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.

And if peoples 'situation' changes, and they get a 'better, more well-paid job' and they are forced to give up their home, because they had the temerity to get a good job, then where do they go? Are you going to force them to buy? Are you going to give them the £30K to £40K or more they need for a deposit, and then pay their mortgage for them if their 'situation' changes again and they lose their job? Are you going to fund their repairs? Should they have to wait 5 years (again) to get social housing???

Making people in social housing leave when their income goes over a certain amount, is a stupid idea. It creates a race to the bottom, and makes people not WANT to do better. Why get a better job/earn more money, if you're going to be forced out of the home you have occupied for 10, 15, 20 years or more?

People who don't 'believe' in lifetime tenancies are often the same ones who assume all council housing is 'free.'

As a pp said, we need MORE SOCIAL HOUSING. We do NOT need to boot out the people in there when they have the audacity to actually bump over a £35K a year threshold with a new/better paid job!

I have no issue with council housing and have friends from all levels of the social affluence scale.
I do however feel that council/social housing should be readily available to those who are unable to afford private rental or have a worthy social need. In that regard I view it as something that should be vacated once your are in a position to move into private rented or owned property.
I know of a couple who sold their own home to move into her mother's council home when she died as she was able to take on her mothers tenancy agreement. They retired early and lived the high life.
In my opinion blocking social housing by staying in a family home when all the kids move out instead of down sizing or using social housing when your able to use private sector property is equivalent to using the food bank when you can afford not to.
Social housing is a limited resource that should be appropriately utilised by those with the greatest need.

i don’t think we need more social housing but rather more housing and higher wages - otherwise it’s just home owners cashing in and society footing the bill to keep those at the top rich.

A mum at the school recently told me she’s moving to the nicest area about 2 miles away- I could only dream of living there. She’s a council tenant, just had twins (her third birth, and was in a 2 bed flat in the crap part of town). I don’t begrudge her personally having a better home but of course it’s a bit hard when you know without the council option you need to be a millionaire to own a terrace there. But I know it’s indicative of a greater unfair system.

There's a large proportion of council houses where I live in Wales, so people don't look down on it at all. Its not a run down area just very rural, so limited housing options. They also stopped right to buy in Wales, so hopefully it stays that way.

I grew up in a council house so I'd never think anything other than good for you.

I think people who have council houses are very lucky. I come across vulnerable people who have been waiting years for something, it’s not easy to secure a property at all. Most get shipped off to unsuitable HMOs/hotels/BnBs

In my area, only people who are on low or no income are eligible to bid for council properties regardless of extenuating circumstances. Therefore there will be more people from deprived backgrounds or work complex needs living in these properties as they’re the people most in need. If you’re not claiming benefits, there’s zero chance of getting a council house

I like council housing, I think it is a social good, I wish there was more, I do not begrudge council tenants their rights even though I have never had a council house myself.

I think nothing special of council house tenants, I have known many, some were great, some were cunts - in about the same ratio as homeowners and private tenants.

I grew up in a council estate, so no I don't have a problem with it. But your average middle classes and above will judge you.

Personally I left and bought a house as I was lucky enough to be able to!

7% this year.

Been a while since we had a free house thread.

You’re the one making assumptions- I never said anywhere that council housing was free. Calm down.

I grew up in a council house and I am so glad I’ve been lucky enough to buy my own home in my early 20s before having my DC. I don’t look down on people who live in them but my experience was that it wasn’t a nice environment to live in (think drinking on the street, swearing/arguments/fights/petrol bombs with police being called, toddlers allowed to run round in nappies late at night in the cold). I couldn’t envy anyone who ended up living on a council estate due to what I saw growing up. That being said, I know not all council properties are on ‘rough’ estates and as PP have mentioned, they are priced far lower than private rentals so this really helps families on low incomes. It’s also much more secure than the private rental market.

The most important thing about wherever you live is that it feels like home, no matter how big or small, owned or rented.

Private rents are a step down from SH. Why on earth would anyone put themselves in such a shit situation?

And you can't just 'take on' someone's tenancy when they die. Who comes out with this shit?

Thanks for all the replies. To clarify; the friends in question are home owners, no real money worries as far as I know, and haven’t really encountered anything else in many years/ever. I hadn’t complained about anything to either of them, it was a situation where we’d both had double glazing installed, by the same company I believe, and their installation had a few issues to be rectified. It was a comment that along the lines of their service should be spot on, because they had paid, in comparison to us not expecting as good as service in comparison. In fairness all we expected was windows, we’re not fussy 😂

As I mentioned in my original post, we are very grateful for our home. We don’t have a lifetime tenancy, it’s a five year version, which is completely understandable; it gives both sides regular opportunity to reevaluate the suitability of the situation. My Nan had a big three bed council house for many years after she needed it; I finally managed to arrange (and persuade) her to move to a lovely bungalow when she was in her eighties. She loved it so much and wondered why on earth she hadn’t moved earlier!

