The Future Accommodation Model

[unruly1986]

I'm going to go against the grain here as personally, I'm looking forward to FAM (if it comes in).

I was recently offered 3 quarters down in deepest sunny Wilts. They were all ****holes; the refugees would have turned them down. All at least a 30 minute drive from my unit, they had black mould on the walls, were old, tatty and minute. I know of many other 'void' quarters on the system that have sat empty for yonks, but CA wouldn't entertain looking them up. They don't and will never care, we are just a square peg to put in a round hole. MOD are the customer, not us.

We have reluctantly accepted one of them and will make the most of it by saving like mad.

If we were offered a flat sum (location dependant) per month to go out into the rental market then we would snap their hands off.

 

[Spearmint]

Is this a possible link to the ramblings of losing the X-Factor? I wouldn't even entertain such a notion personally but is there really anything left to cut?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4215714/Soldiers-offered-three-day-week-no-line-combat.html

 

[busby1971]

Until the MOD bring in a scheme that means you are no worse off buying and selling every 3 to 5 years then, whatever they bring in won't be as convenient as having a pool of great to dire accommodation available for a very mobile work force.

Only lived in 2 MQs, and both were nice, but sometimes I think that FMQs are a bit like the NHS, great idea but never fully funded so always falling behind.

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[Witty_Banter]

Until the MOD bring in a scheme that means you are no worse off buying and selling every 3 to 5 years then, whatever they bring in won't be as convenient as having a pool of great to dire accommodation available for a very mobile work force.

Only lived in 2 MQs, and both were nice, but sometimes I think that FMQs are a bit like the NHS, great idea but never fully funded so always falling behind.

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It takes several months just to buy a house, let alone sell one. I really don't understand how selling up and buying somewhere else could be a viable option. Particularly if you think about short-notice postings, varying house prices in different areas, etc.

 

[4everAD]

How do they expect personnel to buy a house down south? All that's going to happen is people will choose Scotland/Lincolnshire to settle down. Those left with no choice but to serve at High Wycombe etc will be those blackmailed by promotion offers and will end up living in hovels that the rest of the rental market won't touch with a barge pole.

 

[Witty_Banter]

Mrs WB and I just bought a house, as we've got to the stage where we can't be moving around any more (GCSEs, wife's employment etc). There was no way in hell we were going to commit to living out our lives in RAF Lincolnshire, so we bit the bullet and bought where we actually want to live - I now have a 130 mile commute on fridays and sundays. It's not ideal, as I only see the family on weekends and holidays, but it provides a more stable environment for them. Besides, the RAF is more than happy for me to not see my family at all for 6 months at a time...

 

[busby1971]

It takes several months just to buy a house, let alone sell one. I really don't understand how selling up and buying somewhere else could be a viable option. Particularly if you think about short-notice postings, varying house prices in different areas, etc.

I don't think they could afford it so don't even look into it.

If they we're motivated thy could do it, obviously you'd need a transitional arrangements and look after short notice moves sympathetically.

However, if you look at the costs you've got 5k in stamp duty, a couple of grand for selling and buying fees, supported accommodation during the move, a grand for removals, disturbance allowance would still be required to cover incidentals and school uniforms.

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[muttywhitedog]

Its very unfair to expect some of our younger members buy their own house, but for those who have done 15+ years and still cry "I cant possibly afford it", I would question why - if you'd saved 10% of your salary over 15 years, then you'd be sat on a £50,000+ deposit to go with whatever sweetener the MOD are offering.

(and before anyone says its impossible, I did just that with a non-working wife and 3 kids)

If that doesn't concentrate your mind, then start thinking the unthinkable - Where am I and my family going to live if the MOD make me redundant with 6 months notice?

 

[busby1971]

Its very unfair to expect some of our younger members buy their own house, but for those who have done 15+ years and still cry "I cant possibly afford it", I would question why - if you'd saved 10% of your salary over 15 years, then you'd be sat on a £50,000+ deposit to go with whatever sweetener the MOD are offering.

(and before anyone says its impossible, I did just that with a non-working wife and 3 kids)

If that doesn't concentrate your mind, then start thinking the unthinkable - Where am I and my family going to live if the MOD make me redundant with 6 months notice?

Agree totally with your last statement, perhaps the Govt could introduce a special Help to Buy scheme, with a zero deposit shared equity scheme, then you can afford the house you can pay the mortgage on, not save up for the deposit then realise you have to save some more.

MQs are broken, housing market also broken, putting them together ain't going to jump either of these hurdles.

In the past 15 years I've gone from scraping a deposit together, wow equity, normal equity, flat market, negative equity then just recently jumping to feck yes equity. Althrough this time where values have roller coasted one thing has remained constant, my ability to pay my mortgage, never been more than 25% of net household income, now sits at about 12%.

