Don’t say it too loudly, but immigrant workforce (who will ironically need somewhere to live while they are building houses)

Considering 90%-ish of new housing supply just goes to offsetting the additional housing demand caused by net migration, this sounds a bit like drinking salt water to cure your thirst…

They will not come on restricted visas when they can work elsewhere with FOM

Immigrants have come to the UK in increasing numbers since Brexit. They’re just not immigrants from the EU…if that matters to you.

demand (both to buy and rent) has been pushed by a lack of supply, a lack of building limits that supply, BTLs soak up some more supply

BTL doesn’t reduce the aggregate supply of housing in the UK. Not by a single unit. The flat or house still exists and people still live in it – it’s just on the rental market instead of being owner-occupied.

If an independent can update the electronic record and clear the warning on the infotainment display, that might be the way to go.

Look online. It used to be possible to reset the warning by a combination of button presses, key insertions, flap wiggles etc…

it’s crazy that the comfortably off make money on property booms

if you buy a house for £100, sell it for £200, and buy a replacement house for £200…you haven’t actually made money. You have to downsize, move somewhere cheaper or die to make money. We don’t want to make downsizing or moving less attractive because that locks up supply.

Christ on a bike (rack)

PCA – BTL acts as a mechanism to transfer money from poor to rich.

Yes, in the general sense that wealth in a capitalist society flows towards those with capital. But I need hardly lecture the Czar of a real estate empire about that ;)

What’s weirder is the government taking tax from the middle class to pay for housing for the working class but filtering that money through the pockets of a million private landlords instead of owning the housing itself.

It’s not, in any sense, “admitting guilt”.

@greatbeardedone: is this the one you have? Are they worth it? I’d take a punt if you could post it…

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/uppatvind-air-purifier-50498224/

It’s probably automated and certainly they’re taking a swing at collecting money speculatively. Depending on whether your name and location is on the webpage, they probably don’t know who you are or where you are, so they couldn’t sue you yet. (They could get third party disclosure from ISPs etc but that takes time and money).

If you have already deleted it, I would ignore it in the first instance. If they email again and it looks legit,  I agree with Poly – “I don’t agree with your assertions but I have removed the image and consider this correspondence closed”. I wouldn’t panic by any means.

The impact of so many people jumping on the BTL bandwagon has meant starter homes are hard to find / unaffordable and rents are so high.

Rents would fall if everyone was piling in on BTL and everything else stayed the same. It’s 20 years of cheap interest rates, constraints on new construction, and massive increase in demand that are the problem, not BTL.

(I only own the house I live in, and with a huge mortgage. I seem to be the only dickhead in my generation that hasn’t made a squillion quid by buying 4 BTLs.

Before I bought my current place, I rented from a BTL landlord who was a really nice guy and kept the property in immaculate condition. The landlord before that was renting out the house he grew up in. The landlord before that was renting out the house while he worked overseas.)

Let’s not forget the important bit of every episode of ‘homes under the hammer‘ where Dave and Julie find out from three little oiks what the valuation and rental potential is.

HutH is a crap show. These are people spending £200,000 on a property, spending £30,000 doing it up over 9 months, selling it for £255,000 and then reckoning they’re geniuses.

The lack of housing stock, the demand driven price rises, the locals unable to buy where they grew up… That’s your* fault I’m afraid.

Landlords don’t affect the supply of housing stock and they certainly don’t affect demand for housing! If there was massive oversupply you’d be able to rent for €400 like in rural Italy or France.

in our city is older larger family homes get turned into crappy bedsits and student lets (though it has got better as the uni has started building dedicated blocks to cash in on student rent)

Worth pointing out that a big chunk of student housing demand is driven by foreign students. They’ve gone from 12% to 25% of student numbers in the last 20 years, and in recent years there’s been a large growth in the number of dependents brought with them (which also increases housing demand, obviously).

The massive drive for foreign students is great in the short term for people that sell education, because they get to keep the fees. How are the costs distributed across society? (I should say that I personally have gained massively from a similar policy).

https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/student-migration-to-the-uk/

Why is the landlord paying a mortgage?

