[Mrluvaluva]

An Afghan mother does not like the £1.2million house she and her family are living in for free — because it is too big to clean.

The Sun told yesterday how Toorpakai Saindi and her seven children were moved in by the local council — which is paying the £12,000-a-month rent.

Her grown-up son Jawad, 20, said he and his brothers and sisters felt like they had won the Lotto.

The house has seven bedrooms, two kitchens, a dining room, two large reception rooms and a 100ft garden. But Jawad said yesterday: “My mum has said she is not happy because the house is so big and she doesn’t like cleaning.”

But he added: “We are very lucky to live here. If someone gave you a lottery jackpot, would you leave it?” Including the rent, Toorpakai and her family receive £170,000 a year in assorted benefits.

Jawad said his mother is able to claim so much because all four boys and three girls are in full-time education and she is unemployed. The family arrived in Britain seven years ago after obtaining UK visas in Islamabad, Pakistan.

They lived in a number of properties before being made homeless and approaching Ealing Council.

They did not have one big enough on their books and so turned to a private landlord, Mr Panesar.

He fixed a price for his Acton property under the Local Housing Allowance rule — which the council checked with the Rent Service, an executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions.

They then advised the council what they should pay. It turned out to be £12,458 a month — partly because under boundary changes implemented in April, Acton is lumped in with mega-rich Westminster.

Even Jawad, soon to start a business school course, thought the amount was a joke. He said: “It is a lot of money to pay and the landlord is the one who is really lucky. He must be getting rich.

“When I heard how much the council were paying I thought they were mad.

“I know about property and this house is not worth that much.”

Councillor Will Brooks, cabinet member for housing on Ealing Council, thanked The Sun for bringing the housing system under the spotlight.

He said: “The sums of money involved in this case will offend people’s feelings of fair play especially as so many are having difficulties paying bills at the moment.

“The story highlights the absurdities of the housing and benefit system.”


Original article here

[Lauren]

Well. The Sun span that one out, by saying she didn't like it cos it was too big. She hardly said that. She just made a passing comment that it's big to clean.

Also. Her son is right. Who would turn it down? It's not the family's fault. Not one bit. They got lucky.

The government, however, should be looking at how they're handing out benefits. The system is unfair to some, and lucky for others - and it should not be like that.

[Benjamin]

This story made me so angry.

That undeserving wench gets so much money from our governmnet, yet when I was 15 and kicked out of home they COULD DO NOTHING to help me.

And even now, I am struggling, I have no job (they went into liquidation) and I cannot go on the dole (just finished uni, I have to wait 6 months), and they cannot help me with anything like rent, council tax, bills etc.

I don't mind people on benefits (it can be difficul to survive), but I have worked my arse of since 15 with jobs, even had 2 jobs whle at uni, but then to be told that I a not eligible to recieve any help disgusts me.

If I were an alcoholic, druggie, teen mother or immigrant, then I would be entitled to something, but alas I am none. (nothing against immigrants, but if they want to come to this country, then they should bloody work, like a lot do, but the ones that just come here to receive benefits and do nothing, they should **** off back to their own country.


End of my rant.

[Lauren]

Originally posted by ukturtle
This story made me so angry.

That undeserving wench gets so much money from our governmnet, yet when I was 15 and kicked out of home they COULD DO NOTHING to help me.

And even now, I am struggling, I have no job (they went into liquidation) and I cannot go on the dole (just finished uni, I have to wait 6 months), and they cannot help me with anything like rent, council tax, bills etc.

I don't mind people on benefits (it can be difficul to survive), but I have worked my **** of since 15 with jobs, even had 2 jobs whle at uni, but then to be told that I a not eligible to recieve any help disgusts me.

If I were an alcoholic, druggie, teen mother or immigrant, then I would be entitled to something, but alas I am none. (nothing against immigrants, but if they want to come to this country, then they should bl***y work, like a lot do, but the ones that just come here to receive benefits and do nothing, they should **** off back to their own country.


End of my rant.

I don't see why she's an undeserving wench (maybe undeserving, but then she can't help that). Are you saying if the Government had offered it to you, you would've turned it down? I'm not denying it's unfair, but it's not exactly her fault it has happened.

Furthermore, she is looking after children, and her son is in a business school which suggests it's not long till he's helping the economy of this country.

I don't see what the family themselves have done wrong, but I can see plenty with what the government have done wrong.

[Mrluvaluva]

I know I wouldn't say no, but the system is not fair. She receives £170,000 a year in benefits. Rent is £144,000 (They could buy her a house for that). This means she gets £26,000 a year which is approximately £2,166.00 a month to pay bills/buy food etc. Not a bad little earner is it?

[NettoSuperstar!]

what were the council thinking? thats half the budget gone (ok slight exaggeration). Its the council people should be complaining about

[supernoodles!]

state of the country

[Tom]

This is going to sound slightly racist and I don't mean it in that way but why on earth are these immigrants coming over, getting more benefits than what seems like an entire council estate combined and earn more than most for sitting on her arse all day then living in a house that even most of our middle class won't even have? One rule for some and another for others springs to mind. Why should they get special treatment?