Most people can afford to pay for a house, they just can't afford to buy a house.

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[Cooheed]

Very pompous of you to suggest that saving 10% from day 1 is the way to go.

 

[unruly1986]

Very pompous of you to suggest that saving 10% from day 1 is the way to go.

Good advice though.

I bought a house using the old LSAP scheme. Didn't have a penny of my own, it cost £76k. Borrowed £8.5k from the mob and was paying £350 a month plus the mortgage. Really struggled for a few years but now it's paid off. Managed to sell for a bit of a profit and stuck the money into a bigger house which we will soon be renting out. Effectively the RAF got me onto the property ladder which transitioned into me becoming a landlord. Let somebody else pay the mortgage.

The point of this is that there are ways and means to get on the property ladder and with property prices only going one way the sooner you start the better.

Back to FAM, what are goaters opinions on the 'rent near work' option? It really appeals to me.

 

[muttywhitedog]

Very pompous of you to suggest that saving 10% from day 1 is the way to go.

Very narrow minded of you to think that you can spend a career with a new car, multiple foreign holidays, the latest gadgets, designer clothing, and then when that career ends, the state will accommodate you and your family. Unfortunately, this isn't the 1960s. Thatcher sold off the council houses that you may have got into, the population is increasing and old folk don't seem to die any more.

Happened to a RN Neighbour of mine at Cottesmore. He spent his gratuity on a brand new people carrier, a 6 week trip to the USA for him and his family, a plethora of new flat screen TVs etc etc. Then he went cap in hand to the council for a house, and the last I heard they were put in B&B with their stuff put in storage, whilst they went on the waiting list.

I still remain thankful that early in my time, I was introduced to those nasty things called "Endowments". In 1998, for the measly sum of £30 a month, I received £5500 after 10 years. For £50 a month, I received almost £40,000 after 20 years in 2011.

Sure, it hurt at first parting with the cash, but within a year or two, I forgot I was even paying it.

 

[Kryten]

I did the same, Mutty - took out an endowment in Mar 1990; paid £28.95 a month for 23 years and got £12K back for it...which is now sat in a saving account ready to contribute towards the Help To Buy Scheme pay off I have coming soon...

 

[Belle and Sebastian]

Early savings

Early savings

I did the same as Mutty and Kryten. Some bloke came around the block at Halton whilst I was on my fitters course in 91. £60 a month into an endowment which paid out a nice wedge last year which brought the mortgage down to a very low level - not the lump sump I was promised but still helped a lot. Must also point out that I was mis-sold the endowment in the first place as I wasn't buying a house or married (for the life assurance bit) and the Financial Ombudsman told the endowment provider to cough up £5k as compensation.

I was also part of the Services Home Saving Scheme which took money straight from pay each month and gave it to a Building Society and when I eventually bought a house in 99, I was giving a bonus from the MOD.

 

[needsabiggerfuse]

Same here. Started the first of 3 endowments in the late 70's with express view of using them towards buying a house which we eventually did in 1986 at the eye-watering interest rate of 11.5%. Paid a mortgage for 17 years or so until the ol' policies started to mature, the last one in 2004, thus saving 7 years of payments.

I'm not sure if it's so true today, but applicants aged over 40 who had never dipped their toes in the mortgage market, used to get a 'raised eyebrows look over the top of half-moon spectacles'. "... you've got negligible savings with us ... we can only offer you a reduced term mortgage ...", i.e. they wanted it paid up by the time you're 65.

 

[hugo_a_go_go]

Why don't they let those who have qualified for a full pension under AFPS 75 have the lump sum (not as if it will increase) on the proviso that it is used towards buying a home. No help to buy scheme needed.

 

[Barch]

Why don't they let those who have qualified for a full pension under AFPS 75 have the lump sum (not as if it will increase) on the proviso that it is used towards buying a home. No help to buy scheme needed.

And if that person already has a property bought and paid for?

 

[hugo_a_go_go]

This was continuing from what was already mentioned, not if you already have a property. Help to Buy isn't available to those who actually (god forbid) thought ahead and planned for the future

 

[Witty_Banter]

Why don't they let those who have qualified for a full pension under AFPS 75 have the lump sum (not as if it will increase) on the proviso that it is used towards buying a home. No help to buy scheme needed.

pretty sure if that ever became an option, they'd only give it to those who'd passed the 22yr mark (and therefore earned it) as anyone else short of the 22 would be classed as a 'secure loan'...

 

[Witty_Banter]

maybe future housing planning should be given as lectures to recruits in cranwell / halton? get it in their heads while they're still young?