AmerLisa

Well bankruptcy can happen for a number of reasons, but probably more about medical issues these days then ever. I've known one person to do it, but they didn't own a house, and didn't lose anything but the medical debt. Still its a shame that anyone should have to.

Englishtart

I don't get that? Why would it make more sense to pay to move someone out of their own home, into a council house? They would still be paying the bills for the council house and probably a lot more than mortgage interest payments

Ash UK/US

or more sense to pay what you would be paying in rent to pay on a mortage!

AmerLisa

I'm sorry, but my post was directed at Giantaxe who always wants to make a mountain out of molehill. As usual.

Sally Redux

So you don't know the facts at all. As has been mentioned several times on the thread, mortgage interest will be paid, I believe there is a qualifying period though.

Ash UK/US

There is no probably about it.

Englishtart

I heard on TV recently, that there are new bankrupcy laws that allow you to keep your house/cars etc...not sure how accurate that is

Jerseygirl

Yes it does. My father was made redundant in early 1983...he was 53 and couldn't find another job. He even applied for jobs as a hospital porter...just something to make him feel useful again. Within a year he suffered a massive heart attack...followed by several smaller ones.

At the time my parents lived in a council house...so the SS paid their rent until around 1987. They lived in a 3 bedroomed house with a large garden...it was too much for them to handle and they lived about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs away from where my sister and I lived. So we got the money together for a large down payment on a bungalow...near where my sister lives. The SS picked up the tab for the mortgage...it was less than they were paying for rent on the council house anyway.

My dad died a few months ago but my mum is still living there. So that's what....22 years? When the property is sold the money will be paid back to the SS.

This is all on top of the benefits mum has received this year as I stated earlier in this thread. My father worked until he was 53 and my mother worked until she was around 60...so over their lifetime they had paid their dues in taxes and NI contributions. It wasn't my father's fault he was made redundant, received no pay out...then became ill and couldn't work again.

AmerLisa

If someone had sickness that wasn't going to get better and they were going to be sick for a very long time, does it make more sense for the government to pay a mortgage (interest as you say) or to eventually house that person in a council house/flat that's already owned by the government?

AmerLisa

Who said that I knew about the mortgage being paid? Where did I say that?

AmerLisa

Ok, you win Ash....

Englishtart

It would probably be the cheaper of the two, but not anything to do with home owned or Gov't owned...IMO the UK Gov't takes much better care of the elderly/sick residents than the US does.

Sally Redux

Your initial statement was that you betted on someone losing their house in Thydney's situation in the UK. Clearly you did not, however, know about the safeguards against this.

Ash UK/US

Not sure about the rest of the country but where I lived the council were trying to get rid of the houses they owned either by selling them to the tenants or moving to housing associations. So if they are paying out a £120 per week what difference does it make if it rent or mortage payments?

AmerLisa

Ah I see. Well that makes sense. Something like my grandmother's property tax not being paid until after her house is sold. Also things are done on her house and will likewise be repaid after the house is sold. Certainly the government will recoup some of the money being put out.