High joint income and in social housing with no plans to buy. Celebrate or selfish?

[SocialHousedNHappy]

I’ve been wondering about for some time and completely understand the dire and desperate situation that many people and families find themselves in. But… I hate the way that social housing is seen as only for the most desperate, when it was introduced as a housing option for all.

My household brings in a healthy income and we pay less than 10% to our monthly rent. This means we get enjoy a modest lifestyle and put some money aside for adult DC for when they’re older - they can then choose to buy whatever they fancy, car, house deposit, uni, whatever as will be their choice.

I hate that people seem to think that I should give up my secure tenancy and move into private rent. Looking on rightmove, a comparable house would be around 3x what I’m currently paying in rent, and to be honest, I wouldn’t move to private rented ever again. But why do people react as thought I’m doing something wrong, in the same way as they think of benefit cheats? I think the govt should be put under pressure to build more social housing - proper social housing, rather than the current situation where people are pit against each other and blaming each other for what is clearly a government failing.

I don’t want to sound like I’m gloating, because I’m not, but I don’t see why I should feel bad and not celebrate the life and comfort that my social housing has allowed me to enjoy.

I’m genuinely interested to hear if anyone agrees and feels the same.

@AQuantityOfNaughtyCats I totally agree.

In case you missed what I said earlier:

”As I previously mentioned, I’ve no desire to buy a house. I don’t see why home ownership should the default.

Ive seen the stress and problems my fiends and family have encountered - debt, repossession, depression, overworked, forced to remain in marriages and relationships they’d rather be out of - yet relatively little happiness and, among other reasons choose not to go down that route.”

So no, I have problem saying so.

Would any home owner be happy to have a THREE DAY CALL booked to inspect a door?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4922126-to-think-a-three-day-call-is-not-an-appointment

You were allocated SH when your financial situ was different and now could buy or move out, right?
You're doing nothing wrong by staying, you're a good tenant and there's a real safety in being in rented accomodation should yiur financial situ change for the worst.

I would though rethink buying a house only because owning a property can be a source of future £. If I was you (and I'm not) I'd buy a property and rent it out so you earn enough income to fund the mortgage and make a bit extra. That property will accrue value so becomes an asset you could at any time sell off. Before you know it, you could have a few such properties all funded from your initial investment - deposit plus doing a place up, if needed - and have a nice additional income stream.
If you go down this route, please check climate central mapping tool before buying anything though as many places are predicted to be so badly affected by sea level rises as to be unusable and not too far into the future.
Also check your tenancy agreement to confirm it doesn't dispatch you from staying put and owning another property, if it does, invest your spare money elsewhere, but invest it.

Why is it ok for people to tell the OP what to do with her OWN MONEY Why is it ok to do this when it comes to housing but its not ok to tell someone they should be buying a Mercedes instead of a Ford and hating on them when they dont

The tenants pay rent, which goes to central government, which redistributes it along with taxes.

I’d say stay put…. So what if you can easily afford to give up the subsidy you’re currently enjoying? And whilst you’re there, max out on whatever other benefits you can lay your hands on…. Why not eh? It’s all free money, afterall. You could put the extra you save into hiring a good tax accountant and find a way to stick it to the man even more! Bravo I say. Cor, could you imagine just how shiny that car would be that your kids could buy with all that money saved!

I’m thankful that my ethical compass points in a different direction to yours.

This makes me even more depressed than I already feel. I'm a single working mum who is facing going into a hostel next week, where I've been told I could be for 3+ years with my 18 month old. This is because of a lack of social housing in my area, or anywhere near. If there are no spaces at the hostel I will have to stay in a Travelodge until a space becomes available, where I will have no where to cook or wash my child's clothes. When I go into the hostel I have been told I have to pay £280 a week to stay there. I won't be on the priority band once I'm there, as they class it as I have somewhere to stay.
I have been trying to rent privately for over 6 months but getting no where as even though I can just afford the rent (but not much else) I'm not desirable with one income.

Council homes should be means tested from when you first get them, and once you're in them.
They shouldn't be able to be bought if they aren't going to build to replace them.
People don't rent privately because they want to pay more for a laugh, if you can afford to you should pay the full market rent or buy. Otherwise the poor are suffering again, just like always.

I feel absolutely hopeless and to be honest I really wish I hadn't seen this thread. What is the point.

Precisely!

@Westillaremadeofgreed Did you not see this or do you just find it easier to blame tenants?

The Elephant and Castle neighbourhood is being physically, socially and ethnically transformed. This started with the demolition of the Heygate estate, a classic for stigmatised perceptions of council housing and the people who live in it. As the local 35% Campaign has meticulously documented, a succession of promises to Heygate residents were broken to arrive at a situation where 1,214 council homes were demolished, to be replaced with 2,704 new homes, of which only 82 (3%) are for social rent. The HA partner was London and Quadrant. To be eligible for the cheapest one-bedroom home built by them on the Heygate site, people needed a minimum household income of £57,500. The average household income in that part of Southwark is £24,324

1,214 social homes demolished and replaced with 82.

Its simple maths and its being replicated up and down the country I guess its easier to punch down at tenants though than punch up at developers.