1) because not many investors are paying 100% cash for rental properties

2) because even if they’re not paying mortgages, if rent is below the amount the mortgage would be, it’s probably a bad investment.

An BTL mortgage is about 5% atm and savings pays about 5% too. If the rent isn’t producing a 5% return, then I’d be better off selling the property (or not buying the property) and just sticking the money in a savings account. Actually considering the fact the landlord needs to pay tax and there are some costs associated with being a landlord and they want a profit, it needs to be a chunk above the amount required just to pay the mortgage.

Yes, there are exceptions (there’s a certain stickiness, you can get people that don’t consider the cost of capital esp if they inherited the property or have an emotional attachment to it, or if property prices are rising so quickly that it’s worth suffering a short term loss) but for the market as a whole, rents should always be higher than mortgage payments, otherwise why would the landlord bother?

rent in my area has always been at, or more than the mortgage would cost to buy the place.

If rent were less than the mortgage then it probably wouldn’t be worth the landlord renting it out.

This would be a good article…

Why could we not have a clause like they do in NI?

A clause in what? Think it through.

This is such a boring, oxygen-sucking conversation that is only of interest to constitutional law enthusiasts. It is of precisely zero practical use. I am going to do myself a favour and never discuss independence or this constitutional toss ever again. There are so many more interesting topics in Scottish politics beyond this stultifying search for marks of oppression and victimhood.

What precisely is this “totally transparent pathway to independence that has been tested and worked fine” then?

The exact same one that happened in 2014. You don’t have a legal problem. You have a “not enough people are convinced independence is a good idea” problem.

ETA: this is a classic example of how obtuse, abstruse (and dare I say caboose) grievance politics about legalistic constitutional toss sucks the air out of Scottish politics.

PCA – if you want to use immigration in your calculations you also need to factor in the low UK birthrates – ie some of that immigration goes to stop the population shinking which it would do due to falling birthrates

That is an entirely fair point, true. However, net immigration is far, far higher than merely offsetting the slow decline in population as a result of reduced fertility.

The UK’s population would grow from 67 million in 2021 to 77 million in 2046, and that net migration would account for 92% of this growth.

https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/the-impact-of-migration-on-uk-population-growth/

I certainly think that a route to Scottish independence should be enshrined in Scottish law.

This is a total non-issue, a circlejerk that makes absolutely sod all difference to the actual lives of ordinary people. It’s a grievance complex looking for a grievance. There is already a totally transparent pathway to independence that has been tested and worked fine. There is zero legal problem for nationalists. The problem has been a failure of support among the electorate when it comes to the crunch. Instead of spending blethering about an academic non-problem that would takes years of tedious discussion to “solve”, nationalists should focus on making the idea more attractive.

The idea is to target boomers etc. who have massive gains just from being born in the right decade and owning a property for the last 30 years…

This would have the opposite effect you want it to have. Increasing transaction costs reduces the volume of supply and encourages people to stay put. This is a big problem in the US at the moment with a different cause: a huge chunk of people have non-portable 25 year fixed rate mortgages on very low interest rates. If they move, even to a smaller place, their monthly payment will be far higher – so they stay where they are. This reduces liquidity on the market and labour mobility.

We need more homes for people,  simple as supply and demand.

2 pages in and no-one is talking about the demand side? Net migration to the UK in 2023 was 685,000, disproportionately in SE England. If our new neighbours lived 3.5 to a property (which is high – the average household size in the UK is 2.4 people), the UK (and disproportionately SE England) would need 200,000 new homes just to stand still. In fact, 212,000 homes were built – so 90% of new construction just went to offset the increased demand caused by immigration.

https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/long-term-international-migration-flows-to-and-from-the-uk/

https://www.housingtoday.co.uk/news/more-than-212000-new-homes-built-last-year-annual-housing-supply-figures-show/5126619.article

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/bulletins/familiesandhouseholds/2022

Get AirBnB (and similar sites) have to report how much it paid to whom to HMRC.  All AirBnB (which are not part of the main residence) should be regarded as a business and taxed and regulated as such.

