Why do people look down on council houses

[Easystuff]

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.

@WhisperingHi it's the deposit though people would struggle with and all the other major costs to process a mortgage PLUS the deposit. Add kids on top... people don't have it. If they did and life was that simple people would go and get a mortgage tomorrow.

Yes, this is bizarre. No way are council homes subsidised.

It was always intended for everyone, because everyone is entitled to the basic human right of decent housing.

It's only in recent years that it's been sold off to the extent that it's had to be rationed.

Move on where though? I'm seeing thread after thread from posters who are terrified because their mortgage is shooting up to scary levels. People in private rents are feeling that as well because of landlords who thought they could make some coin on the backs of people on modest wages and/or from the taxpayer in the form of housing benefit.

Who, in their right mind would willingly move into that shitshow? It's a weird way of thinking.

When SH is the only thing that brings security, it means there is something very wrong in the housing thing. Beating SH tenants for it is a strange way of thinking.

Everybody NEEDS a safe place to live. You don't get to pick and choose who's worthy

Whilst in private rent I had 2 evictions. There's not a hope in hell of me ever risking that again. Then 7 years I'm temporary accommodation
Never again

When SH is the only thing that brings security, it means there is something very wrong in the housing thing. Beating SH tenants for it is a strange way of thinking

This with bells on 👌🏻

Sorry meant to credit @gamerchick for the bold bit in my prev post

Yes, this is bizarre. No way are council homes subsidised.

It's been explained several times on this thread how they are...

Yeah I lost two places in a row through the owner wanting to sell. It financially crippled me. It's huge to have to find a deposit and fees, and you don't get your old deposit back no matter what you do. Each time you move, you're paying more because you're effectively entering the market and so you're beholden to whatever people want to charge. It costs a fortune to have your things moved and you inevitably lose things or have to buy new things to suit the next place; you might need a washing machine in one and not the other, for example, so you've either got to source one or work out what to do with a spare. You might end up paying more in travel costs to get anywhere. And the list of inconveniences just goes on from there.

I ended up having to live with friends or with dodgy partners for a while because I simply didn't have the resources to cope with another move. That left me vulnerable to abuse and that's the only reason I managed to get offered a HA place.

At this point, I feel pretty deserving of this place. And the fact it's charged at what the council thinks housing should cost (which is conveniently for them a lot less than the actual average cost of housing), means that I'm finally able to have some financial security.

If anyone wants to look down on me, they're welcome to! I'm very happy so that's really their problem!

Yeah it's not nice. Me and the kids had to go through 2 evictions. All our stuff had to go into storage. You then go into temporary accommodation. They are very run down. Mice,rats,bedbugs, red ants. Was pretty awful.

Why do people look down on council tenants? Well because they're jealous that council tenants get a free goat with their rent free house. Everyone knows that.

This post is sarcasm in case anyone jumps on it!!

@TooManyClouds If you’re a rich person nicely set up in a big house somewhere lovely I don’t understand your over investment in social housing. You sit in your ivory tower preaching to those you see as less fortunate. I can’t work out how this impacts on your life. You’ve been told over and over the properties are not subsidised but still you persist.

A lot of right wing effort has been put into making people feel ashamed of anything related to poverty, which, of course, applies 'to lazy feckless people who are getting something for nothing at our expense'. It's a combination of envy - why are they getting "free" stuff? Why not me too? I dont get anything - and justifying that by convincing yourself you're better than them because you've paid more than they have. Just another aspect of consumerism.

Absolutely this and to most of those bashing social housing it’s an irrelevancy to them. They just like someone to pick on. Nasty nasty people out there

You actually get a choice now. Goat,cow or chicken. I choose chicken as my kids love eggs

Not when the mortgage is paid off they don't. The bank don't own my property, thank you.

I suppose it depends where it is. My friend’s live in a very nice council house, lovely old brick house with nice gardens etc. But there is a council estate not too far from me which looks very grey and run down. It’s depressing to look at and has a bad vibe about it, kids hanging around, fly tipping, litter etc. I guess I look down at the latter because it looks like the people don’t take care of what they have.

A choice?? But poor people aren't supposed to have choices, they're supposed to get what they're given and be grateful for it.
You'll be telling me that they can afford cars next!

Exactly.
I think it's a bit different in London (maybe in some other areas also) because it's completely normal for people here to live in council or social housing. Until recently most central London boroughs were about 50% council or social housing and it's still a high proportion of housing. Generations of Londoners have grown up seeing it as the norm and are happy with it. It's also normal for middle class professionals to live in it as well as people allocated the housing due to being vulnerable. Quite a lot of it was established by groups of people getting together and creating housing cooperatives or, nowadays, community living initiatives, for a better way of living, so there's a lot of care and work gone into it and it's not the same as the recent private company social housing, which usually has high rents anyway.

As housing prices/unsecured private rents have increased, the benefits of being allocated a secure long term rent has caused some people to become envious of those who have secured social housing. Especially, the newer developments, which have been built in mixed schemes. Private, shared ownership and social rent.
At the same time the reduction of availability for social housing has changed the type of resident from general to high/medium priority only. This has meant that people who would have qualified for housing no longer meet the criteria but have no protection against soaring housing costs.
The answer is to increase social housing, which in turn should reduce private rents to more affordable levels. (1/3 of income)
I think the Conservative Party tried to remove the lifetime tenancies but it did not work as people would rather keep their housing than increase their salary and lose their secure tenancies.

You know lots of council tenants work, right? 😂and everyone pays rent.

She was being sarcastic

Ahh must of missed that bit but probably still applies to others 😅

My oldest son is disabled and lives in a lovely one bedroom HA flat. It is a lovely flat and he is very happy there. Originally, council houses were very solidly built and made to as high standards as privately built houses - in many cases often better. This is how it should be. Everyone deserves the chance of a nice home.

They won't have a mortgage by demise, so the bank does not own it, they owe the bank sure, but renters just throw money to a landlord and never get anything. Also, private home owners might own their homes outright.