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Original poster

Why do people look down on council houses

410 replies

Easystuff · 09/09/2023 13:22

Just that really why do others look down on council/social houses. I don't understand. There's no special treatment. It's not unusual, it's been about for many years. It's now pretty hard to get social housing. There are thousands of family waiting lists, being made homeless. Through no fault of their own. It's pretty awful out there.

OP posts:
Catsarego · 10/09/2023 12:33

Seagullchippy · 10/09/2023 12:20

I don't think it's exaggerated. It's completely normal in other countries in Europe: it's the UK that's extreme in its allowing private rents to go wildly insane because they're not capped like they are elsewhere.

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As I said earlier, friends have had their mortgage paid by benefits. They had people who lived with them who they didn’t declare because they were working. This was around late 80s early 90s. Don’t know if this type of subsidy still exists tbh. Private rents should indeed be capped. It’s greed on steroids and preying on the more vulnerable who would love to have secure housing. This whole looking down on others started when Thatcher sold off the council houses. When I was a kid in the 70s no one gave a toss who lived where

Redlarge · 10/09/2023 12:55

Catsarego · 10/09/2023 11:35

Surely if people only stayed in HA properties whilst they needed them and were forced to move on if their circumstances improved it would create ghettos because absolutely no one would bother to take pride in their (temporary) homes. The tenancies are assured for life for a reason. The rents are NOT subsidised. It’s the private rental market that has gone silly with landlords charging what they like that it’s being compared with. These rents should be forced down to be in line with social housing rents. HAs are not for profit organisations that plough the rental incomes back into maintaining the homes. Some people are on benefits but then so are people in private rentals. I’ve had friends who had the social paying their mortgage for years. Mortgages have been heavily subsidised by artificially low interest rates.

Just because someone is poor it doesnt mean they dont take pride or are bad. Jesus. Infact if you have very little you are more likely to look after what little you have.

Redlarge · 10/09/2023 12:56

Meowandthen · 09/09/2023 21:33

I assume that’s a reply to me.

That figure must be a fraction of private rental costs. I hadn’t realised that council rents were so very cheap. Interesting.

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Not all are. My friend pays £570, yes cheaper for the area but you can get houses there for 650.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Benefits General health
Redlarge · 10/09/2023 12:58

BritishDesiGirl · 09/09/2023 19:33

@Redlarge the rent does not stay the same!! Mine goes up 4.7 % each year

I meant it stays lower, as in what the private landlords do cant happen.

Catsarego · 10/09/2023 13:00

Redlarge · 10/09/2023 12:55

Just because someone is poor it doesnt mean they dont take pride or are bad. Jesus. Infact if you have very little you are more likely to look after what little you have.

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No, they do take pride because the houses are their homes. I was referring to the fact that if they were only allowed to live in them until their circumstances improved ie knowing the tenancy wasn’t for life I think less people would bother making their place look nice. Hope you didn’t misunderstand me on purpose. I’m not one who has got it in for social housing tenants. Quite the opposite

Whattodowithit88 · 10/09/2023 13:12

They dont all pay rent, it just comes off their benefits that they get for free anyway because they would rather pop out another kid than work. Meanwhile someone is working and paying double rent but doesn’t get the free benefit money, free meals and nhs care. Everyone thinks people on benefits are there due to unfortunate circumstances, more are because they choose to be. If you belive otherwise then you’re not from london.

Dwrcegin · 10/09/2023 13:21

Meanwhile someone is working and paying double rent but doesn’t get the free benefit money, free meals and nhs care

Everyone gets NHS care, free school meals are means tested. So working families do often qualify for them. I'm not sure what you mean by double rent though sorry.

Original poster
Easystuff · 10/09/2023 13:37

Whattodowithit88 · 10/09/2023 13:12

They dont all pay rent, it just comes off their benefits that they get for free anyway because they would rather pop out another kid than work. Meanwhile someone is working and paying double rent but doesn’t get the free benefit money, free meals and nhs care. Everyone thinks people on benefits are there due to unfortunate circumstances, more are because they choose to be. If you belive otherwise then you’re not from london.

So you think everyone in council homes /social housing. Get their rent paid for them?

OP posts:
IClaudine · 10/09/2023 13:38

Whattodowithit88 · 10/09/2023 13:12

They dont all pay rent, it just comes off their benefits that they get for free anyway because they would rather pop out another kid than work. Meanwhile someone is working and paying double rent but doesn’t get the free benefit money, free meals and nhs care. Everyone thinks people on benefits are there due to unfortunate circumstances, more are because they choose to be. If you belive otherwise then you’re not from london.

Why is the situation different in London compared to rest of the UK?

You do know that there are plenty of people in private rented accommodation who get help with rent too?

keffie12 · 10/09/2023 13:38

Whattodowithit88 · 10/09/2023 13:12

They dont all pay rent, it just comes off their benefits that they get for free anyway because they would rather pop out another kid than work. Meanwhile someone is working and paying double rent but doesn’t get the free benefit money, free meals and nhs care. Everyone thinks people on benefits are there due to unfortunate circumstances, more are because they choose to be. If you belive otherwise then you’re not from london.