This already happens, and rental income is all business income.

Also, there was an immense amount of moaning on here when HMRC got provided all eBay seller data…

https://www.thp.co.uk/airbnb-tax-crackdown/

Sorry double post

Process to be revised so that Approvals can come with fixed conditions for developers to meet before proceeding i.e:

“Developer to fund upgrade to local roads used for access, in order to prevent congestion”

This already happens – its a section 106 agreement

. The council can also charge a Community Infrastructure Levy.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/community-infrastructure-levy

When new housing is built, can communities get the infrastructure to go with it?

DNS(A)

Did Not Show (Arsehole)?

What are you on about? I’m talking about a referendum, not an election.

Well, sure, but referenda have no particular constitutional status in this country, and if the requirement for approval was 50% or 60% of the electorate, then the status quo would never change.

My guess is at the next holyrood election labour will be the biggest party but even with lib dem support too small to create a functioning government.

I think the hatred of the SNP would drive them that way.

Well, of course TJ, if Labour government didn’t have a majority, it would only have trouble functioning if the SNP couldn’t get over its tribal hatred of Labour to work together on issues thay they agree on.

There would be lots of opportunities for the SNP to vote with a Labour government considering you think there is nothing between them aside from constitutional issues. Apart from health. And education. And personal care.

I also remember  some stories about Labour councils allowing Orange marches to go ahead, despite a record of violence but not allowing independence marches to go ahead in the same area on a different date and with no record of violence.

Can you be more specific about that? The big marches over the weekend were in Glasgow and North Lanarkshire, where the councils are SNP and Labour respectively.

I think pointing at 2 or 3 councillors out of 1226 councillors across the whole of Scotland is a bit weak to say there are “strong associations” between the Orange Order and Labour.

Yes – repeatedly many times over decades.  Long established policy.  Work with a labour westminster government, oppose a tory one

Artfully ignoring the bolding, there, TJ, and betraying the SNP’s tribal hatred of the Tories!

The obvious coalition would be labour / SNP

Why is that an obvious coalition? The SNP fundamentally disagrees with the Labour Party about the role of government and the priorities for the Scottish government. If they didn’t, they’d be basically the same Party and they wouldn’t compete in elections. You can’t simultaneously believe that Labour and Tories are basically the same (as you have, many times) but also say the SNP and Labour are obvious coalition partners. The constant thread through your complaints about the Labour Party is a disbelief that they won’t simply agree with the SNP and do what the SNP wants.

the usual smear that the SNP are the same as the far right nationalist and populist parties.  The SNP are neither

I didn’t say that – I said that populist and nationalist parties in Europe had accepted Kremlin-linked funding. Russia has a sustained policy of making funds and resources available to political parties and personalities that can destabilise domestic politics in hostile countries.

It’s not a coincidence that George Galloway and Alex Salmond were paid for their gigs on Russia Today for years, and that Sputnik set itself up in Edinburgh with its first local hire being a nationalist activist.

Given the SNP’s dire financial management, its current institutional weakness, and its predilection for being suckered by rich businessmen (see: ferry fiasco), they’re ripe for an approach by spivs and spies. Hopefully they’ll be able to fight both off.

SNP have clearly said they will work with Labour and welcome a labour government in Westminster

Have they? I looked around and couldn’t find any sign of a welcome.

Labour in Scotland still has strong associations with the Orange Order if you want to talk ‘tribal’ politics- their turnout was probably low because they’re over in Ireland setting fire to things.

Rofl! Yeah, right. That’ll be why the most Catholic, Jewish and Asian constituency in Scotland – Glasgow South – just elected a Labour MP. A shame, really, I bet Anas Sarwar would fit right in at LOL Pollokshields. Do you think he’d play a fife or the big bashy drum?

we know folk vote differently  in a PR election

There is no tribal hatred going the other way.  Nnne.

“What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.”

Anyway, more interestingly: is there anything that the SNP is willing and capable of working with Labour on in Westminster to serve the population of Scotland better? If yes, what is it, specifically?

