To think if all your children have grown up and left you should give up your 5 bed council house?

[dilemma456]

The housing list are so long and especially for bigger properties.

I met someone who lives by herself in a 5 bed council house last night. Her children have all moved out. There are people who really need that house crammed into much smaller properties.

AIBU to think that if you're massively under occupying social housing you should be under an obligation to move out into something smaller and that the council should offer you support and encouragement to do so?

This discussion always gets bogged down in the '90 year old granny suffering emotional trauma at leaving home of 70 years' but that's something of a red herring. To get social housing in the first place requires that someone can prove genuine need. It seems to make sense that you demonstrate every few years that the need still exists or if it has changed in some way. Apply some common-sense to the problem i.e. don't evict 90 year-old grannies onto the street, and it would work.

If it as Veryon says then I agree . Council housing is for the benefit of those who cannot permit ( or who don't wish to) own their own home. Therefore certain rules should apply. One being that you agree to downsize if your family situation changes.

YANBU, I don't own a house, so I don't have a house for life, like most people in the rented sector. Living in a low rent property for 5 or 10 years is a massive benefit, and you have to accept if you have that massive benefit, then you won't have it for ever and ever, as others at the same lifestage (usually with young children) need it right now.

And, no-one is secure in their home for ever anyway. If you own a home, and more than £8,000 or whatever in savings, you have to sell it to pay for your care in old age. If you are deemed not fit to look after yourself, you will be moved out into a hospital or care home. This often breaks people's hearts, but the idea that people who own their own homes can stay in them indefinitely til death is just false anyway.

Hmm, then it just becomes temporary housing doesn't it?
Rather than a secure home for your children to grow up in

All housing is temporary unless you own it outright. And even then, should you be unable to afford the upkeep, it makes sense to move out.

If you take on a council house, raise two or three children for 20 years, and then when they have left home the council moves you into a smaller property... that would be about as secure as it gets.

Do you think some people would have another baby every few years,to keep up their entitlement?

BuntyPenfold - unfortunately they already do.

buntypenfold

I dont htink this is a bash socila tenents or old people thread. I actually think it is a case of younger families being discrimnated against because the generation above them are too selfish to remember where they got help from when they where younger. Talk about pull the ladder up beneath you!

I pay private rent. I have also had a mortgage.
If I spilt from DH I would almost certainly need some help with paying the rent so I am well aware of the situations people find themselves in.
I still firmly believe that if I was given a council house for myself and my children, when they moved out so would I!

The conditions of social rental contracts need to be altered so the chances of a 90 year old being forced to move would never happen.

What?

Bunty - not really - the daily mail would have us believe there are hundreds of families just popping out sprogs to get a bigger house and more benefits - its a myth.

'Removing the automatic right to inherit property does make some sense. Although I wouldn't want to see an 18yo (for example) out on their ear when their mother died while they were still living at home.'

But if that same 18-year-old were living with a parent in private rental, he/she would be out on their ear.

The tenancy would be void because it would be in the deceased parent's name.

I completely agree with ronshar and Chil1234

Oh, I see, thank you. I haven't read it.

Thank you Expat.

Genuine Question - How many 3+ bed houses are occupied by 1 person?

Equally the older people i know who have decided to leave there family home (from whatever background) and go into sheltered housing have all wished they did it sooner. They have rediscovered communities and have help on tap.

The last time this convo happened I got a battering cause my 90 year of granny lived in a 3 bed house, on her own, since her kids moved and her dh died, just a quick update but you can all relax now cause she has died so the house is free for a 'proper' tennant. BTW this was whilst in the process of being moved to a different property.

LoveBeing I'm sorry to hear about your granny

What needs to happen is a change in attitude - people who rent, from whoever, need to know that its not their house and therefore may be required to leave it. Whether thats because the landlord wants to sell it our the council feels it doesn't fit their needs anymore.

oldienotamoldie - Please see my previous post regarding the process.

"'Removing the automatic right to inherit property does make some sense. Although I wouldn't want to see an 18yo (for example) out on their ear when their mother died while they were still living at home.'

But if that same 18-year-old were living with a parent in private rental, he/she would be out on their ear."

Quite possibly also if the parents were living in their own home. The 18 year old would not be able to pay the upkeep of the home, nor the mortgage.

Equally the older people i know who have decided to leave there family home (from whatever background) and go into sheltered housing have all wished they did it sooner. They have rediscovered communities and have help on tap.

KATZ you are right, this is becoming more and more common recently.

I think its a lot nicer to have people in areas with similar types of people. There aren't so many clashes of lifestyles.

My Grandparents lived in a 4 bed council house after the children had all moved, it was too big for them and cost a lot to heat so they applied for a smaller property. It took about 10 years to finally be offered something (by this time both had mobility problems) basically bungalows in the area only came up when someone died. So it's not always easy for people to move even if they are desperate to.