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.

@berksandbeyond I honestly had no ode it worked this way. So as a single woman earning £80k+ a year, I could rock up to the local authority and ask them for a really really cheap (relatively speaking) property and they'd give me a property where I only need to pay 1/3rd of the market rate in rent?

Doesn't matter what I earn or what I have in the bank??

I'm gobsmacked if this is the case (probably as I've always been brought up to pay my own way as much as possible). But if this is right, my question is why aren't we all doing it? Why are some of us being complete mugs and paying the full whack?

I’m not taking advantage of the system. I was fairly allocated and given a lifetime tenancy.

You'd probably be waiting for years and years and years though - you'll be on the lowest priority. But yes, anyone can apply to be added to the council list.

In the beginning the rent was about 2/3 of market rate, but private rent has increased to a ridiculous level over the last few years.

I'm still confused as to why the local authority are subsidising your rent at all and not mine?

@obje in reality waiting lists are huge in most areas so there's a points based system - you get allocated a place on the list based on factors like having children, low income, being disabled etc. In theory anyone can join the list and slowly move up but I think in our area - a normal small city - if you don't have any points it's about a 19 year wait. Even with lots of points it can be a few years to wait.

Ah ok, so OP perhaps got awarded her property based on genuine need in the past and now she has it she can stay as long as she wants regardless of any changes in circumstance?

You would entitled to join the list but in most areas you’d be waiting a very long time. The reason that people are waiting years and are in B&Bs with their children, are because people like OP abuse a system. A bit like benefits generally, social housing should be a hand up not a hand out, and the expectation to ‘block’ a social tenancy / council house for life, even when you don’t need it anymore, is selfish to the core. I hope they introduce means testing 🤞🏻

I think it's immoral and in your position I would be ashamed

Social housing estates need families like yours? It's a healthy mix and tbh I think it's great for you, home owning isn't what it's always cracked up to be.

Don't feel bad you're not doing anything wrong.

Of course you should celebrate. But this thread will not sit well with some mumsnetters. People who live in social housing are strongly disliked and resented on here - by some. I will be watching this thread with interest.

For what it's worth, you crack on. You have nothing to be ashamed of, or embarrassed about. You have a nice cheap social housing tenancy and a home for life. Good for you. I think it's a shame everyone can't get the same chance, but why should you give it up for someone else to have it, so THEY can have cheaper rent and less outgoings? You will just be in the same unfortunate position as them then!

You are financially OK because you are in social housing! Ignore people saying you should give it up, and are selfish if you don't!

I think it’s awful. There are people in actual need of this housing. I’d rather my taxes subsidised their housing than yours.

I work (volunteer) in the south east at a food bank and there is no social housing available. You can't even go on the list unless you meet certain criteria so I assume the op has lived in theirs a while. Also life time tenancy's are rarer.

I guess it’s an interesting debate around ‘what is government for?’ I think most people would expect the government to lock up dangerous criminals and provide a national healthcare service of sorts. Should the government also be housing us? Perhaps it should (I’m not arguing one way or another particularly).

whdn you say other countries manage it, what do you mean? You mean they have more social housing than the uk?

Yeah, because you'd voluntarily move to private rental accommodation at 3x the cost if you were the OP?! Oh patron saint of the poor and needy - pull the other one!!

I don’t think anyone who has the funds to support themselves should be receiving cheap housing when there are so many in desperate need. There are children sleeping in mould infested B&Bs tonight desperate for a home. In your shoes that would make me feel very guilty. And yes you can say ‘But the government should be providing this for EVERYONE’ but you know they won’t so it’s a bit of a cop out. They can’t afford to and we don’t have the space to build all these new social houses anyway not without severely compromising our landscape and flooding risk.

I'm torn. I can't blame op for putting her family first.

But I work for a charity, and see so many people in absolutely dire circumstances, often through no fault of their own, who are on waiting lists with no real hope of getting a property. Or at least not for many years.

All makes sense now @berksandbeyond thanks

You'd think then that OP had a genuine need in the past in order to get enough points to get far enough up the queue to be awarded.

That being the case you'd then think that someone so has been in that position themselves would be more sympathetic towards others currently experiencing similar. Obviously not 🤷🏻‍♀️

If I'd been in the position of being subsidised when I most needed it, and later became more fortunate to have a very healthy income and comfortable lifestyle that allowed significant savings, there's no way I'd feel comfortable sponging off the state at the expense of people in the position I was previously in when desperate for help

I’m not sure that’s true for all councils (that anyone can be added to the list)? I was looking at the rules for ours and they won’t let you join the list if you earn over £60k (fair enough!)

100% this.

You're being selfish but tbh I would do exactly the same thing for myself and my family so I'm not judging you.

The system is at fault here not the individual because you would be mad to give up what you have.

If you were doing something wrong, they'd turf you out. You were eligible at the time... The Council would make it very unappealing for tenants to make a success of their lives if they would then be threatened with eviction! Would people on here be happier if you were still in poverty?

In Ireland, council rent is on a sliding scale where the more you earn, the more you pay as it is a proportion of income.

You’re not breaking the rules so I don’t blame you personally. Just like I don’t blame people who use legal tax loopholes to avoid tax. In both cases I blame the system not the person.

I do think the system ought to be changed. Lifetime council tenancies regardless of circumstances are only fair if there isn’t a shortage, which there clearly is.

I do think it is wrong that it is not temporary. Now people live 80+ years could be 50+ years holding onto the house.
I wonder what the housing benefit bill would be if more had the reduced council properties.
It annoyed me when years ago they said the pay for the union man and it was say £50k and he was still living in a council property.
Rent round here is about £2k a month which is crazy with the food prices and gas etc

I would feel guilty about people with a greater need than mine but I wouldn’t give up a social housing tenancy for private rent. However with only 10% of their income going on rent they could easily save a decent deposit and buy somewhere. That’s what I’d do.