This has made me so angry. I never post but have to say that I've been waiting for 2 and a half years for social housing because I'm disabled and can't access a shower or even leave the house now. How is it fair for this situation to exist where people who don't need social housing like you are stopping those in need from getting them?

You need ACCESSIBLE housing and there is also a shortage there. DH and i were told the same thing.

I'm telling OP what she should be doing with her home, the home she doesn't own. Her local authority owns it, and guess where the money came from to build her home and do some - maybe all - of the maintenance?

I'm so sad for you, here's hoping and praying you and your little one don't have to wait too long. Are you in the SE?

There is a fucking good example of social housing "maintanance just been posted in 30 days only

Strange replies here, i work in social housing anyone can live in social housing in fact getting a mixture of people is what housing associations try to do to create a more sustainable community. Yes those in high need are given a higher priority initially but typically people applying are banded depending on circumstance. Plenty of people work full time and could potentially afford private rent but this doesn’t mean they aren’t entitled to live in a secure tenure with a reliable landlord. Do not feel guilty

As someone in emergency accommodation coming up my second year next week I see why you stay. But you should also have a walk around my flats and see the working family’s. I’m a single mum who left dv and doesn’t work dues to small children. But some people here are a couple who were pregnant had a still birth at 40 weeks. Who both work and have now been told they won’t get anything. A young couple with a new baby who tbh don’t work at all l. A nurse and Railway worker who have 2 children and got evicted. All the children in one bed flats depression.

my heart breaks for the 8/9 year olds who are sharing with two parents and new born baby. There’s a mum a dad a 13 year old and a 2 year old in one flat. That’s where it’s heartbreaking.

Before I was here I was in a hotel that was so expensive eating out every day not being able to give the children a healthy food with a 3 year old and a 2 months old. I get why you don’t leave but you should see the people who struggle and understand why you’re judged so hard.

i know someone who has a 2 bed council house but she lives in her mums 4 bed whilst her mum lives with her boyfriend it’s sickening.

I’m surprised there isn’t a re-evaluation to see if tenants still qualify. I assumed there was, similar to DSA, UC etc.
My uncle currently lives in the ‘family home’ that has been rented from the council since the 1960s. Both my grandparents aren’t here, he was on the rent book before my Grandfather passed, but gets questioned as to why he’s living in a three bed semi by himself and it should go to a family.
I see both sides of the discussion.
Personally, despite my grandparents home being filled with memories and my emotional attachment, my Uncle shouldn’t be living in such a large council home by himself. Same as you shouldn’t be living in social housing you would no longer qualify for.
Each to their own.

Did your uncle do the bulk of the caring for his parents?

@SocialHousedNHappy why have you come on here to ask? Just to rub the fact you are taking advantage of the system in everyone else’s face?

You would be a complete fool to not think you were being selfish in the first place. Multiple people have come on here and told you their experiences/others story’s and yet here you are still going on.

Are you actually kidding me… you are quoting about there being a housing crisis whilst you take up a home the local authority have been kind enough to subside for you for YEARS. You pay less than 10% of your income on rent. You do NOT need that house.

You can afford to buy a lovely home. You can afford to rent a lovely home.

There are people who CANNOT afford to rent privately or buy. So whilst they suffer you continue to milk the system.

You clearly have no concept of others or suffering otherwise you would never be like this. That quote is so vastly inappropriate given what you are doing.

Our government is having to spend £8m a day on hotels which is where all our tax payer money is going. FYI it’s also the reason the cost to go away in the UK has sky rocketed. Part of the cause of this crisis is people like you who won’t give the council houses back now that they don’t need them. You are literally a perfect example of why the tories had to bring in the bedroom tax - people who despite benefitting from the help of the government will continue to take what they no longer need.

Sorry OP but selfish selfish selfish. The worst of all of this is you’ve come on here to gloat.

Tonight 2,983 people will sleep on the streets and you’ve got a home they could be using. You won’t give it up because you would rather save so you can buy your children houses they’ve not earned. Lovely.

I’m really sorry @Westillaremadeofgreed - it must be so horrible reading this post. You sound lovely and I’m really sorry to hear about your situation ❤️

There are selfish greedy people everywhere but the worst part is OP coming on here just to gloat it seems.

I really hope you can find something soon.

In theory, OP is saving two houses for people who need to rent, by saving for her children to buy.

The housing crisis isn't caused by OP. One of the biggest contributing factors to the lack of available housing and the exorbitant cost of buying is foreign multi-millionaires buying up huge swathes of London, essentially parking their money in an empty house.

But of course, OP is the problem.

Social housing was built to give people a home for life, which is exactly what OP is using it for. It was never intended as a stop-gap until you were better off.

We could have more social housing, easily, if the government weren't so keen to bow to developers.

@JenniferBooth maybe because she came on here to ask ‘selfish or celebrate’ so people have answered.

We’ve not all turned up at OP’s house to demand she gets out and makes room for the homeless. She’s asked the question.

My god this is painful.

Gargbage. Social housing is not subsidised by tax payers.

There should be a 'report' button on this forum for incorrect hate being propogated.

But surely yours needs are very different …..there is loads of social housing close to me …..my DD and 2 of my nieces got lovely new builds , complete with laundry room , landscaped garden and even electric charge points for cars on the driveway…..all of them work….just as well as you need to pass an affordability test…..but none of these properties would be suitable as an accessible property