To feel embarrassed that we are so cushioned from austerity

[pouffepants]

because we live in social housing.

My rent is about £100 a week, for a 3 bed terraced house in a seaside village in the south east. We can easily pay this, and have 'plenty' of money to spare each week.

We can't however get anywhere near buying a house, because it's just too expensive, and we're also self-employed precariously so I doubt anyone would give us a mortgage.
So we should rent privately. Except our rent would then be £100-£150 more for a similar place per week. When I say we have plenty over, I certainly don't mean that sort of money.
So basically we can either stay put, taking up social housing that could be used for someone in need (as I once was), and saving/spending a couple of hundred a month. Or I can go private, where we would have to go to a cheaper area, change schools, cause problems for work, lose security and be utterly skint! (Like the rest of you)

The only conclusion is that my rent should be higher.

Madge that was an either or question. Maybe a stupid one, but since I don't know anyone with a mortgage then understandable.

No bonkey, I don't really want/need other options, but I think i'm extremely selfish for feeling like this.

Theres another thread about how someone paid £52 for lunch out for them, DH and one child eating from child menu - at a chain restaurant, drinking water, so I think if op is able to do everything she says she can on 29k then she deserves a big round of applause and not guilt.

Ill say it again - its appalling people feel guilty for having a couple of quid spare. Truly appalling.

Mortgage people will look at your most recent earnings, not the overall ups and downs, so if things have been good recently you should be fine.

They are made to feel guilty by the media and shiney Dave though.

I guess all the social housing tenant bashing is working

Despite what I said earlier, I don't think you should feel guilty. It sounds like you're not in a hugely secure employment situation, and I strongly believe there should be more social housing, note affordable housing in general. I can't believe right to buy is still allowed when they aren't building enough new affordable homes to compensate.

And if your rent were higher, it'd go to the housing association/council, who'd just add it to the pot. It might not directly help someone else.spend your money how you want.

"£200 a month is a HUGE amount for me to be gifted EVERY month. I'm sure anyone who's struggling would agree."

Surely you earn this money and aren't given it for doing nothing every month.

Would the mortgage people not just laugh in my face though, that I make the lion's share of my earnings from leafletting, doing phone books, catalogues, parcels and charity bags? It's all pin money stuff, it's just that I do a LOT of it.

Or do they not even ask what you do, and where you get you contracts from, they just ask to see your books.

I think you'll struggle to get a mortgage. I'm self employed and have three years of accounts showing earnings of 50k a year, DP is employed earning 28k a year and we struggled to get a mortgage for 130k.

Actually thing3, I wrote that wrong (As well as everything else) what I'm really gifted is about double that, because I'm being saved about £100 each and every week. Effectively being paid off my rent, without me earning it.

Sorry everyone, I'm so shit with numbers.

AKiss, that's the impression I got, but admit I didn't look into it.

I may be able to get one of these part ones, but would probably be stupid to do so.

Why would you be stupid to do so?

You will own a % of a house!

They cannot kick you out, providing you pay your mortgage and rent then they cannot kick you out. Its more secure than complete HA.

You would need at least a ten percent deposit as well so this nonexistent 150k house would need at least 15k put down on it.

I'm not saying its impossible to buy but it wouldn't be easy.

You had me very confused with figures earlier!

Bonkey you can't just go and buy part of your house if it's in the rental stock - the shared ownership ones are separate.

How is it more secure? If I have insecure earnings, then I'm likely to not pay at some point, and will presumably be evicted.

Here, if I lose my job, I'll just claim benefit.

Not as confused as me Rhondajean! I don't know why but I've tied myself in knots with them.

Will nobody think of the baby goats?
I beg of you op... give your savings to the baby goats... dear God, the baby goats.

No you can't part buy the house you are in but you can get a mortgage approved for X amount providing that you have a deposit and get yourself on a list.

In some areas though you can get a discount of the house you are in if you wanted to full buy that one. My brother got 25% off.

*on a list for a specific part buy property

Yes but realistically, we don't know if ther even are any shared ownership properties near op - they aren't common and up here a lot of HAs have been buying back the shared part as the scheme doesn't work particularly well.

By all means look into it op but don't set your heart on it.

Why don't you go on the forums on moneysavingexpert? Someone there will tell you exactly what your options are.

Why don't you ask for your rent to be increased or insist on a donation to your local council rather than demanding that all people on social housing have theirs increased just so you can feel better?

The housing issue isn't going to be solved until the government allows more houses to be built to accommodate a growing population. Rent in Britain is ridiculously high due to there being too many people and too few homes so landlords can charge outrageous prices for substandard property knowing that there will always be someone desperate enough to take it. The government should build the houses themselves, creating employment for the unemployed and renting them out at affordable prices.

Or you could see an independent financial advisor?

I was just stating that the OP does have more options than she thinks if thats the route she wanted to take which she obviously doesnt. I agree some areas have very few shared properties. Round my way there was hardly any until a few years ago, now there is loads.