Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think housing in this country is fundamentally broken?

432 replies

BrokenHousingLogic · 15/12/2025 15:25

Whether you rent privately, rent socially or own, it feels like the system isn’t really working for anyone.

• Rents are high and insecure
• Buying is out of reach for many
• Social housing is under strain
• Landlords and tenants feel pitted against each other
• Local authorities seem overwhelmed

It often feels like people are arguing with each other instead of addressing the fact that the whole structure is failing.

AIBU to think this goes beyond individual choices and points to a system-wide problem?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Thread gallery
5
KeepPumping · 22/07/2026 16:56

Seymour5 · 22/07/2026 16:49

It means it isn’t available to be passed on for social rent, and that’s where the main housing shortages lie. The families living in temporary accommodation, or cramped private rentals wouldn’t see any benefit from selling more secure, affordable housing.

Show quote history

Passed on when, when they die? If their family inherit and live in it that is one less housing unit needed for them? You are talking about the system that allocates houses, there is no shortage of actual houses, and the reason houses got so expensive has absolutely nothing to do with a "shortage".

Seymour5 · 22/07/2026 16:49

KeepPumping · 22/07/2026 13:20

If they are buying the home and then living in it what difference does it make?

Show quote history

It means it isn’t available to be passed on for social rent, and that’s where the main housing shortages lie. The families living in temporary accommodation, or cramped private rentals wouldn’t see any benefit from selling more secure, affordable housing.

KeepPumping · 22/07/2026 13:20

Seymour5 · 22/07/2026 09:07

It’s not properties that are in short supply, it’s genuinely affordable, secure tenancies.

Now we have a new housing secretary, I wonder if she’ll have the bottle to stop council tenants in England having the right to buy their homes? Scotland withdrew it in 2016, Wales a few years later. If they keep selling them, what is the point of more?

If they are buying the home and then living in it what difference does it make?

Seymour5 · 22/07/2026 09:07

It’s not properties that are in short supply, it’s genuinely affordable, secure tenancies.

Now we have a new housing secretary, I wonder if she’ll have the bottle to stop council tenants in England having the right to buy their homes? Scotland withdrew it in 2016, Wales a few years later. If they keep selling them, what is the point of more?

KeepPumping · 21/07/2026 16:22

Bananatime · 31/12/2025 19:31

We don't need more housing.

We need less people. We're bursting at the seams and still more are allowed in.

The country is too small for the population.

That's why people can't get a GP appointment and A n E have horrendous waiting times and ambulance queues outside of A n E. It's usual to wait for 8 hours in A n E and the same for ambulances.

Even with the people we have there are plenty of houses, but voters are swinging towards the less people route for sure.

KeepPumping · 21/07/2026 16:19

taxguru · 28/12/2025 12:43

On the other hand, we've had an increase in the number of young going to Uni thanks to Blair's stupid 50% target that has caused high demand for accommodation in Uni cities and meant highest ever numbers of youngsters leaving their home to go to Uni. Along with the centralisation of jobs out of the regions and into London and a handful of other big cities, many graduates never return to live at home and therefore continue to need their own accommodation in the city where they've found graduate jobs! Swings and roundabouts.

Show quote history

This is reversing, a lot of young people are finally waking up to the fact that borrowing 50k for a useless bit of paper isn"t really very smart.

OhDear111 · 02/01/2026 09:46

@Playingvideogames So unfilled job vacancies and even less productivity will make you happy? How odd. As in most things, we need a balance. No country economically wants a falling birth rate - too many expensive old folk who produce nothing.

Talkinpeace · 01/01/2026 15:14

Playingvideogames · 01/01/2026 15:09

Where did I mentioned the disabled?

Show quote history

Many disabled people rely on the state to fund their housing
as do many elderly people
and even more elderly disabled people

You were implying that those in receipt of state support do not deserve proper homes

Playingvideogames · 01/01/2026 15:09

Talkinpeace · 01/01/2026 12:40

So the disabled have to live in HMOs
wow
your entitlement is showing

Disability can happen in an instant.
Never assume it will not happen to you.

Show quote history

Where did I mentioned the disabled?

XenoBitch · 01/01/2026 14:04

Talkinpeace · 01/01/2026 12:40

So the disabled have to live in HMOs
wow
your entitlement is showing

Disability can happen in an instant.
Never assume it will not happen to you.

Show quote history

I bet they will say it would be a good idea as a HMO full of disabled people mean they can all look after each other and save the tax payer money.

