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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:
Original poster
Easystuff · 09/09/2023 16:32

Anothershitusername · 09/09/2023 16:21

Are u having a laugh
god I’d of loved the privilege of a council house
every penny has gone on a whopping mortgage,never took the kids abroad,no satatlite tv ,no luxuries at all
having to take a loan out to pay last years gas and electricity bill.
look down on people in a council house …I don’t think so ,

Show quote history

I'm not sure how to take your post

But anyway. Is it not a privilege to be in the position to buy your own home?

I'm in a council house but was in temporary accommodation for years. My children have never been on holiday abroad. Thry have only been on holiday once in the UK.

Sorry that your struggling with gas/electricity. I think many people are

OP posts:
Santanderfall · 09/09/2023 16:34

I don't think most people look down on council tenants. Not the people I know anyway.

If anything, I envy people who have the security of social housing which was never available to me and will never be. So I'm stuck in insecure expensive private rentals at the mercy of landlords. But I understand I don't qualify for social housing and never will as there are far more people in need than I.

But in very simple terms what happened with council housing over decades was it was originally designed for people who needed it, and that included working families who couldn't afford to buy but could be allocated social housing that wasn't always cheaper than private renting but often was.

I live in a city where the 'council estates' started off as nice communities, homes with gardens and virtually all inhabitants were working families.

As time went on, the demand for social housing increased with government domestic policies, societal changes and the selling off off of council properties all ending up in a perfect storm of social housing only being available to a very limited number of specifically societally vulnerable people so the previous majority of working families became the minority and how previously nice areas to live became 'sink estates'.

Seagullchippy · 09/09/2023 16:44

greengobbledygook · 09/09/2023 13:40

Social housing could be an amazing thing. For example, Vienna has outstanding social housing programme. There's no stigma attached to it either, it's not designed for lower income houses thus people in professions such as doctors live in them too.

Unfortunately, with social housing here being for lower income households there is a stigma attached.

As someone who lived in social housing for 5 years, I have a poor outlook on social housing. Not always, but generally, the estates are rough and most neighbours are rough. It's not somewhere desirable to live - simply affordable.

Social housing here was meant for everyone also, it's just become more and more means-tested since so much was sold off that there's nowhere near enough to meet demand.

In London it's still normal for locals (as opposed to professionals and graduates moving in for work) to live in social housing. My neighbours include NHS staff, teachers, lecturers, a taxi driver, a plumber, some artists and musicians, an accountant, a gardener...just a normal mix of people.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Benefits General health
boboshmobo · 09/09/2023 16:52

Those saying it's not free , it actually often is as the rent is paid for by universal credit .

I don't care but that is the truth . I have a friend with a lovely house . She gets pip , dla for her child and has a motobility car . She won't be the only one for sure .
She literally gets everything free and doesn't work at all despite being able to 🤷‍♀️

Santanderfall · 09/09/2023 16:54

HerMammy · 09/09/2023 15:43

Unfortunately, with social housing here being for lower income households there is a stigma attached.
The MN myth, even better I read it's for people with MH problems, unemployed and out of prison.
Anyone can apply, you are not asked your income(not in my area) it is based on need, so middle class
mum suddenly in need because rich DH flung her out, can be housed.
The utter snobbery and ill informed on MN regards SH disgusts me.

It depends where you live. In my city the housing website tells you that even if you are classed as having the highest need, you will still likely wait years to be housed.

And the highest need is extremely specific. Care leavers, refugees, people receiving disability benefits etc.

Middle class Mum suddenly flung out by DH could potentially be put on the list, but won't be housed for years if ever.

Being accepted on the housing list isn't the same as 'going to be housed'.

Maybe you should inform yourself about housing as a whole in the UK, before you decide other people who actually work in the area or have experience of it, are 'ill-informed'.

Oliotya · 09/09/2023 16:56

I live in an ex council house. Our mortgage is about to go to about £1800. A private let on our street is around £1400. Council rent is about £600.
The same exact houses. The council ones all have solar panels too.
I don't look down on any particularly, there's a real mix of council tenants. But it's clear that lots of the council rent must be paid for almost entirely by UC, the inequality is obscene.

Original poster
Easystuff · 09/09/2023 17:01

boboshmobo · 09/09/2023 16:52

Those saying it's not free , it actually often is as the rent is paid for by universal credit .