Agree that Right to Buy was an awful idea. I grew up in a council house, in a town that was very clearly divided into rich/everyone else, but it was very normal to live in social housing then. I guess now there’s such little housing stock available, that only those in dire straits end up with a property, and quite often the councils and housing associations don’t do well managing the properties or tenancies.

And yes, I probably was rather envious of anyone I knew with a council house when we were privately renting! I hope I wouldn’t have ever come across as an arse to them though 🫣

I think I’m asking this question now as I’ve met some new people who are rather nice, but for the first time ever (well, since school!) I’ve actually found myself wondering whether I’ll be rejected if they knew where I lived…what a sad case I am! I like to think I’m quite independent of what others think of me, but maybe that’s not quite as true as I’d hope!!

So I guess I’ve been wondering whether this is the general consensus these days, and why do folk feel this way?

I'd say it's jealousy and snobbishness combined. They perceive you as having something they don't have - a "free" house. They're jealous of that, they'd love a free house! Who wouldn't? I know it's not free, so their perception is off, but they don't know it and think their beliefs are true. At the same time, no way would they want to live in a council house (or associate with someone who does) because only "scroungers" and "scummy people" live there.

Congrats on your council tenancy OP.

Enjoy your new home, get some new friends and love your life x

We live in military housing which people also think is ‘free’. One of the contractors recently told us we should be grateful for what we are given - a mouldy cold house that we have the pleasure of paying £400 a month for.

If you're the sort of council tenant that leaves their fridge and sofa in their front garden for years, and has rubbish strewn everywhere, then yes I would judge. If you look after your property best you can and respect neighbours then obviously no issue in the slightest.

I own a house in an council house area and I seem to have a lot of the neighbours mentioned above - unfortunately 😑. It does start to make you angry but I know everyone is not like this

@gamerchick
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/local_authority_and_social_housing/inheriting_a_tenancy.html

Name changed for reasons that will become apparent as will no doubt get slated here. But I think the system can be very unfair. Firstly there is clearly not enough social housing stock, but also I think there has to be a point at which if you're in a position to afford to do so you should give up your social property.
My NDN have lived in theirs for over 20 years, their DC are grown up and have moved out, although one remains 'at home' although seemingly not continuously. However they have spent at least 6 weeks in the last 6 months at their property in Spain......
How the fuck is that fair? There are families I know of who are in cramped conditions with 3 kids sharing a bedroom who would love NDNs 3 bed semi...and yet a lifetime tenancy presumably means they won't be giving their property up anytime soon.

There’s a shortage of social housing and a long list of people who need help. EG say you needed a 5 bedroom house in 2000 but in 2023, you have a good job and your kids turn are adults that moved Is it fair for you to occupy the same sized council house whilst another young family may be in the predicament you were previously, in but stuck in a BnB due to house shortages? It’s not the same as buying your own home and doing what you want with it, council houses are a valuable public asset

Also many people don’t have a choice but to privately rent. It’s nothing more than the default situation in 2023. The majority of society won’t be eligible for a metaphorical “free ride” from the council; whilst may simultaneously find it difficult to save a home deposit. It’s not necessarily a “shit situation”.

I live in a council house and I appreciate that I am lucky to have my home.
My only concern about council housing is that you have to pay rent for life where as once a mortgage is paid off it's paid for.
It might be cheap rent but that's a big chunk of your pension spoken for every week for the rest of your lives so for that reason alone I will aim to eventually buy so I can afford to retire when I'm old.

I grew up in an infamous council estate in Oxford. I’m not sure if it’s improved much but I’ll never forget my Mother being relieved we ‘got out of there’.
My ‘gripe’ as such, is the passing on to relatives etc and in particular those with council properties who are at a different stage of their life to they were when allocated one. Example - my sister, lovely 3 bed house, she needed this home 30 years ago, broke, single mum etc. She is no longer that person, very well paid etc but still paying a much lower rent (yes, despite most of MN not believing that). Plus the bragging when ever she needs any repairs, new kitchen etc, all done for her.

I inherited my mum's tenancy and immediately downsized. My situation has now changed as a result of disability and I need adapted housing on a ground floor. The waiting list is 13 years and I'm probably going to be housebound and die before a suitable property becomes available. Even existing council tenants with disabilities can't get a council property where I live. It isn't all a life of luxury having a council property unfortunately. I'm effectively trapped in a property they recognise is making my condition worse but they can't actually do anything about it.