Work starts on the eagerly awaited new Foxtons office on Brixton Road

[AprilNatalie]

I'm not entirely convinced that the majority of people now moving into Brixton are doing so because they are attracted to its 'cultural history'.

I'd say many are more attracted by what it has to offer now, as well as its proximity to central London, the Village, the trendy bars, the excellent transport links and the fact that it's it's seen as a 'nicer' and 'safer' place to live than in the past.

As I said, its 'one of the reasons'. Personally having been brought up in Putney and being of Caribbean heritage, I found it incredibly refreshing to experience an area where culture is so prominent and diverse, and I'm pretty sure that a lot of other people feel the same way. What I was trying to say is that all these new things that Brixton has to offer can only stand as positives, however the main thing that Brixton has to lose in this situation is its authenticity.

....except the have-nots, whose families have been here for generations in some cases, are being swept away because they can't afford to stay.

This is a fair point, however it's important to bear in mind that half the reason Brixton has such a diverse mix of cultures and races is because of the influx of immigrants during the 1940s and 50s, and I'm sure the previous residents during that time had similar views as the ones people seem to be making now - not to mention using race in an accusatory way similarly to how the blame is solely put upon 'hipsters', 'yuppies' and 'city slickers'. As an young art student I probably fall into the category of 'hipsters', yet being a South Londoner since birth I have a problem with being blamed for 'families being swept away' simply because of my lifestyle and fashion choices.

 

[leanderman]

Are the families 'being swept away' those in private rented accommodation? Surely those in social housing have some form of protection against the high rents all across London?

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Are the families 'being swept away' those in private rented accommodation? Surely those in social housing have some form of protection against the high rents all across London?

Housing Association rents are pegged to market rent. I'm in social housing and a couple of years ago my rent went up by 80 squid a month. Considering my take-home pay was under £800 a month you can see the difficulty. My rent goes up every year.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I would add, there's quite a complicated formula in calculating rent rises in housing association properties. Although popular belief is that social housing rents are subsidised, they're not. They make a profit which is ploughed back into the housing association. It could be argued that with tax breaks, buy-to-let landlords are subsidised. It's the private landlords that are really making a killing and of course the law of supply and demand means that, for instance, rents in Brixton are silly whereas rents in say, Hull, are not.

 

[Pickman's model]

I would add, there's quite a complicated formula in calculating rent rises in housing association properties. Although popular belief is that social housing rents are subsidised, they're not. They make a profit which is ploughed back into the housing association. It could be argued that with tax breaks, buy-to-let landlords are subsidised. It's the private landlords that are really making a killing and of course the law of supply and demand means that, for instance, rents in Brixton are silly whereas rents in say, Hull, are not.

Although I expect a lot of people in hull think their rents are silly

 

[Greebo]

Although I expect a lot of people in hull think their rents are silly

Relative to the level of local earnings, they probably are.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Although I expect a lot of people in hull think their rents are silly

Paging longdog

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Relative to the level of local earnings, they probably are.

I suspect though, not as silly as in the South East. Average earnings are really bumped up by people in extremely well-paid (some might say overpaid) jobs. meanwhile there are so many people doing high-value, low-paid jobs who are really struggling to keep their heads above water.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Are the families 'being swept away' those in private rented accommodation? Surely those in social housing have some form of protection against the high rents all across London?

Oh, I wish it were so. Yes, swept away is what's happening....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/27/reconfiguration-london-akin-social-cleansing

 

[Mrs Magpie]

....It's like American multi-millionaires planted an idea in the minds of the powers that be.....

Madonna says she loves living in London - except for all the council housing.
The singer, who has lived in her luxury Kensington home for three years, said she was in awe of the capital's architecture and its fantastic gardens. 'I love the way the city looks, minus all the council estates randomly and profusely built up everywhere,' she told Vanity Fair magazine.
She also complained there was no way to get builders to work on Saturdays.

 

[Pickman's model]

....It's like American multi-millionaires planted an idea in the minds of the powers that be.....

so she was also instrumental in helping poland's bid to join the eu.

 

[MillwallShoes]

....It's like American multi-millionaires planted an idea in the minds of the powers that be.....

should be bared from the country.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

should be bared from the country.

She's done a bit too much baring if you ask me.

 

[TonyH82]

....except the have-nots, whose families have been here for generations in some cases, are being swept away because they can't afford to stay.

It is not just the "have-nots" who are suffering from this. London is getting more and more expensive and people are having to look elsewhere for a suitable place to live.

Many of the so-called "yuppies" who are moving to Brixton are just normal people, working normal jobs, who are trying to get on with their lives.

It is not the fault of Foxtons / Honest Burgers / Yuppies that successive governments have done nothing to encourage house building in the capital. But whoever vandalised that window is too stupid to put the blame where it belongs...