I don't care but that is the truth . I have a friend with a lovely house . She gets pip , dla for her child and has a motobility car . She won't be the only one for sure .
She literally gets everything free and doesn't work at all despite being able to 🤷‍♀️

That would be the same if your friend rented private as well. As uc pays for private rent as well.

Your friend gets theses benefits for her disabled/special needs child.

OP posts:
HerMammy · 09/09/2023 17:01

@Santanderfall
Note I did say 'in my area' 😉

romdowa · 09/09/2023 17:02

Years ago it was a class thing but these days where I live , a lot of it is jealousy or just plain begrudgery

Webmeister999 · 09/09/2023 17:09

There are people who look down on ALL tenants regardless of who they rent from. As at least one poster has pointed out, unless you own outright you are still paying what is effectively "rent" to your bank or mortgage provider. I had never come across this pathetic attitude before, since I had always lived in rental flats or one kind or another. When I moved to this estate I had to have "words" with the NDN because they had sent workpeople onto my property without permission. She replied that she did not need my permission because I was "only a tenant". She got a thorough tongue lashing from me and I never forgave her for that. It was the start of a beautiful hatred.

Santanderfall · 09/09/2023 17:13

HerMammy · 09/09/2023 17:01

@Santanderfall
Note I did say 'in my area' 😉

And I would love to see the council housing website for your area which has no pressure on housing. I think they exist going by MN posts, but also suspect the posters talking about it might not be up to date with the reality.

Post the council Website please.

kitsuneghost · 09/09/2023 17:14

To get a council house nowadays do you not have to be on benefits.
A normal couple on 70k and no kids have no chance.
If so, the taxpayer pays the rent so for some it is essentially free.

keffie12 · 09/09/2023 17:16

I live in social housing (council). I used to be an owner occupier with the ex.

That was how I was bought up to be coming from an "affluent family which was extremely dysfunctional and damaging"

People who lived in social housing when I was growing up were looked down on by my family and extended circles we walked in.

I always say it was emotional poverty I was bought in. The thought of one day being happy living in social housing I would have laughed at.

I do live in a cosmopolitan small city, which means there isn't the denigration here you see in big cities.

I fled abuse with 4 now adult children 23 years ago. Funnily enough, the date is this weekend as I write.

We went through the fires of hell in the aftermath. We finally got this place, in 2003, after fleeing in 2000 after 2 and half years of hidden homelessness.

Some of us have been through hell to get our housing. My children had to spend a period in care (they had never even had a s.w before). I had people saying I was lucky to get our home, as even back then, it was hard to get social housing.

I would retort, "You want my story. My size home is so I can bring my children home. " Silence then. We went through the whole system of this country. Nothing was handed to me on a plate. I had a fight (that took my health) of my life to get everything sorted..

You can't judge without knowing the situation someone is in, is what I'm saying. Where I live, the housing is mixed in around privately owned. That was how this city was rebuilt after the war. The diversity works here

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 09/09/2023 17:17

I think council houses are a really good thing, and we need a lot more council housing/social housing, so people who rent are not at the mercy of the private rental market - although I do think it has its place too.

Selling off council houses might have been a good idea IF councils had been made to replace the sold-off housing stock. They were supposed to use the money raised from selling off council houses to build new ones, but in reality only a fraction were replaced. Getting people onto the property ladder was beneficial to them, but disastrous for council housing stock.

GasDrivenNun · 09/09/2023 17:20

I'm all right Jack attitude

VeronicaSawyer89 · 09/09/2023 17:21

FlamMabel · 09/09/2023 13:35

Because people are getting something "for free" that other people have to work for.

Free? Mine is over £500 per month, how is that free?

keffie12 · 09/09/2023 17:21

boboshmobo · 09/09/2023 16:52

Those saying it's not free , it actually often is as the rent is paid for by universal credit .

I don't care but that is the truth . I have a friend with a lovely house . She gets pip , dla for her child and has a motobility car . She won't be the only one for sure .
She literally gets everything free and doesn't work at all despite being able to 🤷‍♀️

Would you swap everything for her disabilities though? Because you say that what she gets and it's obviously she is disabled

Not everyone gets there housing free in social housing.

You sound like you're jealous of what she has. The majority of disabled people would swap. Being disabled is not a choice of life

Barbiesback · 09/09/2023 17:22

@Oliotya how would you know who pays a portion of their rent or full rent or no rent? I think you're are doing a lot of assuming.

