NEW CHARTER HOUSING BEWARE!

Now we all know that local authorities are increasingly turning to the ‘private sector’ to tackle homelessness and house their social tenants. 

The reason for this is despite council housing waiting lists getting ever longer and longer, councils have not been building new social housing for years.

However, despite Tameside councils reluctance to build and offer for rent, much needed family homes, it appears that at least two enterprising councillors have spotted the economic opportunities presented by this ready supply of desperate renters, and used their entrepreneurial skills; (presumably acquired whilst sitting on Tameside council, as Chair and Deputy Chair of Dukinfield District Assembly) to plug a small hole in the very large gap in the local social housing market, by setting themselves up as property speculators.

Cllr Jackie Lane, now with 3 properties in Hyde and Dukinfield and Cllr Brian Wild with 5 properties in Dukinfield, have both announced their ‘property portfolios in the Member's declaration of interests.

Now, this might, on the face of it, seem like quite 'a nice little earner', but it must be quite a political dilemma for these ‘socialist ‘councillors, because now with the Tory led Government’s ‘cuts’ and the reduced level of housing benefits available, many private renters now find themselves with an inability to pay the extortionately high level of rent, demanded by private sector landlords and consequently fear being turfed out back on the streets.

With over one million households on housing benefit renting from private landlords. Property investors who targeted this huge pool of tenants, up till now have found it a profitable and dependable business.

The prime advantage for landlords being the reliability of the rental income, which came from the local authority, underpinned by taxpayers.

 

However, looking at the recent photograph as published on yet another career councillors blog, it would suggest that ‘Wild/Lane estates’ are about cover their bets by expanding into the new build sector, too!

Don’t ya’ just love socialists?