I don't think he strictly lied. I suspect the figure of 120,000 is probably broadly correct for possession orders for both mortgages and rented properties combined, though you may have to include all orders to reach this figure including those that were suspended or otherwise not acted on.Pox wrote:So Tom lied again (what a surprise) -would love to see you both in the same room quoting the stats.
The figure is extremely misleading, however, if it is assumed or implied that it is indicative of the number of people losing their homes as a result of failing to pay a mortgage as this figure would appear to be about a tenth of that given.
It is, unfortunately, very easy for someone to assume that other people's experiences are similar to their own and it would not surprise me to learn that Tom had innocently, if incorrectly, concluded that any possession order must mimic his own sorry affair. It may be that he sought to deliberately mislead people but I am not sure we can be certain of that. Misleading people when you believe what you are saying is true is a regrettable error, but it is not a lie and is something we are all guilty of from time to time. It would seem that much of what Tom says is regrettable, but separating what he knows to be untrue from that which his distorted view of the world leaves him to believe in is, perhaps, an impossible task.
It should be noted that being removed from rented accommodation can be equally traumatic as it is still someone's home, and it is interesting to compare the lack of long term security for tenants in the UK with the situation in countries such as Germany. None of which alters the difference in financial position between renting and owning and the importance of distinguishing between them when combining statistics.
As for debating the figures in person, this is not something I would look to participate in. Such events tend to favour the engaging or sympathetic speaker and not the one frantically Googling government reports :-)
And, of course, my own understanding of the facts could be incorrect as well, as we all have our own biases to interpretation or may simply make mistakes. I am not a lawyer, banker, statistician, or anyone else qualified to give an expert position and my views should be trusted as much as any other broadly anonymous internet voice.
