to think that elderly people living alone in 3/4 bed council houses should not have a choice about whether they want to stay there?

[BlessYouToo]

In fact, they should be moved into one bedroom accommodation as soon as the kids leave home (this should have happened years ago of course). Having a 'spare' bedroom in case the grandchildren come to stay should not be an option when they are in state owned properties.

I have today been to view a council property with a friend of mine who has been homeless for 3 years (in temp accommodation) after finally getting to the top of the bidding queue! She was called to see a 4 bedroom house and it was absolutely rank, the smell made me want to heave. Plaster was hanging off the wall and the whole place was damp as the previous tenant either, did not or could not, heat and ventilate it properly Apparently the house was in a much worse than the state we saw it in today but the council had done some remedial work on it to make it safe so it was a bit better. The garden was also just a sea of brambles.

We were told that an elderly person had been living there and had just been moved into a nursing home. T

I was shocked that the council could rent out a property in this state. I would have expected that they would have made sure the property was up to a decent, clean standard before renting it out as any other landlord would have to do (all my friend will get is a paint allowance if she is eligible) but I am even more shocked that this elderly tenant was allowed to let the property get into this condition. Why do councils not carry out inspections to ensure their properties don't get into this state? Obviously the house was too much for the previous tenant to cope with and surely they would have been better off with a smaller property that they could keep clean?

We were told that many of the properties coming available after elderly tenants have either died, or gone into alternative accommodation, are left in a similar state. How many families with young children are left crammed into tiny flats while elderly people are living in houses much too large for their needs, letting them decay around them? I find it unbelievable that this has been happening.

I feel gutted for my friend as she has been desperate to get a stable home for her DCs and will now be going into a total shithole without even carpets on the floor, just cement. It's a bloody disgrace! AIBU?

[usualsuspect]

and people who live in social housing are just like you ,they pay bills too

they are not some alien species

[ninah]

but there are a lot of wealthy people out there. I reckon they'd be better placed to approach for moral sacrifices than council tenants.

[jasper]

get Xenia on here.
She'll explain how you can afford to house your family.

Ninah, let's make it 65 and save the country a packet

[gaelicsheep]

As do the people who earn £1200 a month and have to find £700 of that to pay rent.

[maypole1]

The lady I swapped with was living in one room, the garden had over grown and the house was freezing as she could not afford to heat the large 3 bed, it was also very dusty and she just couldn't get round to clean.


She was to proud to say she needed help, and the council were only notified of the condition of the home when mandorty gas checks were ignored by her and the gas man and the council forced their way in.




She was basically forced to down size or ss were going to get involved she eventually chose me to swap with their were lts of tears and dragging of feet

And 5 years on she still sends me cards telling me how happy she is in her new home



I lived in a two bed ground floor flat on a estate with loads of old people brand spanking new


Many old people that would never admit it but actually can't cope in big lofty homes.

That are expensive to heat and hard to clean


Its nt for every older person but I do believe that many old people live in similar conditions to my house swap lady

[usualsuspect]

I'm alright jack because they have a roof over their heads?

fucking hell I'm speechless tbh

[gaelicsheep]

I'm alright jack because they have sufficient disposable income to do substantial home improvements, while their equivalents in private rented accommodation cannot afford to feed their families.

[ninah]

ouch I better write that best seller quick then ....

[Sevenfold]

jasper yeah she will talk crap and tell you to go back to work 2 weeks after the birth and don't have a disabled child.

[gaelicsheep]

I mean honestly, which is right here? A family on £30k paying £200 a month in rent. Or the family earning £18k a year and paying £700. Honestly?

[GypsyMoth]

The older people are not made homeless

They are given smaller, manageable suitable accommodation!

[usualsuspect]

and everyone in a council house is fucking living it up?

my god MN or this country is a depressing place to live

If people are blaming council house tenants for EVERYTHING

[ninah]

you know what for a controversial thread this is v civilised. Not, what do they say, a fight club? ta it's been a pleasure
I'm off to the third bedroom of my EXXXX council house now
(just turn the conservatory lights off and all the heat down - not ..) nn

[gaelicsheep]

Am I typing in a foreign language here? There are people in council houses taking the piss and living it up, you know there are. They should not be able to remain in those council houses. I am totally amazed there is an argument to be had.

[GrimmaTheNome]

Time was when people lived in houses too big for themselves and couldn't afford it they took in lodgers. Don't seem to hear of it much nowadays - wouldn't that help the housing problem? Old person with a couple of decent student lodgers could be win-win.

[CardyMow]

When I was offered my Housing association property - not only were there no carpets, but I had to PAY to turf the garden myself - and clear rubble out of the garden as it was a new build, and had been used as the builder's 'base' for building the whole estate, including the private houses on the new estate. It's normal for a Council Tenant to have to pay for carpets when they move.

