Housing problems
In my role as a debt advisor to those who cannot manage their affairs properly, I am often asked to advise many who cannot see the wood for the trees.
Such was the case this weekend, when a new client approached me with an unusual problem. Mr MacNeil, as I will call him to maintain his anonymity, was being forced by his employers to stop receiving a tax-free sum of £300 per month in housing subsidy, and having to accept a tax-free £1,450 per month instead. He was at his wits end, unable to balance his budget and facing a continuing life of taypayer funded luxury.
"Angus", I said, "Get a fucking grip and stop acting like a completely sanctimonious arsehole."
"You choices are:
"The flat you own was almost totally fitted at the taxpayers expense, and the fitting of any flat you move to will be paid for too. Although perhaps not quite so generously."
Another case solved.
"By the way", I asked, "Did you see the report that 25% of the population of the Western Isles live in poverty?"
"No", he replied, "I was too busy submitting my expenses claims to worry about something as minor as that."
Such was the case this weekend, when a new client approached me with an unusual problem. Mr MacNeil, as I will call him to maintain his anonymity, was being forced by his employers to stop receiving a tax-free sum of £300 per month in housing subsidy, and having to accept a tax-free £1,450 per month instead. He was at his wits end, unable to balance his budget and facing a continuing life of taypayer funded luxury.
"Angus", I said, "Get a fucking grip and stop acting like a completely sanctimonious arsehole."
"You choices are:
- Pay for your own property in the same way as everyone else has to, or
- Find a new flat; get £1,450pm in subsidy; rent out your old flat for £2,000+ pm; and you are still quids in, or
- Put your money where you mouth is, and sell your flat, and give the profit to the Treasury."
"The flat you own was almost totally fitted at the taxpayers expense, and the fitting of any flat you move to will be paid for too. Although perhaps not quite so generously."
Another case solved.
"By the way", I asked, "Did you see the report that 25% of the population of the Western Isles live in poverty?"
"No", he replied, "I was too busy submitting my expenses claims to worry about something as minor as that."
15 comments:
Pathetic.
11:58 Is that you Kenny Flip?
Bloody funny, though, if we weren't paying for it. Is this true for all MPs?
That will be four houses he now owns, isn't it?
Glasgow, Barra, London and Fort William.
The trough's the limit....
11:58am
Yes I find our MP and MSP pathetic. Their performance and lack of ability to understand the general public and the needs of the Western Isles leaves me exasperated. I'm so glad that you agree!
Guess your new client won't be coming back then.
1:06
No it's not Kenny flip
If it was Kenny flip, it would have been a week before I'd have replied and I'd have spelt pathetic incorrectly.
I enjoy this blog but sometimes when a story lacks genuine humour, wit or scandal then I have spell out the home truth to the author.
PS
I am actually a labour voter.
PPS
Whats wrong with owning 4 houses, are you jealous? As long as he does his job as an MP I don't care if he owns 44.
4:26
I was actually refering to the chap who wrote the blog... not the MP or MSP
Have I missed something?
As far as I am aware, he has the house he lives in (Barra) and I believe he has a flat in London under the second home allowances system as an MP. Since he spends a fair proportion of his life there I don't find that surprising. If he chooses to buy a flat in Glasgow (since he is obviously there regularly on his way to and from London) then I can see nothing wrong. And if he still owns a house in Fort William I imagine it will be the house he used to live in.
What has he done wrong?
Or have I missed something really obvious?
I enjoy this blog but sometimes when a story lacks genuine humour, wit or scandal
Now you know the level that you have to stoop to in order to get praise.
Never let the good honest truth spoil a decent bit of scandal. Oh you let us down!
4:26pm
Yes you have missed something. Many people in the Western Isles can only dream to own their own property and many aspire to own in the Cearns. The flip side of this is that these hard working people are contributing to the £1400 + that our MP is getting, EVERY MONTH, in expenses in order that he can make a very tidy profit, thankyou very much on the property that the taxpayer helped him purchase.
8.42 and Co - surely any other politician might well cost the same. The obvious answer is to get rid of MSP and MP and join a super constituency. We could get rid of the Council as well and maybe have a couple of representatives on Highland or whoever else we join up with. The same for the health board.
8:29am now that makes sense. Do you think our elected will see that this is an efficient way forward for the Islands and vote for it?? Maybe we will get a referendum on the issue.... Still waiting for the wind farm one. They could save money and do them both at the same time...
He's still at it.
Angus Macneil was on Radio 5 this morning whining about this and how difficult it is for MPs to fill in online claim forms.
No sympathy from phone-in callers.
The general message was: Welcome to the real world, matey.
Does anyone know how much you can earn on state benefit and house included, without having to become a politician or anything strenuous like that? Maybe all the unemployed could run the country from home instead, just like a big brother society!
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