Talkinpeace · 01/01/2026 12:40

Playingvideogames · 31/12/2025 19:25

Anyone who wants to and pays for it themselves?

Show quote history

So the disabled have to live in HMOs
wow
your entitlement is showing

Disability can happen in an instant.
Never assume it will not happen to you.

XenoBitch · 31/12/2025 19:37

Playingvideogames · 31/12/2025 19:29

Yes

Show quote history

Thankfully, your little dystopia is not real.

Playingvideogames · 31/12/2025 19:31

Bananatime · 31/12/2025 19:31

We don't need more housing.

We need less people. We're bursting at the seams and still more are allowed in.

The country is too small for the population.

That's why people can't get a GP appointment and A n E have horrendous waiting times and ambulance queues outside of A n E. It's usual to wait for 8 hours in A n E and the same for ambulances.

Agree completely.

Get net immigration down to the tens of thousands at most and let the birth rate do what it will.

Bananatime · 31/12/2025 19:31

We don't need more housing.

We need less people. We're bursting at the seams and still more are allowed in.

The country is too small for the population.

That's why people can't get a GP appointment and A n E have horrendous waiting times and ambulance queues outside of A n E. It's usual to wait for 8 hours in A n E and the same for ambulances.

JenniferBooth · 31/12/2025 19:30

JenniferBooth · 31/12/2025 19:06

Which i dont think will go down well if this is true
https://inews.co.uk/news/councils-turn-derelict-properties-into-asylum-seeker-housing-4124314?srsltid=AfmBOoq9gZHhRA8OtAeJgnFP8a3T-VafZsVaWOOj5wbvBwanSdIPyDsL

Show quote history

Replace asylum seekers with pensioners and there would already be a thread on this

Playingvideogames · 31/12/2025 19:29

XenoBitch · 31/12/2025 19:28

Couples on benefits?

Show quote history

Yes

XenoBitch · 31/12/2025 19:28

Playingvideogames · 31/12/2025 19:27

Couples or couples with 1 child can have them.

Show quote history

Couples on benefits?

Playingvideogames · 31/12/2025 19:27

XenoBitch · 31/12/2025 19:27

So what happens to all the one bed council dwellings then?

Show quote history

Couples or couples with 1 child can have them.

XenoBitch · 31/12/2025 19:27

Playingvideogames · 31/12/2025 19:25

Anyone who wants to and pays for it themselves?

Show quote history

So what happens to all the one bed council dwellings then?

Playingvideogames · 31/12/2025 19:25

XenoBitch · 31/12/2025 19:24

So who is allowed to live in one bed places then?
Not families.

Show quote history

Anyone who wants to and pays for it themselves?

XenoBitch · 31/12/2025 19:24

Playingvideogames · 31/12/2025 18:57

If funded by the taxpayer yes, and this shouldn’t be seen as remotely controversial.

Show quote history

So who is allowed to live in one bed places then?
Not families.

JenniferBooth · 31/12/2025 19:07

Playingvideogames · 31/12/2025 18:57

If funded by the taxpayer yes, and this shouldn’t be seen as remotely controversial.

Show quote history

So basically because they havent got living proof that they have had sex without contraception

JenniferBooth · 31/12/2025 19:06

Playingvideogames · 31/12/2025 18:53

I don’t think it’s feminism, I think it’s individualism.

The ‘base’ quality of life has massively changed without our wealth changing to accommodate it. In the 50s, having enough food to eat and some kind of roof over your head was seen as adequate in terms of basic rights. Now people expect a house which matches their family size, high quality and abundant food, money for treats and savings, all provided without giving a dime in return as a ‘human right’.

The next government is going to be absolutely brutal and I think people who have enjoyed society provided housing are in for a huge shock.

Show quote history

Which i dont think will go down well if this is true
https://inews.co.uk/news/councils-turn-derelict-properties-into-asylum-seeker-housing-4124314?srsltid=AfmBOoq9gZHhRA8OtAeJgnFP8a3T-VafZsVaWOOj5wbvBwanSdIPyDsL

Council houses to be built for asylum seekers in new scheme

Five councils in England and Wales have confirmed to The i Paper that they are keen to take part in the pilot

https://inews.co.uk/news/councils-turn-derelict-properties-into-asylum-seeker-housing-4124314?srsltid=AfmBOoq9gZHhRA8OtAeJgnFP8a3T-VafZsVaWOOj5wbvBwanSdIPyDsL

Swipe left for the next trending thread