When you buy a house, they come with carpets (sometimes not to your taste, but carpets nonetheless). It can easily add up to £1000 to the costs of moving into Social Housing, even if you buy the very cheapest carpets from Carpet Right, and no underlay. I moved into my current property 7 years ago - and carpet and fitting with NO underlay anywhere in the house cost £800 for a 2.5 bed house. My Ex-MIL paid for half, and my Ex-P and I paid for the other half.

I am waiting on a move to a larger council or HA house - and the thought of carpeting a 4 bed house is keeping me awake at night. Bare concrete is not suitable for a dc with chronic asthma, as the concrete dust could make him seriously ill. But I have costed it up, and I'm looking at having 7 days to find over £1000. .

Yes, that's another thing - when you get offered Social housing, you have 7 days to move in after your offer. Otherwise they will take the house aay and offer it to someone else. So you are likely to be on a very low income, and have only 7 days to find the money for a removal van AND carpeting.

YANBU, OP - but my Council offers under-occupiers £500 for each bedroom they downsize, so someone going from a 4-bed to a 1-bed would get £1500.

Social Housing should NOT be substandard though - OP, has your friend heard of the better homes thing? They are meant to bring properties up to a 'modern' standard BEFORE they re-let them.

Or should all us poor people be 'thankful' for being offered a mouldy, damp hovel to live in? Shall we all doff our caps now?

[DioneTheDiabolist]

gaelicsheep, no they don't. But they did at a time when those who could afford to own did so, and those who couldn't got affordable loans and improved their council houses. I am at your attitude: Just cos I could afford to improve my garden or bathroom, (without paying labour costs), I should not live in a council house?

[AmberLeaf]

So Gaelic is council housing only for poor down at heel types?

Should council tenants only be allowed to earn NMW and not engage in any sort of 'living it up'?

You sound silly really.

[DioneTheDiabolist]

Of course there are people in council houses who are "taking the piss". I would wager that there are more private landlords taking the piss though and that is the problem.

Stop blaming the wrong people gaelicsheep.

[usualsuspect]

yes huntycat

we should be given a cardboard box and be grateful for it

[gaelicsheep]

I'm saying that if your income would allow you to pay private rents, then your house should go to someone with a greater need - yes.

[gaelicsheep]

AmberLeaf - while there is a shortage of council housing it should go to the people who need it most. I fail to see why that is in the least bit controversial!

[BlessYouToo]

No, I don't think she's lucky to have a roof over her head. It's a basic human need.

As for all the sentimentalist, 'but it's their home', 'she had all 14 children in the back bedroom', bah humbug! A private renter does not get to stay in their 'home' if they had a homebirth there and was one. They would be turfed out as soon as the landlord wants his house back (and can't even hang a picture without permission, let alone build a ruddy extension!) and a lot of families don't have a choice as to whether they privately rent or not! They also would not get what they have paid in rent deducted off the price of the house if they decided to buy it . My parents downsized from a 4 bed that they owned to a 1 bed retirement flat. So if homeowners can do it why can't council tenants.

Also elderly council tenants will be getting their full rent paid for them from housing benefit, I should imagine, so if they are getting £400 a month paid for a 3 bed, why not move them to a 1 bed which will only cost circa £200 in hb and put a family in their 3 bed who would potentially work and not need hb because they can afford the lower rent without it. Win win.

50 years of low rent and security in which to bring their DCs up should be something to be grateful for. I am not suggested they get 'turfed out' either (such emotional language) but they should certainly not need 'incentives' either. It is not their house and memories can be taken with you.

I live in an ex-local authority house that we purchased from a council tenant who took up the right to buy it. A lot of our neighbours are elderly and still in council owned properties (you can tell by the porches/front doors). 3 large bedrooms and large kitchen/diners. It never occurred to me until today that the council were keeping them in these properties while families, like some of my DCs friends, are in cramped 2 bedroomed flats without 100 ft gardens like ours.

There are a lot of luxury housing estates being built in our area. 4/5 bedroom houses at prices of £350k+ that are not selling. Perhaps the councils should be going into partnership with the developers to allocate a certain amount of land to social housing 'retirement flats' before giving them planning permission.

[CardyMow]

Not allowed to Sub-let your council house now, Grimma, it's a breach of your tenancy agreement which will lead to you losing your house. They even do regular spot-checks to make SURE you aren't sub-letting. The way the Council see it is that if you have the room to sub-let, then the property is too large for you.

[GypsyMoth]

Hunty.... Same here. I have been classed officially as overcrowded now, told next 4 bed I bid on is mine. 7 days to move!!! And no carpets!