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.

People who have no clue and think that the rules they make up in their head about social housing is how it actually works!

My best friend still lives in the council house she was born in. Her neighbours are fantastic, on one side the lady that lives there moved into the house when she was 2, both her and her Husband have good degrees. On the other side is a Advanced Practise Nurse and her accountant wife, all have lived there for over 30 years. Too many people have the ridiculous idea that anyone that lives in Council Housing are jobless slobs, they think the fact they owe thousands to a bank makes them better people.

My husband grew up in a council house and his mum stayed there until she moved into sheltered accommodation.

I don't know why people think it's 'free' As far as I know my husband's parents worked full time continuously until their retirement and their rent was paid from wages and then pension.

People who've seen scammers operate and not realised their friends/acquaintances are scammers. You can inherit a tenancy if you've also been living there long enough. These scammers didn't inherit the tenancy and move in after their parents died. They pretended they have been living there all along

That sounds incredibly difficult and frustrating, I presume adapting the current property isn't an option.

My area has relatively low demand on properties, however this means that people complain when they haven't been offered a property within a few weeks.

Imo the issue isn't social housing, it is the total unregulation of private landlords - spiralling rents, condition of properties and an attitude of "as long as I get the rent" at least in SH they will come down hard on tenants if necessary. If private lets were put on a par with SH it would solve a lot of issues.

On the other side is a Advanced Practise Nurse and her accountant wife, all have lived there for over 30 years.

Is it the case then, that once you are given a council house property that no matter how much you earn, there is no expectation that you would move out?

NC for this as I’m sure my opinion will be unpopular!

Personally I don’t want to live near council housing as I think generally the people who live there are more likely to commit crime and behave anti socially than those living in private rented or owned housing. I also do look down on some people in council housing because I see them as “not paying their way” (I am aware that council housing is not free but it’s not market prices).

Part of this is definitely jealousy - I live in central London and paid thousands a month in rent and now in mortgage while people in very similar properties round the corner get a massive subsidy that I pay for through taxes. Part of it is fear - I now live close to a massive council estate and the quickest way to my kids nursery is to go through it, I now don’t go that way because when I have I’ve been shouted and spat at multiple times, seen people obviously dealing drugs, people screaming at each other in the street and witnessed a mugging. Clearly these things happen anywhere but in my limited experience the frequency is higher in council estates than elsewhere.

Obviously the above is both a prejudice and a massive generalisation so when I meet people who live in council housing I don’t immediately assume that individual fits any of the above stereotypes. I have plenty of friends who grew up in council housing (though in the interest of transparency I don’t think I know anyone well who lives in council housing now).

So I guess my conclusion is I think people in council housing are mostly the same as people not in council housing but the concentration of criminality and antisocial behaviour is higher.

Here is one local authority where council tenancies can be inherited @gamerchick @x2boys - first one that came up on when I searched ‘inheriting council tenancy’

Leeds Council

A previous poster shared a link from CAB saying the rules can vary between local authorities.

It does go up but it still would take a very long time for that to cover the cost of kitchens, windows, roofs etc. I fully understand that council tenants have to pay for flooring, doors, painting etc but the big stuff which is conducted by contractors tends to be bigger stuff. Rents would be 7+ years solely to cover those costs at £500 per month which for some areas is more then council housing costs.
In our area all the council properties are pretty old with very few new ones built so yes the insulation on them is rubbish!
My DM rents her house out via a housing association (also social housing) the rent is much less then the private market and would be 8+ years to cover the costs of new boiler, kitchen and bathroom which have been done. She keeps it with a housing association because there isn't enough in the area and they guarantee the rent and damages cost.

OP from your update your friends were in the wrong though same company should do the same job across the board and priority should be given to what is the most urgent to fix not who has paid.

I wouldn't judge. I live in a housing association flat (there aren't any council properties in Scotland, it's only housing association).

I'd love to get a house with a garden but I'm very greatful for what I have. I went from a damp 1 bedroom private let flat to a 2 bedroom housing association high rise flat and save £60 a month in rent. I wish more people could have social housing.

I'm envious of my friend who lives in a council bungalow, but she could never afford to rent privately as she only has her state pension.

I grew up in council housing, and my parents still live in a council house. Both worked (DM still does). They live amongst people who own their properties, and they get on with all their neighbours.

People who claim to be friends who would judge you for living in a council house were never your friend to start with. I bet they are jealous, if anything.

I think@Tooscaredtopost is correct. It is mostly jealousy that those who are deemed to have not done the right thing have benefitted and secured a lifelong property (including the right to buy the property or pass it onto dependents), whilst those that have worked hard are not even eligible to get onto a waiting list.

They can not do anything about it but direct their dissatisfaction at social housing residents rather than successive governments that have made either made home ownership all but impossible for first time buyers on average incomes and not built enough social housing to keep up with the increase in demand for affordable housing.

I grew up on a council estate so would never dream of judging anyone else who still did. I'd think them lucky.

There are council houses in Scotland - but not in all councils.

Not sure who typed it but regards Council Tenancy Succession. If you have a Secure Tenancy you can indeed add a successor. Just the once. And that person has to have lived with you for over so many consecutive Years.
In my London Borough you can do it anyway.

I remember when my ds was 13/14 he got himself a girlfriend who lived on the new estate adjacent to ours. Big privately owned detached houses and we are in the next street and we are in council accommodation. She was not allowed to mix with estate kids because apparantly we were scum and benefit scroungers. ( I worked)

funny really because her older brother was
imprisoned for theft a couple of years ago whereas my son is has worked hard since he left school and is now working n a good job.

just pure snobbery

For tenancy succession you have to be named as living at the address for at least 12 months in our borough and then you can inherit the secure tenancy

That they are fortunate to have secure, stable housing.
I have no negative connotations. I only wish there was more of it so we weren’t stuck in exorbitant private rent.

What happens to people in private rented when they retire ? If they're only on a state pension?

I agree with this in terms of my frustrations (£2000/month rent for 2 bed flat) but I do lay the blame squarely at the government.

Just a bit jealous 😄 My friends in council houses have a lot more disposable income and more chance of buying a decent property at a good price. Rent is less than half that of a comparable house but fair play to them managing to get one!

We become homeless I guess.

You have to be actually on the tenancy here to inherit it. Living in the house makes no difference now.

I agree with this.