tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post4794439025811270425..comments2024-01-30T07:41:20.885+00:00Comments on Broken Barnet: From Bishops Avenue to Strawberry Vale, or: how not to be poor, in Broken BarnetMrs Angryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00586223909475832791noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-41046012467279907412014-02-08T20:55:33.121+00:002014-02-08T20:55:33.121+00:00The injustice and cruelty of the bedroom tax makes...The injustice and cruelty of the bedroom tax makes me want to cry with rage: the immensely privileged, sanctimonious Tory politicians who are imposing such misery on ordinary families quite clearly derive an almost pyschopathic pleasure from the humiliation and distress that their loathsome policy creates. <br /><br />In the Tories' mind, prerogative applies not on a basis of worth, or need, but as the rightful prize of the powerful. <br /><br />Money talks: the poor and disadvantaged have no power, and therefore no voice. <br /><br />It is a brutal, venal philosophy, and perfectly explains the benign tolerance shown to the billionaire speculators and absentee residents of Bishops Avenue. Mrs Angryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00586223909475832791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-76719762338930626252014-02-08T11:36:44.710+00:002014-02-08T11:36:44.710+00:00Clearly empty properties should be taxed, it's...Clearly empty properties should be taxed, it's total commonsense. And taxed quite heavily using a progressive time based scale, say a 50% compound annual increase. The income from this tax should be ring fenced and used locally for the benefit of local people, most preferably with a community emphasis. The proerty should be reviewed annually, taking account of CURRENT value and number of bedrooms going to waste.<br /><br />Plus, if the property or grounds are deemed to be in a state of serious disrepair, or decoration, or boarded up a further tax should apply for each 'social offence'.<br /><br />Further, holiday homes which are not FULLY let out should also fall into this category, as they too are depriving local communities of both income and local housing, and while the tax tax level should be 'nominal', local councils should base the amount upon local impact and factor in how much of the year the property remains vacant.<br /><br />Clearly these taxes are not going to be easy to administer, especially when you are dealing with the wealthy who perversely are very happy paying an expensive accountant to avoid tax. However, assuming the income raised is spent wisely and as close as possible to the blighted areas, then at least the REAL local population will have some form of compensation.<br /><br />All very sensible, although fraught with practical difficulties. But we all know money speaks. Far better (and so much easier) to attack the vulnerable at source. Perhaps we can shortly expect those on benefits lucky enough have an unused garage and/or driveway or parking space to be subject to a "No Car" tax. And as ridiculous and iniquitous as that sounds, who an earth several years ago would have predicted a "bedroom tax"?<br /><br />Now that the government has seen fit to pick upon the deprived for "empty bedrooms", it seems only fair to me that the logical progression of this tax should now extend to private owners with empty or under used homes. Those on benefits spend their money locally, those with empty homes spend little or nothing.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-5982671955466554792014-02-06T21:38:30.919+00:002014-02-06T21:38:30.919+00:00Yes, that was my reaction too, to the awful though...Yes, that was my reaction too, to the awful thought that buyers might choose to buy elsewhere: so what? Their purchase of a house in Bishops Avenue brings no economic benefit to us, only the dubious pleasure of an absentee landlord, content to let his property stand neglected. <br /><br />I think Andrew Harper's comment was most telling, a shrug: their prerogative. His young colleague,Cllr Davey, who is responsible for housing policy, has said he would rather see Russian oligarchs in the borough than those burdensome residents who depend on council services.<br /><br />Thatcher's heirs: she would be so proud.Mrs Angryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00586223909475832791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-21352132439392509252014-02-06T19:21:18.515+00:002014-02-06T19:21:18.515+00:00I read the Guardian article with interest in parti...I read the Guardian article with interest in particular Andreas Panayitou, a property tycoon selling one of the empty mansions, Heath Hall, for £65m who admitted that the derelict Saudi properties "really let the road down" and added he fully agreed with Boris Johnson that London homes were not "blocks of bullion" and further stated "You don't want empty streets and people just parking their money. You need people to live in them or rent them". Fair enough I think and laudible.<br /><br />However, he then argued against increasing taxes on unoccupied homes, which he said would be an "annoyance" that would make buyers choose Monte Carlo or Milan instead of London.<br /><br />Great I say, let them choose Monte Carlo or Milan and more preferably anywhere other than this country. If they are not going to use their property productively then they are just leeching off the rest of us mere tax paying mortals. By avoiding Stamp Duty, and not even living in the country just what are they contributing? Nothing.... absolutely nothing, other than Council Tax which would be paid by any owner, and even this Thatcher legacy tax is regressive, totally favouring the wealthy.<br /><br />The continual deficit to the local community, local economy and national economy is immense. When the property is finally sold, more money simply vanishes off to a tax haven..... again avoiding tax.<br /><br />Let's hope the lovely bedroom tax helps offset this loss. Sic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com