You do realise that the scammers of welfare benefits are less than 1% by the government own stats. They don't tell you that because they want people to hate those on benefits.

Facts for you:

1/ The welfare bill (which agrees with it or not 50% that pension is part of benefits) is made up of state pensions

2/ Approx 4 billion a year goes in fraud, AND overpayments.

3/ 22 billion is not being claimed of benefits as people don't know about them, to scared to claim or in the elderly don't want to or don't know how too.

4/ If you want to look at real scammers look to the government

gamerchick · 10/09/2023 13:42

And the pop out another baby bollocks is old old news since you can't claim for them

Original poster
Easystuff · 10/09/2023 13:44

IClaudine · 10/09/2023 13:38

Why is the situation different in London compared to rest of the UK?

You do know that there are plenty of people in private rented accommodation who get help with rent too?

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Oh I missed the London bit. I'm from London. Private rent is very expensive. It's not uncommon to get help with rent even if you work. That's not the fault of the tenant though

OP posts:
Catsarego · 10/09/2023 13:44

gamerchick · 10/09/2023 13:42

And the pop out another baby bollocks is old old news since you can't claim for them

Yes. What an uneducated and outdated view

Original poster
Easystuff · 10/09/2023 13:46

gamerchick · 10/09/2023 13:42

And the pop out another baby bollocks is old old news since you can't claim for them

Along with the flat screen tvs 🤣

OP posts:
IClaudine · 10/09/2023 13:46

In 2016 £9.3bn of housing benefit was paid to private landlords. That figure will be much higher now. Social housing rent payments basically go back into the pot. A much better deal for the taxpayer.

Catsarego · 10/09/2023 13:46

The irony is more benefits are needed for working people because of the ludicrously high private rents so it’s the greedy landlords that cause the need for government help whilst having their mortgages paid by the tenants. Have a think about that

Catsarego · 10/09/2023 13:47

IClaudine · 10/09/2023 13:46

In 2016 £9.3bn of housing benefit was paid to private landlords. That figure will be much higher now. Social housing rent payments basically go back into the pot. A much better deal for the taxpayer.

Exactly.

IClaudine · 10/09/2023 13:47

Easystuff · 10/09/2023 13:46

Along with the flat screen tvs 🤣

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Don't forget the fags n' booze.

Catsarego · 10/09/2023 13:49

Can you still buy tvs that aren’t flat screen? Same old outdated, ignorant argument isn’t it

Original poster
Easystuff · 10/09/2023 13:52

Catsarego · 10/09/2023 13:46

The irony is more benefits are needed for working people because of the ludicrously high private rents so it’s the greedy landlords that cause the need for government help whilst having their mortgages paid by the tenants. Have a think about that

Yep. So benefits are paying for a landlords house.

OP posts:
gamerchick · 10/09/2023 13:58

Definitely think it's the private sector that needs looking at. Why should people be allowed to charge what they want use taxpayers money to pay for their house in the form of housing benefit? Ridiculous state of affairs.

A few days ago I was reading a thread on someone who had a flat that was rented out and wanted to leave her husband. It was all 'can you get the tenant out so you can move in'. No thought at all for the poor sodden tenant who was probably paying through the nose.

Of course, landlords think they're gods.. Taking a house off the market to provide a home for renters. It's all bullshit.

Catsarego · 10/09/2023 14:05

Yeh so it’s actually the private landlords who are ripping the piss out of the benefits system

Original poster
Easystuff · 10/09/2023 14:05

gamerchick · 10/09/2023 13:58

Definitely think it's the private sector that needs looking at. Why should people be allowed to charge what they want use taxpayers money to pay for their house in the form of housing benefit? Ridiculous state of affairs.

A few days ago I was reading a thread on someone who had a flat that was rented out and wanted to leave her husband. It was all 'can you get the tenant out so you can move in'. No thought at all for the poor sodden tenant who was probably paying through the nose.

Of course, landlords think they're gods.. Taking a house off the market to provide a home for renters. It's all bullshit.

Edited

100% agree 👍 just wish thete was more social housing. Rebts can go back into the pot. As others pointed out.

OP posts:
AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii · 10/09/2023 14:06

I’m in Scotland in a HA property with life time tenancy, we live in a rural village with not many on the list for here so we got offered one fairly quickly, we both work, me in community nursing and DH in engineering. Pay full rent and council tax, our HA are terrible for keeping their houses updated but have plenty money to build new houses which is fine but at least keep your other properties up to date, my kitchen is falling to bits (cupboard doors coming off in your hands) DH sorts them but says the actual bits the doors go onto are rotten. I have queried it with the HA but just get told no money for a new kitchen. The rough casting desperately needs done as well it’s falling off in chunks. It is things like this that make me think if they don’t want to keep current stock in good condition just sell it and keep plowing it into new builds 🤷‍♀️. Anyway I keep it as nice as I can, nicely decorated etc but it’s so frustrating when other bits just look rubbish

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