Everyone should watch this horrific BBC1 documentary (while it is still on iplayer) showing what it is really like in London today if you are on a modest income and do not own your own property.
I am from London myself. I bought a small one bedroomed flat in Blackheath when still in my 20’s (I wish I still had it) – based on my own earnings and without any parental loans – and then moved out in 1988 to Norwich where I now live.
That would be impossible for anyone today. Instead they would be faced with the prospect of either commuting in from outside or renting a squalid apartment, probably vermin infested, where the bed takes up most of the floor space.
Or even just rent the bed!
This program features our own Ben Reeve Lewis and these are the properties he sees day in day out in his job as an enforcement officer.
If you are a good landlord you probably can’t imagine landlords behaving like the landlords in this program. But they do, and this is why we need legislation to prevent retaliatory eviction (thankfully coming soon).
Let us have your comments below but please only after you have watched the program.
You will find the program on iplayer here (for a while).
I was looking out for the carrots. Why not add insult to injury and leave them on the desk-that-lets-you-open-a-door? If folk must live like rabbits in hutches – and be ever-so grateful. Shocking state of affairs we are now in.
Funny to see them all playing Monopoly in the London Eye tho. Elizabeth Magie Phillips – she designed the Landlord’s Game – later to become Monopoly – was a Georgist, in favour of Land Value Tax. Here’s hoping.
Had a look last night…thank goodness I am not based in your neck of the woods Ben!
It goes to show what a great job you do…it must be sooo frustrating for you tho.
N
I thought it was shocking, however, it felt too rushed and could have done with being an entire series based on each of the different aspects of the problem. For instance:
1. Spiralling property prices
2. Lack of social housing
3. “Hidden homelessness”
4. Bad landlord practices
As it was, as I said, it did feel rushed.
The reason he did the Monopoly thing was that is how he ended a recent documentary on Chinese property investors and thought this would book end nicely for the story about London property on the receiving end.
It was a late idea that we filmed about three weeks ago. The rest of it was shot before Xmas.
And NRM what is shocking about it is how common those conditions are. If you spent a week with me that is all you would see. You’d be amazed how routine it all gets. I have to keep reminding myself that it isnt normal haha