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[sheila99]

I don't believe the qualifications are equal. They definitely aren't for vets and they are from Europe where equivalence is more tightly controlled than the rest of the world.

[CLKD]

Well as another aside: across the road, literally, 250 new houses  are being built on what was scrub/woodland.  For over 40 years this land has stood vacant.  Since April we have had badgers in our Estate, this morning a jay in our garden ......... being forced to find other places to live; fortunately the badgers haven't bothered to dig under the fences into our garden but were seen fighting next door.  Hence the lack of hedgehogs ......

I could smell dog fox last week too.   

[sheila99]

I thought you were all for increasing the population? This is the inevitable result.

[CLKD]

Where'd you get that idea from  .  Now I'm confused more than ever ..........

[Sparrow]

This is an interesting article today.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/03/at-least-135000-children-in-britain-will-be-homeless-at-christmas

Surely a very good reason for building more houses??

[sheila99]

It's an extremely good reason why we should have fewer immigrants. And title should say 'in temporary accomodation', to me homeless means no home at all, a temporary home is still a home. Interesting that the worst affected areas are also ones with high immigrant populations.

[CLKD]

Often temporary is better than what the family has left.

The UK is built on immigration and I expect housing is much more available than centuries ago when much larger families than we have now shared rooms as well as not having access to bathrooms and toilets were across the yard regardless of the weather.

The UK has an ageing population where many are getting divorced in their 50s onwards.  We don't want to move, we paid for our property and it is full and well used.  Eventually we will need to move.

But Mum's house has been on the market for nearly 2 years along with others across the UK - so we aren't as short of properties as its made out.  Otherwise Agents would no longer exist!

[Pennyfarthing]

This is an interesting article today.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/03/at-least-135000-children-in-britain-will-be-homeless-at-christmas

Surely a very good reason for building more houses??

Many of these families who become homeless do so because they don't pay their rent but choose to spend their money on things like Sky TV, mobile phones, cigarettes, alcohol etc.  It was a very bad move when the benefits people stopped paying the money direct to the landlord but gave it to the tenant! That is  absolute madness.

As part of his work my husband visits approx 10 homes every day.  Not a week passes when he comes home with stories of designer buggies, wide screen TVs, the whole family on Ipads, pedigree dogs costing thousands, takeaways, but they wait for him to do the work and then say they will send the money on saying they are a bit short this week!  Very often we chase the money for months and sometimes don't get it at all.  That is how they live their lives .... the things they MUST have come first and they don't pay tradesmen or rent. 

If they paid their rent then they wouldn't be homeless.  Nobody would kick a good tenant out. 

[CLKD]

But surely social pays for the wide screen, designer dogs etc.?   

It takes a lot to have renters in, it is no longer open the door and provide a bit of furniture.  Now Landlords have to provide fire certs. etc. quite rightly.  Saftey should be paramount.  Trouble is, renters take landlords for granted.  We paid directly to the Landlady every month. 

[Sparrow]

https://england.shelter.org.uk/donate?reserved_appeal_code=20190401-DF-11&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CN_TgP-qmuYCFcbMGwod

Just in case anyone wants to donate.

Other charities are available.

[Pennyfarthing]

But surely social pays for the wide screen, designer dogs etc.?   

It takes a lot to have renters in, it is no longer open the door and provide a bit of furniture.  Now Landlords have to provide fire certs. etc. quite rightly.  Saftey should be paramount.  Trouble is, renters take landlords for granted.  We paid directly to the Landlady every month.

Whatever money they get whether social pay or they work or they steal it, they should damned well pay their rent first!  they have their priorities wrong.

We are landlords but have wonderful tenants.  We don't have to provide fire certificates ... I believe that's just in Houses of Multiple Occupancy.  I do everything by the letter and have done for many years.  My daughter and her boyfriend would actually like to rent our other house but our tenants have been there 8 years and never been any trouble so no way would I end their tenancy.  If tenants are good they don't end up homeless.

[Sparrow]

www.mungos.org

This one I have donated to for many years.  They do a terrific job and it's that time of year for remembering those less fortunate than ourselves.

My youngest son enquired about volunteering at Christmas, but there are waiting lists for this.  So it seems donations are the way to go.

Just to add, I have just been watching News night and one of the major causes of homelessness is domestic violence.  Shocking.

[sheila99]

Or if you want to support more deserving cases - those who have no control over their own destiny and work hard all day in the blazing sun, often in pain and starving - try this one  https://m.facebook.com/princefluffykareem/  it's where my Xmas donation goes.

If you want to INCREASE homelessness support shelter. They support abolishing section 21 (no fault) termination of tenancies, so the landlord either has a tenant for life or an expensive and lengthy court case (around 7 months). This is too much risk for many landlords who will sell up. It's already happening in Scotland, the number of rental properties has decreased since s21 was abolished there. The law of unintended consequences....

[Pennyfarthing]

Or if you want to support more deserving cases - those who have no control over their own destiny and work hard all day in the blazing sun, often in pain and starving - try this one  https://m.facebook.com/princefluffykareem/  it's where my Xmas donation goes.

If you want to INCREASE homelessness support shelter. They support abolishing section 21 (no fault) termination of tenancies, so the landlord either has a tenant for life or an expensive and lengthy court case (around 7 months). This is too much risk for many landlords who will sell up. It's already happening in Scotland, the number of rental properties has decreased since s21 was abolished there. The law of unintended consequences....

We support a small local horse charity Sheila.  We take a couple of bags of feed rather than giving cash.  We are down to one horse now as our other horse was sadly PTS just before Xmas last year.  We also give them rugs and horse blankets we no longer need. 

This year I am not sending cards but giving donation in lieu to Alzheimers Charity as my Mum has that and its terrible.

Back to housing again and I saw that Corbyn wants to give private tenants the right to buy!!!  I have never read anything so ridiculous in my life!! I am convinced he is insane. 

[CLKD]

Sadly many women stay with violent partners as there is a threat to pets ......... Dogs Trust [I think] were setting up refuges for pets which would then be fostered by people until the woman/children were settled.  I know that my Dad would threaten our dog when he was really angry ......

Thanks for all the ideas.  I think 1 has to decide now if 1 wants to volunteer so that the various police checks can be done.  Maybe look at a Church support group who do soup kitchens etc.? and offer services in the year so that 1 knows the routine.