Mike Fall
@mikefall.bsky.social
Cycling, Palace, cricket, golf, walking, nature, cooking, PR. Motorhomer. Retired multi-academy trust CFO/COO.
There's a sign in the village of Chaldon, Surrey, that says "Save the Field, Save Chaldon". It has been erected by the people of Chaldon in front of the last remaining small field on the main road of dwellings built - on what were previously fields - between the 1920's and 1990's. Oh the irony.
November 22, 2025 at 2:33 PM
There's a sign in the village of Chaldon, Surrey, that says "Save the Field, Save Chaldon". It has been erected by the people of Chaldon in front of the last remaining small field on the main road of dwellings built - on what were previously fields - between the 1920's and 1990's. Oh the irony.
It's a pattern repeated everywhere. Every NIMBY is living in a property erected in what was, once upon a time, someone else's 'back yard'. It is so easy to see the current state of play as how it has always been, and always should be.
November 22, 2025 at 2:33 PM
It's a pattern repeated everywhere. Every NIMBY is living in a property erected in what was, once upon a time, someone else's 'back yard'. It is so easy to see the current state of play as how it has always been, and always should be.
Trying to solve the problem by raising incomes at a rate higher than other expenses is tinkering at the margins, at best. Not least because raising incomes will by definition raise prices, given they are a major element of manufacturer/supply chain/retailer etc costs. It's broadly a zero sum game
November 22, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Trying to solve the problem by raising incomes at a rate higher than other expenses is tinkering at the margins, at best. Not least because raising incomes will by definition raise prices, given they are a major element of manufacturer/supply chain/retailer etc costs. It's broadly a zero sum game
But it's housing costs that suck up most of people's income (and a far, far higher proportion than a generation or two ago), and they are also something that can be reduced far more significantly than most other costs, if a government has the will, and the correct land/property policy & taxation mix
November 22, 2025 at 1:20 PM
But it's housing costs that suck up most of people's income (and a far, far higher proportion than a generation or two ago), and they are also something that can be reduced far more significantly than most other costs, if a government has the will, and the correct land/property policy & taxation mix
No I wouldn't. Putting to one side for one moment the ethical and technical issues of bringing back an extinct species, if the species you're bringing back is at risk of being made extinct again by domestic cats alone, you're doing something wrong; wrong place or wrong species.
November 20, 2025 at 2:03 PM
No I wouldn't. Putting to one side for one moment the ethical and technical issues of bringing back an extinct species, if the species you're bringing back is at risk of being made extinct again by domestic cats alone, you're doing something wrong; wrong place or wrong species.
It is the massive elephant in the room and no-one wants to talk about it because of all the vested interests. But rent/mortgage at 20-30%of take home income rather than 50-60% is where we have to get back to if we want everything else - food, tax,energy, pensions, social life - to feel affordable.
November 19, 2025 at 8:03 PM
It is the massive elephant in the room and no-one wants to talk about it because of all the vested interests. But rent/mortgage at 20-30%of take home income rather than 50-60% is where we have to get back to if we want everything else - food, tax,energy, pensions, social life - to feel affordable.
Until this country gets the cost of residential property back down to genuinely affordable levels, whether that be through massive housebuilding, tax on empty/second/overseas owned properties, social housing creation or whatever, we will not turn it around. Everything else is tinkering at the edges.
November 19, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Until this country gets the cost of residential property back down to genuinely affordable levels, whether that be through massive housebuilding, tax on empty/second/overseas owned properties, social housing creation or whatever, we will not turn it around. Everything else is tinkering at the edges.
How can we be confident, especially given the sycophants heading the DOJ and FBI, that the 'files' are still a) complete and b) whatever the answer to (a), will be released in full?
November 17, 2025 at 7:53 AM
How can we be confident, especially given the sycophants heading the DOJ and FBI, that the 'files' are still a) complete and b) whatever the answer to (a), will be released in full?
A clear path ahead, with no barriers in your way? Nice
November 14, 2025 at 10:15 AM
A clear path ahead, with no barriers in your way? Nice
Yes I agree. In an ideal world you wouldn't have stamp duty in the first place. And I agree with property (or land value) taxes but there would have to be a very phased (or offset as you suggest) introduction, it's a pretty blunt instrument otherwise
November 10, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Yes I agree. In an ideal world you wouldn't have stamp duty in the first place. And I agree with property (or land value) taxes but there would have to be a very phased (or offset as you suggest) introduction, it's a pretty blunt instrument otherwise
And stamp duty cuts help no-one other than sellers of property. If someone buying today for £500k suddenly doesn't have to pay £15k stamp duty they can now afford £515k. So the entire market rises commensurately. Nothing becomes more affordable and the government income just passes to the seller.
November 10, 2025 at 12:07 PM
And stamp duty cuts help no-one other than sellers of property. If someone buying today for £500k suddenly doesn't have to pay £15k stamp duty they can now afford £515k. So the entire market rises commensurately. Nothing becomes more affordable and the government income just passes to the seller.
100% this. In most cases it's housing costs that leaves people finding the prices of food, utilities, fuel etc are unaffordable. It takes up such a huge share of people's outgoings now that a relatively small drop would unlock significant cash for other spending, including tax rises.