 

[secateurz]

so the have nots are complaining that the have mores are, entirely fairly, moving to an area they happen to live in and paying rents dictated by market forces. I am sorry but I find the idea that a 24 year old graduate earning 26k that wants to move here is getting grief utterley appaling.

I mean really?!? its everybody elses fault that you cant afford to live here? move OUT OF ZONE 2 ON THE FRICKIN VICTORIA LINE

(in more extreme examples) why should the tax payer pay for people to live in areas they they themselves couldnt afford to live? it boggles my mind

 

[TruXta]

so the have nots are complaining that the have mores are, entirely fairly, moving to an area they happen to live in and paying rents dictated by market forces. I am sorry but I find the idea that a 24 year old graduate earning 26k that wants to move here is getting grief utterley appaling.

I mean really?!? its everybody elses fault that you cant afford to live here? move OUT OF ZONE 2 ON THE FRICKIN VICTORIA LINE

(in more extreme examples) why should the tax payer pay for people to live in areas they they themselves couldnt afford to live? it boggles my mind

Show's the expansiveness of your mind more than anything else. Moron.

 

[Pickman's model]

so the have nots are complaining that the have mores are, entirely fairly, moving to an area they happen to live in and paying rents dictated by market forces. I am sorry but I find the idea that a 24 year old graduate earning 26k that wants to move here is getting grief utterley appaling.

I mean really?!? its everybody elses fault that you cant afford to live here? move OUT OF ZONE 2 ON THE FRICKIN VICTORIA LINE

(in more extreme examples) why should the tax payer pay for people to live in areas they they themselves couldnt afford to live? it boggles my mind

i see you've been a member since last november 18. i wouldn't bet on seeing april 18 as a member if i were you.

 

[Pickman's model]

so the have nots are complaining that the have mores are, entirely fairly, moving to an area they happen to live in and paying rents dictated by market forces. I am sorry but I find the idea that a 24 year old graduate earning 26k that wants to move here is getting grief utterley appaling.

I mean really?!? its everybody elses fault that you cant afford to live here? move OUT OF ZONE 2 ON THE FRICKIN VICTORIA LINE

(in more extreme examples) why should the tax payer pay for people to live in areas they they themselves couldnt afford to live? it boggles my mind

given that EVERYONE pays tax, be they rich, poor or middling, could you perhaps rethink your sentence 'why should the tax payer pay for people to live in area they themselves couldn't afford to?'

 

[ddraig]

Show's the expansiveness of your mind more than anything else. Moron.

think you meant Moran!

 

[Chilavert]

so the have nots are complaining that the have mores are, entirely fairly, moving to an area they happen to live in and paying rents dictated by market forces. I am sorry but I find the idea that a 24 year old graduate earning 26k that wants to move here is getting grief utterley appaling.

I mean really?!? its everybody elses fault that you cant afford to live here? move OUT OF ZONE 2 ON THE FRICKIN VICTORIA LINE

(in more extreme examples) why should the tax payer pay for people to live in areas they they themselves couldnt afford to live? it boggles my mind

Successful wind-ups generally need to be more subtle than this, but I admire your effort anyway.

 

[leanderman]

There probably is though a serious point to be made about housing benefit, aka the landlord's subsidy.

I resent public money going to private landlords.

 

[editor]

There probably is though a serious point to be made about housing benefit, aka the landlord's subsidy.

I resent public money going to private landlords.

When I was on the dole it struck me as utter madness that a landlord can charge an inflated rent safe in the knowledge that the dole would pay it. Effectively, it was taxpayers giving landlords money for providing shit, overpriced housing.

Another reason why council housing should be built.

 

[editor]

so the have nots are complaining that the have mores are, entirely fairly, moving to an area they happen to live in and paying rents dictated by market forces. I am sorry but I find the idea that a 24 year old graduate earning 26k that wants to move here is getting grief utterley appaling.

I mean really?!? its everybody elses fault that you cant afford to live here? move OUT OF ZONE 2 ON THE FRICKIN VICTORIA LINE

(in more extreme examples) why should the tax payer pay for people to live in areas they they themselves couldnt afford to live? it boggles my mind

So you're all for communities being torn asunder in the name of private profit?

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Foxtrolls

 

[Winot]

Put on your Foxgloves before touching.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

(in more extreme examples) why should the tax payer pay for people to live in areas they they themselves couldnt afford to live? it boggles my mind

Well with reasoning like that, I could ask why I should be paying taxes that are given away as child benefit when I don't have any children myself

Idiot

 

[Belushi]

Well with reasoning like that, I could ask why I should be paying taxes that are given away as child benefit when I don't have any children myself

Idiot

And why am I FORCED pay for a Fire Service I've never once had to use!!!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

And why am I FORCED pay for a Fire Service I've never once had to use!!!

*sets fire to Belushi's bum*

 

[Libertad]

*Sets fire to hospital children's library*

 

[secateurz]

There probably is though a serious point to be made about housing benefit, aka the landlord's subsidy.

I resent public money going to private landlords.

I totally agree