to be the odd time when staff don't conduct themselves in a perfect way.  Especially in that kind of a role when you're dealing with such tricky situations day in day out.  I've been there and got the T-shirt too, and undoubtedly looking back there's times either I or my colleagues would have been better off handling a situation differently.  Although then again given the physical intimidation and verbal threats that were made towards me on a regular basis maybe not, and no-one is suggesting the 'customers' being filmed are stooges.There are two sides to every story and it would be daft not to recognise that a TV programme of this nature is somewhat stage managed, but it more winds me up that in 90% of the cases featured the customers have basically got themselves into a mess (by getting behind with rent whilst still having every mod con, or by having more children) and expect the Council to bail them out.

Adam Beamish ● 3362d

I agree with you Bernard and I usually have to turn the page in a newspaper (not the Daily Mail or Express) once I have read a certain headline as I think my blood would boil over if I carried on reading some articles about what a soft touch we have become as a CountryAlso agree about the so called caring staff at Hounslow Housing as I have seen first hand how uncaring they are when I tried to get a pregnant lady who was living in a wendy house in a back garden housed and they honestly could not have given a toss

Paul Fisher ● 3362d

I have had to stop watching the program as it's so staged managed it's winding me up. Hounslow staff shown in a such a good light, they are nothing like that when there are no film camera's  around. Having assisted someone who has been there, and got the tee shirt, and seen the true video. I watched the first two programs, for sake of my own blood pressure I didn't watch last night and wont be watching the last program

Bernard Allen ● 3362d

Have to completely agree Adam.  This has given me another reason to vote Leave.  Just because he had applied for Job Seekers was the only reason his family qualified for assistance.  Madness.

Pat Kingham ● 3362d

Indeed Paul.  Perhaps I'm hard but I was quite annoyed with the priest who seemed to bend over backwards to help them, only for it to finally dawn on him that the family were not deserving of help.  I can't stand this reckless, selfish behaviour from anyone (regardless of their nationality) when they have 5 children and then expect the state to give them everything.The husband had effectively already done a dummy run which hadn't gone well as he hadn't found work and had ended up homeless, so it made absolutely no sense why he'd then go back to Romania and bring the wife and 5 kids.  Although actually it made perfect sense because he knew that one way or another the system would help him, which it duly did when he ended up with a 3 bed house paid for through the state.  And surprise surprise he couldn't get a job, but we all know after 3 months he'll still somehow wangle a continuation of JSA and/or housing benefit, or probably have another child to get more from the state or as a lever to avoid deportation.  How I wish that as soon as the family set foot in the Civic Centre the authorities could detain them and send them immediately back on a plane to Romania, and ideally castrate the husband at the same time !.And before anyone says I'm anti-European, my other half is Slovakian and has been here for 14 years, the difference being she pays her own way in this world.  And it infuriates both of us that the way those Romanians were carrying on means so many genuine people get tarred with the same brush.

Adam Beamish ● 3362d