November 10, 2025 at 11:56 AM
100% this. In most cases it's housing costs that leaves people finding the prices of food, utilities, fuel etc are unaffordable. It takes up such a huge share of people's outgoings now that a relatively small drop would unlock significant cash for other spending, including tax rises.
It's a long term process, I accept, the reductions in cost will feed through slowly, but until house prices reduce significantly we will continue to have this issue of everything else seeming unaffordable.
November 3, 2025 at 10:42 AM
It's a long term process, I accept, the reductions in cost will feed through slowly, but until house prices reduce significantly we will continue to have this issue of everything else seeming unaffordable.
100%. If house prices dropped by, say, 40% and we saw a commensurate reduction in rent/mortgage costs there would be plenty of money left for both improved personal standards of living and increased personal taxation for better public services. And indeed for improved pension saving as well.
November 3, 2025 at 10:42 AM
100%. If house prices dropped by, say, 40% and we saw a commensurate reduction in rent/mortgage costs there would be plenty of money left for both improved personal standards of living and increased personal taxation for better public services. And indeed for improved pension saving as well.
There'd be a pretty strong correlation, I'd guess, stratified by societies with certain religious or social commonalities which have driven a long term tradition of larger or smaller family size.
July 19, 2025 at 8:57 AM
There'd be a pretty strong correlation, I'd guess, stratified by societies with certain religious or social commonalities which have driven a long term tradition of larger or smaller family size.
It's very easy to simplify it as "just an individualistic choice", but all of our choices are made in our unique complex contexts. I'd be very interested to see a plot of national birth rates versus the inverse of a property affordability metric.
July 19, 2025 at 8:57 AM
It's very easy to simplify it as "just an individualistic choice", but all of our choices are made in our unique complex contexts. I'd be very interested to see a plot of national birth rates versus the inverse of a property affordability metric.
And all that money going on rent or mortgage or payments is far less productive than if it were being spent in the wider economy instead. Where & how does it end? What happens when everyone is maxxed out? ( I think I know the answer to that question, but it's rather depressing).
July 17, 2025 at 10:46 AM
And all that money going on rent or mortgage or payments is far less productive than if it were being spent in the wider economy instead. Where & how does it end? What happens when everyone is maxxed out? ( I think I know the answer to that question, but it's rather depressing).
Yet the media only ever portray house price increases as a good thing, and governments of all colours continue to implement policies "to make it easier to get on the housing ladder" which only have the net effect of pushing prices up further, simply making the problem worse.
July 17, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Yet the media only ever portray house price increases as a good thing, and governments of all colours continue to implement policies "to make it easier to get on the housing ladder" which only have the net effect of pushing prices up further, simply making the problem worse.
Minimum wage increases (objectively a good thing) push up the costs of these services. The cost of living (esp. housing) means people delay having (or decide not to have) children, further unbalancing the demographic profile. A shortage of young workers pushes up wages and prices. Rinse and repeat.
July 17, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Minimum wage increases (objectively a good thing) push up the costs of these services. The cost of living (esp. housing) means people delay having (or decide not to have) children, further unbalancing the demographic profile. A shortage of young workers pushes up wages and prices. Rinse and repeat.
Whenever I read a thread like this it always makes me think about how our economy is a giant Ponzi scheme driven by housing costs. The high costs of housing mean that families have to employ childcare and social care for young and elderly family members because both adults are working full time.
July 17, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Whenever I read a thread like this it always makes me think about how our economy is a giant Ponzi scheme driven by housing costs. The high costs of housing mean that families have to employ childcare and social care for young and elderly family members because both adults are working full time.
Agreed. But that's a different issue to that raised in the original post. The issue with pricing vs fossil alternatives is far more to do with our ridiculous electricity market in the UK rather than suppliers trying to profiteer.
July 14, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Agreed. But that's a different issue to that raised in the original post. The issue with pricing vs fossil alternatives is far more to do with our ridiculous electricity market in the UK rather than suppliers trying to profiteer.
This really isn't a meaningful comparison. The vast majority of recharging capacity is & will be on driveways, at kerbside and in car parks. The 'petrol station' model is only needed for occasional long journeys. Anything shorter than 200-250 miles and you'll be charging at home/your destination.
July 14, 2025 at 8:38 AM
This really isn't a meaningful comparison. The vast majority of recharging capacity is & will be on driveways, at kerbside and in car parks. The 'petrol station' model is only needed for occasional long journeys. Anything shorter than 200-250 miles and you'll be charging at home/your destination.
Sadly 35% (and in our stupid voting system that's all it takes) of our electorate, despite disliking Trump and Putin, think the right solution to being let down by the mainstream parties is to vote for someone who offers them overly simple solutions and targets for blame (foreigners and wokeness)
June 26, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Sadly 35% (and in our stupid voting system that's all it takes) of our electorate, despite disliking Trump and Putin, think the right solution to being let down by the mainstream parties is to vote for someone who offers them overly simple solutions and targets for blame (foreigners and wokeness)
And taxing empty property would also have the secondary effect of reducing house prices as such investments become less attractive versus alternatives and demand falls. Thereby making all properties more affordable in the longer run.
May 9, 2025 at 8:59 AM
And taxing empty property would also have the secondary effect of reducing house prices as such investments become less attractive versus alternatives and demand falls. Thereby making all properties more affordable in the longer run.