Santanderfall · 09/09/2023 17:24

kitsuneghost · 09/09/2023 17:14

To get a council house nowadays do you not have to be on benefits.
A normal couple on 70k and no kids have no chance.
If so, the taxpayer pays the rent so for some it is essentially free.

Where I live, yes that's the case. And not just benefits but disability benefits.

Or a care leaver, refugee or someone over 50 who earns less than 40k a year and has less than 40k in savings could be eligible for over 50s housing.

But some people seem to live in areas with tonnes of available social housing so most people are eligible going by a few posters?

Original poster
Easystuff · 09/09/2023 17:25

keffie12 · 09/09/2023 17:16

I live in social housing (council). I used to be an owner occupier with the ex.

That was how I was bought up to be coming from an "affluent family which was extremely dysfunctional and damaging"

People who lived in social housing when I was growing up were looked down on by my family and extended circles we walked in.

I always say it was emotional poverty I was bought in. The thought of one day being happy living in social housing I would have laughed at.

I do live in a cosmopolitan small city, which means there isn't the denigration here you see in big cities.

I fled abuse with 4 now adult children 23 years ago. Funnily enough, the date is this weekend as I write.

We went through the fires of hell in the aftermath. We finally got this place, in 2003, after fleeing in 2000 after 2 and half years of hidden homelessness.

Some of us have been through hell to get our housing. My children had to spend a period in care (they had never even had a s.w before). I had people saying I was lucky to get our home, as even back then, it was hard to get social housing.

I would retort, "You want my story. My size home is so I can bring my children home. " Silence then. We went through the whole system of this country. Nothing was handed to me on a plate. I had a fight (that took my health) of my life to get everything sorted..

You can't judge without knowing the situation someone is in, is what I'm saying. Where I live, the housing is mixed in around privately owned. That was how this city was rebuilt after the war. The diversity works here

I'm so sorry for what you have been through. Life can be proper shit. And people don't get that. I'm glad things are better for you know. You deserve to be happy

OP posts:
VeronicaSawyer89 · 09/09/2023 17:26

FlamMabel · 09/09/2023 14:06

Urgh, can all the people who have quoted me stop, I understand it's not free, hence why I used tools to highlight that part...

Sorry, only just seen this. Will RTFT next time.

boboshmobo · 09/09/2023 17:29

@keffie12 she doesn't really have them tbh . She is very overweight and this causes them .

My son is at sn school and I see this over and over . The system being abused .

I'm not jealous , I earn very well and have a beautiful house with no mortgage but I'm staying that for some it's absolutely free and this needed to be pointed out .

Original poster
Easystuff · 09/09/2023 17:34

boboshmobo · 09/09/2023 17:29

@keffie12 she doesn't really have them tbh . She is very overweight and this causes them .

My son is at sn school and I see this over and over . The system being abused .

I'm not jealous , I earn very well and have a beautiful house with no mortgage but I'm staying that for some it's absolutely free and this needed to be pointed out .

But she gets dla for her child as well so het child is disabled/Sn. She is also disabled herself. You don't know why she is over weight it could be a medical condition. Would you say the same if she had anorexia?

OP posts:
StaunchMomma · 09/09/2023 17:34

I don't look down on it but they're not usually awfully attractive, are they? I can understand why people might not love them, aesthetically?

I have friends who've bought ex council houses in towns and villages and there are big positives - spacious, sturdy, decent gardens etc. Also know people who've paid hundreds of thousands for one of those hideous council flats in London that are always on Police dramas.

As far as judging those in current social housing though, I think everyone gets that that's just pure twuntery. Anyone can fall on hard times.

Thank God we live in a society that provides help for those in need.

VeronicaSawyer89 · 09/09/2023 17:34

boboshmobo · 09/09/2023 16:52

Those saying it's not free , it actually often is as the rent is paid for by universal credit .

I don't care but that is the truth . I have a friend with a lovely house . She gets pip , dla for her child and has a motobility car . She won't be the only one for sure .
She literally gets everything free and doesn't work at all despite being able to 🤷‍♀️

I don't get universal credit, or PIP or DLA or have a motability car. I pay for my HA house myself. DO you understand that millions of people are not exactly the same as your friend?