What do you think about council housing and people who live there?

[Borntolurk]

Genuinely curious about this. We finally received a council tenancy four years ago, after privately renting for upwards of 11 years. We are very grateful that we have the house we do, and treat it well. The security felt and ability to feel like we have an actual home (as opposed to house sitting), is immense.

However, I’ve had people I know suddenly become less interested in being friends, when they found out that our property was rented from the council. Others let slip accidentally/without realising what they were saying, that we should accept whatever happened to our house (shoddy contractor’s work for example) as it was ‘free’. Sigh.

So I guess I’ve been wondering whether this is the general consensus these days, and why do folk feel this way? Experience? Lack of other affordable housing? I can understand that!

Thanks for your thoughts.

Time for new friends.

I think there isn't enough council housing. I think right to buy was a colossal mistake and should be scrapped.

I like my friends for the people they are, not for the house they live in, car they drive, clothes they wear or anything else materialistic. I like people I can have a good chat with, laugh with, cry with, empathize with and who I can talk to in good times and bad and vice versa. Find friends who don't judge you for your house.

I never understood right to buy, but I would be very very jealous of anyone who had a council house or had done right to buy these days.

I live in a council flat and most people I'm acquainted with are the same, I live in a very pricey part of london which I'd be priced out of if I had to rent privately. Right to buy was a good idea many years ago, but now the govt are selling off council housing and the greedy LLs are profiting widely.

I don't think they are looking down on you...I think many many people just find the system so unfair. Private rent is so expensive and it's so difficult to buy that people feel jealous and resentful that others are housed at a much lower cost.

I think social housing is at a premium and if you have secured one then well done.
I can kind of see where your friends are coming from in relation to complaining about workmanship though (depending on how shoddily done of course) as generally council housing tenants don't pay the costs of a lot of the repairs (some aspects they do). If your friends own their house they have to find the money to pay for workman so you complaining when they might not be able to afford the works you just had done does risk getting peoples backs up. Social housing rent doesn't even come close to covering the repair costs. Flip side is generally houses are less well insulated.

I have friends in council flats, makes no difference to me, some even live in covent garden and near Selfridges, have been there for years, i would love to live off Oxford st !

I was born and bred in council
housing. I think it’s sad people have such a negative view of social housing.

I think negative views usually fall into 2 camps. Privileged people who have never struggled financially looking down on those who are unable to buy and people who are struggling angry and frustrated that they haven’t been able to access social housing seeing others as less worthy.

I’d think they are bloody lucky 🤯😳
The lack of social housing is abysmal. When I split with exH, I went on the council list has high priority (I have 3 DCs). I was told, very apologetically by the lady I spoke to, that it was highly likely that all they’d be able to offer me would be temporary accommodation in a B&B.
So instead I’m privately renting, making up the LHA shortfall by working a second job. We manage financially, but I’d love to be able to drop the second job that’s seriously sending me into the burnout zone, spend more time with my kids, less money on childcare and not worry about keeping a roof over our heads.
Anyone who looks down on people who live in social housing are snobs, and fortunate to not be in that position where that’s their only option other than being rinsed with extortionate private rent!

I don't think anything

Maybe lucky biatch, for getting one, but thats about it.

I grew up with a mix of friends, in owned, council, houses and flats so couldn't care less.

I live in a council flat and there's no way I'm moving out. It's on the south bank with a great view of the Thames.

I don't tell anyone in rl that it's council as I had a now ex friend who was really angry and bitter that my rent is only £420 a month.

You need new friends.
A home is a home whether it's owned or rented.
It's the people who live in it, not who owns it that count.
I don't understand property snobbery.

I think people in decent social housing are very lucky that they don’t have the stress or responsibility of privately owning or renting and that they do have the security of a long term tenancy and someone else to go to when the roof leaks or the boiler breaks. That’s all. There is nothing to judge on them personally.

Wish I could get a council house, private renting is absolutely killing is off cost wise. Could never afford to buy as we can't save enough whilst renting. I'm on the list and there is absolutely zero houses in the whole city that I could apply for. I think people who have a council house are very lucky to have such a secure home to live in!

@teapotfullofsquash the age old infuriation of not being able to save while renting, and rent not being counted towards your credit rating 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️
Mortage advisor: “but how do we know you can afford to pay £700 a month mortgage repayment?”
Me: “because I’ve been paying my landlord £1300 a month, on time every month for the past five years 🤨”
Mortgage advisor: “So why can’t you save a bigger deposit?”
Me: “BECAUSE I’VE BEEN PAYING MY LANDLORD £1300 A MONTH FOR 5 YEARS!”
😑😑😑😑
The never ending circle.

Personally no issue with council housing. We don't have enough of them.

Growing up people who lived in council housing either looked after their house and garden. They kept both in good order, were tidy and clean. And no trouble.
Then there were others who were the opposite. Lived in a mess, had no sense of civic responsibility. Would trash their own environment.
Sadly, with the reduction of housing the latter came more and more apparent.

You need new friends...

If someone told me they had secured a tenancy for a council property I would just say ''well done and it must be a relief to have a secure home'' and not give it another thought.

Lots of assumptions here. Social housing rent is put towards housing repairs. Housing rent also go up 4.7 % every year.

Sick to the back teeth of people making people feel bad of living in council houses getting free repairs. There not fucking free!!

When I was growing up in a new town in the 60's & 70's, the overwhelming majority of people were in council houses or flats. Nobody thought anything of it. Then in the 80's the councils sold off a huge number of them to the occupants. Since then, it is well nigh impossible to get a council home. Round here, neither my dd nor her boyfriend qualify to get on the waiting list.

We even call it something different now - 'social housing' - and there appears to be some kind of stigma attached to that, which is a great pity.

I think 'neighbours'.

I live next to a council estate. I'm not council. Just around the corner is a big mansion.

DS knows and plays with kids from both.

My rent for HA, has gone from £505 to £545 a month. When first move in it was £375 over 15 yrs ago.

This sounds lovely!

But if I was struggling to afford a house it's hard not to feel bitter towards someone like you, albeit not your fault, completely luck of the draw!

I think people are mostly jealous rather than looking down on people in council houses!

Feels unfair that one person gets to live in a prime area at a massive discount when someone in a similar boat is privately renting at multiples of the cost!

Right to buy was shameful and having a lifelong tenancy in a council house is also ridiculous imo.

I think great! That because that was me growing up.