# A poster child for all that is wrong with Government Housing Policies?



## Sarenco (10 Apr 2017)

I posted a link to this article in another thread about AirB&B rentals but reading through it again, I wonder is the author a poster child for everything that is wrong with current Government policies in housing?

http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-...mtime-apartment-that-still-traps-us-1.3042753


Firstly, her family have been burnt by Minister Coveney's crude rental caps as they can only rent their apartment at around 60-70% of its true market rent.

Secondly, her family are clearly apprehensive that their own landlord will decide to sell up - they are in an excellent position to appreciate why her landlord would be motivated by Government policy to exit the market.

Thirdly, her family are adversely affected by Minister Noonan's ongoing failure to allow for full deductibility of LPT and 20% of mortgage interest payments for income tax purposes.

Finally, Minister Coveney's FTB tax rebate is driving up the cost of new homes (per the Governor of the Central Bank), thereby putting the elusive family home further out of reach of the author's family.
Surely Government policy should be directed at assisting - not penalising - young families in this position.

Thoughts?


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## Bronte (11 Apr 2017)

Sarenco said:


> Surely Government policy should be directed at assisting - not penalising - young families in this position.
> 
> Thoughts?



My thoughts are that every single time Government interfers in the property market it causes more problems.  Sometimes disasters (Bacon).  Currently they are all acting like headless chickens and all I'm hearing is tax rebates for FTB, no changes to planning, no actual building going on in any significant numbers, house prices rising (I'm not discussing that just merely pointing out facts), some kind of mad scheme to quick built that seems to cost the earth, no changes to the density issue, tinkering here there and everywhere, politicans screaming for mortgage rules to be eased while simultanously wanting the Central bank to sort out the price issue and no coherency to any of it. Simon is lovely and speaks lovely but actually seems to do diddly squat.

And now landlords can't increase their rents to market rates meaning some properties side by side are worth different amounts.  Crazy stuff.


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## mathepac (11 Apr 2017)

Has there been any change to this situation or is the elephant in the room being ignored still? http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/over-20-000-homes-in-dublin-are-vacant-1.2909055


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## Leo (11 Apr 2017)

mathepac said:


> Has there been any change to this situation or is the elephant in the room being ignored still? http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/over-20-000-homes-in-dublin-are-vacant-1.2909055



Over 259,000 empty nationwide, many owners unwilling to become landlords due to onerous requirements for little gain.


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## mathepac (11 Apr 2017)

A simple Government policy to make that housing stock available to families could go something like:


Rent it out or pay an onerous "empty house tax" for every month it's empty *or*
Put it on the open market *or*
Empower the LAs to take control of the properties for social housing in a lease/buy arrangement *or*
Some other innovative solution to the illusory housing stock problem

Any proposed solution is expecting too much of vested interests, with one big problem being so many politicians and their friends and families as landlords and actions such as these would drive rents/values down. Boo Hoo.


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## SirMille (11 Apr 2017)

Could they declare bankruptcy?


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## Sarenco (11 Apr 2017)

SirMille said:


> Could they declare bankruptcy?



Why would they want to do that?

Remember that their goal is to buy a family home (with borrowed money) - declare bankruptcy and they can forget about achieving that goal within any kind of realistic timeframe.

I actually admire the author's resilient attitude and I really hope they get there eventually. 

I'm very confident that they will.


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## SirMille (11 Apr 2017)

What can be done to meet Covneys for renovation? New doors on the kitchen units?
Is there a list of quantifiable things?


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