A divided society-what can be done?

Because that is what is happening, Chewbacca. If we don't use the laws we have to change things, we will always have 150 families being made homeless every day.

How much money does Kensington council have?
£274 million, enough to buy up and convert a few mansions for those on its waiting list.

"That’s certainly true in Kensington and Chelsea where, as of 1 April 2016, there were 2,753 households on the council’s housing waiting list and 1,652 empty homes listed. But it would be a start. "

An interesting article by Mary Beard about Immigration.

www.the-tls.co.uk/roman-britain-black-white/

She was told the left are always trying to rewrite history to pretend Britain always had mass immigration.

I did say I thought perhaps that they should sell their homes and go and help the poor and needy in their own countries.

But read it as you like!!

Who will buy these £multi-million houses?
Presumably another mega-rich person, such as a football player or media 'personality' who has avoided paying tax.

So would you rather the State requisitioned these houses and spent millions converting them into homes for the homeless than built decent social housing for those who require it in areas where it is needed?

Don't think that's what Jalima said at all durham . How did you extrapolate that from her post!

So you think it is okay that this country is being used as a tax haven for foreign despots, do you, Jalima?

Best to keep things private, particularly for those rich people who are defrauding their own country and buying millions in real estate in London to hide their ill-gotten gains.

Yes I know that Anniebach I'm just being an awkward cow as per usual

In our village of 300 houses a development company has just lost its final appeal to build 200 houses on the field in the centre of the village. Presumably they will put the land on standby for another few years then reapply.
Most of the new owners (if they had got the permission) would have been second home owners. We need housing for real people to live in not weekenders.

We have known for a number of years that the numbers of houses built each year are not sufficient to accommodate this demand.
And that is the nub of the problem MaizieD, not enough social housing and requisitioning houses from people who have bought them is not the answer.
If, of course, LAs wish to purchase houses that buy-to-let landlords/ladies wish to sell at a reasonable market value or to purchase empty houses, that is another matter altogether.

I think one of the best ideas was selling houses for £1 provided people were prepared to renovate them.

It is interesting that some of the posters who think requisitioning other people's property is quite in order are some of the same posters who think it is perfectly OK to requisition someone's private life to further a cause.

There are immigrants living in this country who were born 20+ years ago.

The people now needing homes will have been born some 20+ years ago.

Even if birth rate is declining the increase in population means that more people will be giving birth.

This link suggests that immigration accounts for under half of our population increase.

visual.ons.gov.uk/uk-perspectives-the-changing-population/

It doesn't alter the fact that we aren't building enough houses for our current/projected population.

'Sokay petra I'm no stranger to controversy Just saying .
And what with people living longer....

I'll get my tin hat.....

to whom?

That anyone would support the rights of rich Russian oligarchs and middle eastern sheiks to own property purely for gain rather than use the houses for the purpose they were built for.
I did suggest earlier in the thread that the rich Russian oligarchs could sell these properties (wo whom? - to councils for social housing? - they would need extensive alterations) and spend the money gained building social housing in Russia for the millions and millions there who are homeless.
Philanthropy

Whoa, * giilybob* don't go there, there lies danger
Although our population has risen by over 2 million in 6 years.

Birth rates in the U.K. are apparently down quite significantly ( well according to news program on radio 4 today) so the population increase must only be due to imigration them ?

Your proposition sounds quite feasible, petra until one starts surmising that the 150 families moving into the now vacated homes were presumably homeless themselves before getting the property.

Which means not that there is a massive population increase but that there is a constant, if revolving, population of homeless people.

Population does increase year on year and the demand for homes increases in line with the population increase.

We have known for a number of years that the numbers of houses built each year are not sufficient to accommodate this demand.

If 150 families are being made homeless every day one assumes that someone is moving into the properties that the 150 had to vacate.
Our population is growing at alarming rate if this is the case and B&Bs are obviously the business to be in if you want to make a quick buck.

Where aare all these quotations coming from, durhamjen? It's polite to give your sources.

www.24housing.co.uk/news/calls-for-housing-first-after-concerns-over-rough-sleeping-rise/

A rise in rough sleeping in Wales.

"Some councils have been using compulsory purchase orders to turn properties back into homes. But the process can take two years from start to finish and result in a public inquiry before matters are settled. Sometimes the threat of a CPO or an empty dwelling management order is enough to prompt a homeowner into action, but not always. In Islington, planning permission for new developments now includes a threat of action by the council if the properties are left unoccupied after purchase.

The housing charity Shelter says it is “deeply frustrating” that any houses are sitting unused. But its interim chef executive, Graeme Brown, adds: “While it’s vital that councils have the tools to identify and bring homes left empty for no good reason back into use, we need to remember that even filling all the country’s empty homes would not be enough to end our housing shortage.”

That’s certainly true in Kensington and Chelsea where, as of 1 April 2016, there were 2,753 households on the council’s housing waiting list and 1,652 empty homes listed. But it would be a start."

Anyone live on the line of the HS2? Lots of compulsory purchase of houses there. A whole estate to be knocked down near Sheffield.
That's okay, though, because it's to help people cut 20 minutes off a train journey.

Every day 150 families are made homeless and end up in B&Bs.
Is that not a sign of a divided society?

I think, trisher, that the only bits we have left of our empire are the offshore tax havens where all these rich people store their millions.

.... and he's suddenly gone all quiet on the subject. I wonder why?