[Lauren]

Originally posted by Tom
This is going to sound slightly racist and I don't mean it in that way but why on earth are these immigrants coming over, getting more benefits than what seems like an entire council estate combined and earn more than most for sitting on her **** all day then living in a house that even most of our middle class won't even have? One rule for some and another for others springs to mind. Why should they get special treatment?

She's not just sitting on her arse all day, she's bringing up children that are bringing something to this country (I assume).

Like I said before, I'm not saying she deserves that much in benefits - no-one does. But to blame her would be hypocritical of us all.

[Tom]

Originally posted by Lauren

She's not just sitting on her **** all day, she's bringing up children that are bringing something to this country (I assume).

Like I said before, I'm not saying she deserves that much in benefits - no-one does. But to blame her would be hypocritical of us all.

Oh I'm not blaming her at all, as they say if it happened to us we wouldn't complain. I'm just questionning the system.

[Mrluvaluva]

I don't see why they need 7 bedrooms. What's wrong with sharing?

[Annie]

This is a joke.

[ange7]

"Her grown-up son Jawad, 20, said he and his brothers and sisters felt like they had won the Lotto."

Rubbish .... lol ..no way he would say that, it doesn't ring true and sounds like some creative journalism....... and if that was a lie then why trust the rest. .... yet you do ....why? ... I think I know why.

"An Afghan mother....."... FFS

She's probably a UK citizen if she's been in the UK long enough to have that many kids .... but she's described as an "Afghan" mother. Why do you think that is?
....because this article is aimed at idiot rednecks who love to lap this BS up. Idiots who need someone ( usually foreigners) to blame for why they themselves are such losers.

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally posted by ange7

"An Afghan mother....."... FFS

She's probably a UK citizen if she's been in the UK long enough to have that many kids .... but she's described as an "Afghan" mother. Why do you think that is?
....because this article is aimed at idiot rednecks who love to lap this BS up. Idiots who need someone ( usually foreigners) to blame for why they themselves are such losers.

Here you go again. Crying "racism". You are most probably one of these types who took offence to "Baa Baa Blacksheep".

[Mrluvaluva]

A council has sacked three officers after it was revealed an Afghan family was living in a £1.2million home paid for by the taxpayer.

Mother-of-seven Toorpakai Saiedi, 35, receives £170,000 a year in benefits - a staggering £150,000 of which is paid to a private landlord for the rent of their seven-bedroom house in West London.

The detached property in Acton has two large reception rooms, two kitchens, a dining room and a 100ft garden.

Ealing Council is picking up the £12,458 a month bill - which is nearly five times the rent for a similar property in the same road.

There was anger from the sacked housing officers, David Lewis, Gemma Calliste and Salma Khan, who accuse Ealing of making them scapegoats.

Mr Lewis, 37, said: 'We are shocked and stunned that we've lost our jobs as we were just doing what we were told.

'We were just doing our job, but it's a stupid system. I thought £12,000 a month was a lot but it was agreed by Rent Services so it was OK.

'We have basically been sacked with no notice. We were about to get permanent contracts and all of that has been taken away from us.

'But we haven't done anything wrong. All we've done is apply the rules and find a property for a family in need.'

Ms Calliste, 33, said: 'We were summoned to the manager's office and he said the Rent Deposit Scheme was being scrapped with immediate effect so we were no longer required.

'As we are contractors they said we had to be escorted from the building there and then. We were treated like thieves.

'I think they were looking for scapegoats because it was embarrassing for the council and when they found out we were temps that was it.'

Neither the landlord nor the family, who have lived in Britain for seven years after applying for political asylum, have done anything illegal but have benefited from an extraordinary series of loopholes in Whitehall guidelines introduced in April for housing allowances.

Outside the house, Mrs Saiedi's son Jawad said: 'When the council chose to put us here we did not say no. If someone gave you a lottery jackpot would you leave it?

'When I heard how much the council was paying I thought they were mad.'


Original article here

This is from The Daily Mail rather than The Sun so maybe some people may find it more believable.

[NettoSuperstar!]

This was a serious lack of common sense on behalf of the council, but there isnt some great inequality in the benefit system where immigrants are living it up and native brits get nothing!! although if you believe half what u read in the papers u would think so!! Lets face it this story would never made it to the paper if they werent immigrants! Dont base your opinions on what you read in rags, especially the Daily "hate" Mail! open yer windows man

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally posted by bbE

Lets face it this story would never made it to the paper if they werent immigrants! Dont base your opinions on what you read in rags, especially the Daily "hate" Mail! open yer windows man

Oh I think this would have made the papers even if she wasn't an immigrant and it would be foolish to state otherwise. The whole story is (to me) is based around the fact that the council were paying £12,000 per month for the rent which is ridiculous. That (to me) is the story. Not the fact that she is Afghan. And I have read the same story in many papers from The Sun to The Guardian.

