General Discussion

All this week Spotlight news are going to be talking about the housing crisis in the South West i.e homes are 11 times wages the hightest in the country.
Why is it the Southwest has the highest water bills (again on the news) yet some of the poorest people. If its really because of the high maintenance of the coast line then should tourist pay a water tax of just a few pound as happens in Spain. Also domestic gas and electric are higher than most of the country (compare,com) Also the 4th highest councul tax according to The Haliifax figures

Yes the south west is expensive to live in it has 1% higher poverty than the average go to goverment web sites find out for yourselves. I rent out 2 flats the rent is a lot cheaper than most other places, I am happy my tennants are happy there should be a ceiling on what private landlords charge,before you put your hands up in horror, remember if a landlord has a mortgage on his property and the tennant is on housing benefit the council is paying the landlords mortgage before anyone says everyone should work these tennants could be OAPs or an invalid

Unfortunately people think that we should pay a premium for living in such a beautiful part of the country. I have two teenage children that work had but will never be able to afford to get onto the property ladder nor can they rent anywhere because domestic bills are to high. They have now both decided that they may be better off moving away. In my mind this is wrong as they have been priced out of living where they were born a bred. The Southwest is a tourist area and so it should be the businesses and the vistitors to the area who foot the bills. Every year my income does increase slightly but my outgoings increase more. Lower income families struggle perhaps they should means test things like water rates. Like they say the rich get richer and the poor get poorer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!