Buy to lets

[Stuart Noble]

I think aerial erectors still do here.

Why should anyone be prevented from cleaning a toilet?

[Maria]

It does, but people do not choose to exercise that power. They are afraid of being hurt, but are also frightened to lose money.

We could argue about that all day! Government says there is, unemployment figures say there isn't, judging by the number of factory jobs in my local rag at the moment I would say there is. Even so...if people didn't have job for life mentality, they might have the courage to walk away from workplaces which are dangerous. If everyonr could shed the job-for-life mentality, then no worker would agree to work in a dangerous workplace and the owner of the dangerous workplace would be forced to upgrade in order to attract workers.

Well I can't speak for people who don't bother to pursue it - you can try to get redress through the courts for anything - even a neighbours fence that falls down and injures you.

[The Natural Philosopher]

But highly illiquid.

[Maria]

Some of the roofers here do also! In fact. if I could find a roofer that walks up the roof that doesn't have a waiting list a mile long, I'd use one myself - other than that, I need to pay £500 to get scaffolding erected to replace one single broken roof tile...

I have no idea I'm afraid. Dangerous chemicals? Inability to understand which sponge or mop you are supposed to use for which job?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Well that was the stated reason, yes.

But like foxhunting,in fact is was really about a vociferous lobby wanting to impose their sets of values on the country.

[Maria]

Indeed. This was self-evident when on the run up to the smoking ban, someone invented a nicotine gel you could rub in your hands to satisfy your cravings if you were going out - the health lobby was up in arms about it. They said the idea was to stop people smoking, not for smokers to get their nicotine addiction kick some other way. So there we have it.

[Maria]

I think in pubs which are not restaurants, I saw figures touted that

66- 75% of clients were smokers. You are catering to a different market (which is why I thought you had a good chance of success!).

[Phil Gardner]

.

You are correct on all of the points you made re finance.

I have decided to go ahead with the purchase nothing ventured as they say.

Thanks to everyone else who replied and took the trouble to point out their opinions.

[Man at B&Q]

Who didn't always have the choice of being told the dangers of the work they were doing and so carried on in blissful ignorance until it was too late.

MBQ

[meow2222]

Better to let those that cant buy live on the streets then? Methinks Norman has gotten separated from his wisdom.

If there's a parasite in the works, its government regulation. In most countries those unable to buy can erect a cheap building for very little cost (under 1kif necessary), but here one has to jump through a mass of very very expensive hoops.

NT

[TheScullster]

"Owain" wrote

I have one and the build quality is distinctily average and the upstairs "stud" walls have no studs - paramount panels. So sound transmission between rooms is high! I would look to the 80's at least for better construction standard and cavity wall insulation during build etc. All depends on the builder of course

Phil

[Bob Mannix]

You mean like food retailers - are they similar low forms? It's impractical for everyone to grow their own food or they don't want to, so retailers form to provide the food at a cost which the consumer accepts and which benefits them. Some can't buy property or don't wish to, others fulfil the need by sourcing the property and letting it out at a cost the consumer accepts and which benefits them. The more landlords the better for the consumer as the letting prices will drop.

[meow2222]

The BTL market will affect price to some degree, but primarily prices depend on the cost to build new, which in this country is excessively high. Removing btl would not reduce the cost of new build any.

Removing btl would also not make those that cant buy suddenly able to.

As for tenants not having the deposit, maybe they need to learn basic financial responsibility so they can afford what they need in life. Its a pretty poor show to blame someone else for that. Doubly so in a country where minimum wage brings in 3x a single persons living cost.

And for the last myth, it is surely genuinely naive to believe that every young person that loses their deposit has been done a wrong. Unless you believe all youngsters 100% sensible & responsible.

The landlord is demonised by people that dont want to take responsibility for themselves, but IRL landlords provide a very necessary service for the many unable to buy. Landlords are essential service providers.

NT

[meow2222]

Those ones usually leave the business after a couple of years having made nothing, and unhappy with their experience. This same phenomenon occurs in most business sectors of course.

NT

[Clive George]

Um, in recent years the cost to build the place has been a rather small proportion of the total cost - the cost of the land is the main one, which is directly related to house prices rather than building prices.

cheers, clive

[The Medway Handyman]

The smoking ban is about the pharmacuticle companies making a fortune out of patches and a few voiciferous pressure groups. No link between passive smoking & cancer or asthma.

[meow2222]

Do you wish to share with us what sort of percentage return you expect to get, after taking all the costs and vacant times into account?

NT

[Andrew May]

In economic terms it is pretty much the other way around. The secondhand market is the price-setter, the new build the price follower. If the price of second-hand property falls then builders will be forced to lower their prices in order to sell. To maintain some semblance of profit and given the relatively fixed costs of building this will result in a fall in the price of land - which has no intrinsic value other than a value based on what one can do with it - usually build houses.

Andrew

[Doctor Drivel]

Please eff off as you are vacant in the head.

[meow2222]

To understand it properly one has to appreciate that the situation is different for different workers. At the bottom end there are workers that no-one wants trying to get jobs. For these people there is no ability to bargain in the way you say, if they get a job theyre lucky, and they dont really have other options. H&S laws are needed for these people mroe than the others.

For workers who are in demand its the other way, and yes one has the power to negotiate. However as you semi-suggest, that doesnt necessarily mean that some aspects of working conditions are the most important issue, and IRL many choose to stay in unsatisfactory situations because its their best option in their eyes.

But this doesn't motivate employers enough. Due to human factors some think they'll get away with it, or don't spot the risks present.

Failure to understand the risks is also an issue with the idea of workers walking out of anywhere where they're not happy with safety. Raw capitalism sounds ok in principle, but doesnt really work adequately in practice. OTOH the other options are far from satisfactory either.

NT