And how will the SNP cope with no reportable donations in Q1 2024 and a £1 million reduction in public funding to the party? The next big donor that comes along is going to have a lot of influence over the party’s policy base. Hopefully they’re choosy enough not to open the door to proxies of the Kremlin (as we’ve seen with nationalist and populist parties elsewhere in Europe, including the Tories).

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24435540.tough-choices-ahead-snp-party-set-lose-900k/

The SNP and Sturgeon and Yousaf and Swinney have shown nothing but contempt for Westminster.  It’s gonna take a lot to get trust back.

Unless someone can remind Starmer that Scotland exists.  You reckon that’s going to happen?

This aged well! lol

On his second full day as prime minister, Keir Starmer is setting off on a tour around the UK intended to reset relations with the devolved governments. He will be in Scotland this evening…

“And that begins today with an immediate reset of my government’s approach to working with the first and deputy first ministers because meaningful co-operation centred on respect will be key to delivering change across our United Kingdom.

“Together we can begin the work to rebuild our country with a resolute focus on serving working people once again.”

Hopefully the SNP can overcome its tribal hatred of Labour to co-operate given the mandate for its platform given to it by voters.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2024/jul/07/keir-starmer-labour-uk-general-election-scotland-wales-northern-ireland-visit-latest-news

I quite like Absolute Radio…Adverts and the phone in competition are annoying but it makes good background.

If the atmosphere you’re trying to create is “waiting at the special collections desk of a plumber’s merchant”, then yes.

I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to have seen or photographed this checklist but leave it on display in a house my daughter rents and what laws have been broken?

Left in plain view in your daughter’s flat and you’re a lawful entrant? No obligation of confidence is upon you.

 I really do have sympathy for the LL on many of these mould complaints. Many houses are just not suitable for 4 separate individuals to be living there, they are just not ventilated enough

lol

Are you sure he’s not on STW now?

If that was aimed at me, then as a doctor, I resent the implication.

Seems too much chat these days about immigration, but none about emigration.

Well, yeah – the “chat” is about immigration because net immigration to the UK is what we are experiencing right now. If there were net emigration to the UK, we would be discussing that – but there isn’t. If emigration and immigration were roughly equal, there would be nothing to discuss at all.

Why insist on discussing the Scottish Government’s current performance instead of an awful 2026 scenario that I’ve just invented?  ?

That Fraser article sounds like it was dictated from the back seat of a taxi on the way home from the golf club. It doesn’t do much in the way of facts.

The UK is basically two separate countries when it comes to immigration: SE England, which has very high levels of immigration and, and the rest. Scotland is right in the middle of the rankings of “the rest” in terms of where immigrants in the UK live. It is heavier on EU immigrants and lighter on Rest of World immigrants.

https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/where-do-migrants-live-in-the-uk/

I don’t agree with the assumption that Scotland needs more immigrants or with the attitude that people are chattels that can be “imported”. But even if it did, the Scottish Parliament already has the powers it needs to make Scotland a more attractive place to live and attract more workers from the pool of ~70 million people in the UK and Ireland who could move to Scotland tomorrow, let alone some of the 5.5 million UK citizens that live overseas.

in a couple of years they are going to be the leaders of a coalition in Holyrood.  There will be no more excuses, that if only it wasn’t for the Tories/the SNP Scotland would be great.

What does that specifically have to do with needing to “remind Starmer that Scotland exists”?

Unless someone can remind Starmer that Scotland exists.  You reckon that’s going to happen?

What specifically do you mean by this?

Will the Russian embassy move to Clacton? Well, it’s true that historically the search for warm water ports has been a strategic priority for Russia…

In any case, the UK election is over. It’s been a massive success for Labour under Starmer, and that’s undeniable by anyone outside the Corbyn-Galloway-Abbot supernatural reality distortion forcefield. It’s also been a huge success for the Lib Dems and Greens and Reform. And it’s a well-deserved drubbing for the SNP and Tories who should reinvent themselves as sensible, transparent European republican and centre right parties respectively…but probably instead they will give in to the worse grievance neuroses of their core members and go completely batshit.

Cheerio!