To think: if you can fly first class, you shouldn't have a council house?

[Mexxo]

Facebook friends of mine (friends of RL friends really) making lots of comments this week about their impending holiday to Mauritius on which they'll be flying first class and staying in a 5 star hotel.

This couple have lived in a council house for many years (no kids yet), though this year so far she has got a new (not brand new, a year or two old but still v nice) BMW and he has a new Ducati.

One of their friends has commented on FB "Wow, did you win the lottery?!" and the wife replied "no we just saved a long time for our dream holiday".

First class flights to Mauritius are £4k each. A week in a 5 star hotel must be at least £2k and probably more. That's £10k for a week's holiday. AIBU to think that if people can squirrel away that much money for a holiday, they shouldn't be living in a bloody council house subsidised by taxes from the rest of us?

You said that the people swearing at you were backing up the ignorant stereotypes of people who live in council houses.

I don't remember reading the word 'some' in there...

Anyway, I'm glad it's not your superpower. That would be rubbish! Imagine how gutted you'd be with that?

You can go on the list, op. and then go first class to Mauritius.

Those of you who have liberally peppered your posts with "f you", "you c"", etc., unfortunately only reinforce the most unfortunate stereotypes about "people who live in council houses." Profanity is, after all, the last resort of the ignorant.

Here.

Pretty much assumes everyone telling you to fuck off is a council tenant.

I too can read. Better than you can write apparently.

They work and pay taxes, these people. If they want to spend money on holidays, good on them!

Council houses must be subsidised...

Our house fell through so we are going into rented for six months and for a three bed semi it's £1900 per month... My brother has a very similar council house and pays £350 a month...

People need to admit that plenty of council housing is subsidised, in that it is not market rate in many places. If its not market rate, then it's not paying costs associated with having to maintain it or pay a mortgage on it. Private LLs do not make a huge profit if they are being good LLs, especially when you consider the cost of their time to actually be a LL.

The planning involved providing council houses and maintaining them is subsidised by council tax, because they are the councils responsibility. The council already owns them, which is why they don't have to charge market rate. But on the other hand, people get given council houses that are in a horrible state that no private ll would be able to rent out. So for that, councils are subsidised because they don't have to worry about finding tennants or the cost of having a property empty between tennants.

There is nothing wrong with that fact that council houses are subsidised, but people do need to acknowledge that more often than not, they are not paying market rates. Therefore, they are subsidised by the system. They are also lucky enough to have secure tenancies, which saves both them and the council money on that individual property.

Kim, in our local area there is emergency housing available within a maximum of 48hrs. A permenant home is then found within 12mths - a min of 2bed for anyone with a child.

Local housing associations here are not only building but they have recently bought out several new build estates that failed to sell due to the recession. Also in Scotland if a new build estate has over 12 houses then a minimum of 20% has to be built and given over to social housing. Perhaps if more areas asopted this approach there would be less of a shortange.

'Council houses must be subsidised...'

They are not. The difference is that you are paying the landlord's mortgage and all its related costs.

And again, many councils transferred what stock they owned to housing associations.

This is a horrible thread and the OP should be ashamed.

Goady Goady Goad.

I haven't been abusive and find you spiteful. I disagreed, but was not abusive.

It's rather telling of you if you spend your time calculating how much some people you don't even know in RL spend on things.

Confusion, at the moment, a percentage of new housing built has to be given over to social or 'affordable' housing. I'm not sure of the figures. But the government is changing that so that developers can keep more of what they build as they believe the rule has put developers off developing, which has in turn contributed to the housing shortage.

Mrsjay, in the past, people could inherit tenancies from their parents. It's possible that's what happened here.

A large portion of housing benefit goes to private landlords.

So essentially, aren't taxpayers subsidising private landlords?

I do agree that if someone can afford to vacate a council property for someone who actually needs it, then they absolutely should.

But saving £10,000 for a holiday doesn't mean they can afford to buy or rent privately. For the smallest flat round here you'd need a £40,000 deposit and golden credit at the very least, and being able to put away, let's say £200 a month for your holiday doesn't make up the difference between council rent and private rent. Not even close.

No, taxpayers are not subsidising private landlords.

Taxpayers are paying for the HB claimant to have somewhere to live. That's down to the claimant, not the LL that is providing a service.

I too wondered how they got it.

Is it actually a house? How many bedrooms?

When you last saw these friends of friends did they also happen to announce how they got this council house?

I have to say that I agree with the sentiment. My parents have a council house, (not bought) their rent is £100 per week, for the same type of house renting in the private sector is at least £225 per week.

I truly, truly believe that if you can afford to rent privately then you should. It really does boil my piss knowing that people who earn upwards of £50k live in council houses with artificially low rents.

I earn just over 16k, I live with my parent because I cannot afford to live on my own. My local councils waiting list is approx 10 years.

On the other hand private rental rents have gone up due to the fact that the last government paid whatever a land lord was asking in hb. Then there was the buy to let, Sarah fucking Beeny, and every tom dick and harry buying houses to rent them out.

And what irritates me even more is the fact that a mortgage repayment is almost always cheaper than a rental payment. I just need to save up what 20-30k to get a mortgage.

One of the couple inherited the tenancy from a parent.

I do know them in RL. But they are not close friends and live quite a way away. Hence I see what goes on I their lives via FB.

It's a shame that what could be quite an informative exchange of views about an issue that is clearly of interest to lots of people has been dragged down to the level of playground bullying.

Reasoned debate is much more persuasive than cursing and abuse, whatever you think of someone's point of view.

Mrsjay, in the past, people could inherit tenancies from their parents. It's possible that's what happened here.

yeah there is that of course couldve been a parent ,

I really don't understand the sentiment that people who pay in the most to the system should be entitled to take out the least. It's completely unfair.

Why shouldnt anyone be able to save for what they want?

Are you jealous OP?

so they took over the tenancy I see nothing wrong with that, why are you still begrudging them a holiday do you think they should be in debt up tot heir eyeballs with a mortgage is that what you think people should do ?

Mexxo, there are people debating and putting forward points of view. Concentrate on those and ignore the muppets who think that name calling and going on about goats is funny and clever.