Why does everything have to be turned around into it being 'racist'?

[Lauren]

Originally posted by ange7
Idiots who need someone ( usually foreigners) to blame for why they themselves are such losers.

How does this make sense?

Being a 'loser' /=/ being outraged at this story.

Or did you just want to throw an insult around?

[NettoSuperstar!]

Originally posted by Mrluvaluva

Oh I think this would have made the papers even if she wasn't an immigrant and it would be foolish to state otherwise. The whole story is (to me) is based around the fact that the council were paying £12,000 per month for the rent which is ridiculous. That (to me) is the story. Not the fact that she is Afghan. And I have read the same story in many papers from The Sun to The Guardian.

Why does everything have to be turned around into it being 'racist'?

Tom was saying there was one rule for US and one for THEM not you. And I think an article like that only adds fuel to prejudice whether you think that or not

[Lauren]

Originally posted by bbE

Tom was saying there was one rule for US and one for THEM not you. And I think an article like that only adds fuel to prejudice whether you think that or not

I do agree, but only to a certain extent.

I agree that they added fuel to the fire, and made it sound like she was ungrateful for it "it's too big to clean"(when she clearly didn't say that) just for the BNP activists to say "They come over to this country and don't even like it!" etc.

However, I do think they would've reported this story otherwise. We're always hearing stories about council flat dwellers having a load of kids just so they can get a bigger house from the council. It still gets reported.

The difference with this, is that they mention the fact she's afghan which I don't think was necessary.

Edit: Just to clear up, when I said I agreed to an extent I didn't mean about Tom - I meant about your point in general.

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally posted by bbE

Tom was saying there was one rule for US and one for THEM not you.

Understood although it was not clear that your comment was in response to Tom. As I said though, I still think this was an important story that would still have run whether she was Afghan or not.

What I object to is Ange7 turning stories round and crying racism ay every available oppurtunity which I have seen happen on 3 occasions now.

[NettoSuperstar!]

Originally posted by Lauren

I do agree, but only to a certain extent.

I agree that they added fuel to the fire, and made it sound like she was ungrateful for it "it's too big to clean"(when she clearly didn't say that) just for the BNP activists to say "They come over to this country and don't even like it!" etc.

However, I do think they would've reported this story otherwise. We're always hearing stories about council flat dwellers having a load of kids just so they can get a bigger house from the council. It still gets reported.

The difference with this, is that they mention the fact she's afghan which I don't think was necessary.

Yeh ok they may have written a story about dole scroungers with loads of kids

[ange7]

Originally posted by Mrluvaluva

Here you go again. Crying "racism". You are most probably one of these types who took offence to "Baa Baa Blacksheep".

aww dude .. always playing the man not the ball. Argue the POINTS mate.
Do you really believe the son said that comment about winning the lottery? No...it way BS to spice up article ... as was the word "Afghan"...she ( the mum) is a UK citizen ... but described in this article as an Afghan. You don't think that was accidental do you? What purpose did that serve?.... Its was added to get the rednecks in.

I'm sure lots of readers were attracted to this post ( and article) because it highlighted how hopeless government bureaucracy can be. Rightly so but just as many were attracted to this article because it offered the prospect of laying the boot into foreigners who "coming over here...taking our"...this and that.

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally posted by ange7

aww dude .. always playing the man not the ball. Argue the POINTS mate.
Do you really believe the son said that comment about winning the lottery? No...it way BS to spice up article ... as was the word "Afghan"...she ( the mum) is a UK citizen ... but described in this article as an Afghan. You don't think that was accidental do you? What purpose did that serve?.... Its was added to get the rednecks in.

I'm sure lots of readers were attracted to this post ( and article) because it highlighted how hopeless government bureaucracy can be. Rightly so but just as many were attracted to this article because it offered the prospect of laying the boot into foreigners who "coming over here...taking our"...this and that.

Pot calling the kettle black.

Spike made a thread about being nearly abducted. You were not concerned for his welfare. The fact that he had called the family "foreign" was more important to you and that was the only thing you commented on.

A thread was made about Jade planning her own funeral due to her (possibly terminal) cancer. The only thing you found compelled to post about was about the whole racist furore surrounding CBB5.

And now we have a thread about the fact that a council is forking out £12,000 a month for a family's rent. And what do we know. Up you pop again. And what do you have to add to the story. That's right. The fact that they mentioned she is Afghan.

Why not try commenting on the actual story and maybe researching your facts before you feel the urge to post. You may then add something of means to the conversation.

[NettoSuperstar!]

Originally posted by Mrluvaluva

Understood although it was not clear that your comment was in response to Tom. As I said though, I still think this was an important story that would still have run whether she was Afghan or not.

What I object to is Ange7 turning stories round and crying racism ay every available oppurtunity which I have seen happen on 3 occasions now.

The story borders on racist though and is fuel for the fire so to speak