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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To take a bigger council house than we need?

999 replies

isthisunreasonable · 15/01/2013 10:11

Have namechanged for this as it's pretty obvious who I am if you know me...

We currently have a two bedroom house (3 children) and we can fir just about but it's a squeeze. We are "entitled" (cringe) to a 3 bed house but it's likely to be 4-5 yrs by the time we would be offered one so placed our details on the Housing Association's "mutual exchange" site. We have also said we are happy to take a 2 bedroom house with separate dining room to use as the 3rd bedroom.

Have been contact by someone via our housing association's "mutual exchange" list. They have a large 4 bed house with a dining room and massive garden and they want to downsize (older couple all kids left home) and would like our house.

Given that is is bigger than we actually need . Part of me thinks it should go to a family with 5/6 kids but part of me thinks this couple are looking for a mutual exchange to downsize to a 2 bed house, what's the chance of them fining such a large family in a 2 bed house that they want.

It would be fabulous for us of course, lots of space for everyone, kids could have their own bedrooms and a nice big garden to play and we wouldn't have to move again when we have more children (planning another 1 or 2 in next 5 years perhaps).

Would we be unreasonable to accept it?

OP posts:
Spamspamspam · 17/01/2013 20:44

aufanaie - paying rent to a HA is not paying to the public purse

Wallison · 17/01/2013 20:45

The rent is what the council charges. So that is how much the rent is 'on a house of this value'. The OP has said that she doesn't claim any benefits other than child benefit and that she and her partner are paying all of the rent themselves. You are really really not supporting her.

JakeBullet · 17/01/2013 20:46

A home should never be referred to as "a benefit", we all need somewhere to live. Not the OP'S fault there are not enough houses to go around.....no matter what your opinion is of her circs.

Surely once the initial outlay for a property is paid then all rent is a profit is it not Confused ?

So if the property is old then its likely to have paid for itself several times over. Or am I just being simplistic?

Anyone like to link to something simple to explain it Grin

expatinscotland · 17/01/2013 20:47

'None of us know (unless I have missed something!) how much the OP's family earn. The issue with this I feel is that wanting to have 6 kids, feeling entitled to a £500k house and only work part time grates on the rest of us.

There is something wrong somewhere. So how much would a rent be on a house of this value? Is the OP funding all of the rent or is it being subsidised by someone...'

It isn't hers! And since it is HA, and she will be signing a new tenancy, even in a swap, then in all likelihood, it will never be because many HA's do not offer RTB.

That is the difference.

aufaniae · 17/01/2013 20:47

"aufanaie - paying rent to a HA is not paying to the public purse"
No spam, indeed it isn't.

If you read my post, it says:

" Until she moves out of council housing, it's more likely she's is funding you!"

Original poster
isthisunreasonable · 17/01/2013 20:48

Maisie. I could work full time, but I don't need to as I have a HA property and cheap rent. Why is that hard to understand. Or are you implying I should work full time and give up my tenancy entirely to rent privately and pay x3 the rent I am now?

The rent on this 4 bed house is around £500 a month. It's about 40 years old. That's a lot of rent over the years, I wonder perhaps if it's paid for itself already. Oh and 500k was a guess for the future once we've done it up- it isn't in a "saleable" state right now til we get in there and sort it all out!

OP posts:
aufaniae · 17/01/2013 20:50

"So if the property is old then its likely to have paid for itself several times over."

Yup, that's about the size of it!

Consils · 17/01/2013 20:50

The counsil houses round here are lovely.

JakeBullet · 17/01/2013 20:50

The HA house I am in is 10 years old so am guessing it has not yet paid for itself but given another 20 years or so then it might have done. The HA I am with is a non profit organisation. They fund loads of community projects too.

maisiejoe123 · 17/01/2013 20:51

My point is I know it isnt her's but she is getting the benefit for how every many years - maybe forever and once you have left the planet it properly doesnt matter whose it wasin the first place!

So, I am interested. How much is the rent of a £500k house? Around here it would be £2500 to £3000 per month.

Original poster
isthisunreasonable · 17/01/2013 20:51

Oh and when did I say I had 6 kids? we have 3 children and we would love 1 or 2 more over the next few years, I mentioned this as it was relevant to us accepting the house we have been offered within our social housing tenancy that we were given without any conditions about handing it back or not having any more children etc. My Op was simply saying if we accept the bigger house we would have room for more children.

Expat - The house we are in is HA the one we are moving to is Council, it doe shave RTB but it's not something we would consider right now.

OP posts:
Spamspamspam · 17/01/2013 20:52

aufaniea - how on earth have you concluded that somehow the OP if funding me? Or anyone like me? Really really confused now by you complete delusion to be honest. Was it not you that had the little gem yesterday of selling ex council houses for fund more housing Hmm

maisiejoe123 · 17/01/2013 20:53

Sorry to be a bit slow. If the rent is only £500 who is paying the difference or funding this.

aufaniae · 17/01/2013 20:53

OP. I'm sorry you've come in for such a bashing.

As key workers I expect you are contributing far more to society than many of the people having a go at you, many of whom are probably in jobs which are basically about creating profit for shareholders rather than actually saving lives.

I'm glad your family will move out of a cramped 2 bed and have a nice place to live.

BelieveInPink · 17/01/2013 20:54

"Or are you implying I should work full time and give up my tenancy entirely to rent privately and pay x3 the rent I am now?"

By Jove, I think she's got it.

Wallison · 17/01/2013 20:54

^ My point is I know it isnt her's but she is getting the benefit for how every many years

Yes, which she is paying for. Once again, you are not funding this.

aufaniae · 17/01/2013 20:54

"Was it not you that had the little gem yesterday of selling ex council houses for fund more housing"

Nope, not me I don't think.

Spamspamspam · 17/01/2013 20:55

My houses worth has been paid by many several times over via mortgage - and the point of that is?

Do people really not understand simple economics, I think that must be it because some of the statements coming out are unbelievable.

Wallison · 17/01/2013 20:55

^ If the rent is only £500 who is paying the difference or funding this.

[bangs head against wall]

There isn't any 'difference'. The council has set the rent at the level it needs it to be. Council housing is run at a surplus of over £100m a year. There is no 'funding' other than the rent that the OP pays, which more than covers the cost of providing the house.

JakeBullet · 17/01/2013 20:56

Nobodu Maisie as the LL (either council or HA) can charge the rent they want. Rents go up on a regular basis and either the tenant or HB pays it.

maisiejoe123 · 17/01/2013 20:57

She is only paying £500 for a house worth £500k. Where is the rest coming from?

aufaniae · 17/01/2013 20:58

"aufaniea - how on earth have you concluded that somehow the OP if funding me?"

Because, she has been paying her rent into the public purse. maisiejoe123 seemed to think she was paying for the OP somehow!

When in fact the OP will be paying much more into the public purse than someone on an equivalent income, because her rent has been going directly to the public purse. Get it now?

Wallison · 17/01/2013 20:58

There isn't any 'rest'. The rent that the council has set is sufficient for its needs. In fact, most of the time council rents are more than sufficient which is why they are able to give £100m a year to the Treasury.

maisiejoe123 · 17/01/2013 20:58

But the LL cannot charge £500 for a £500k house, there must be some subsidy going on somewhere...

JumpHerWho · 17/01/2013 20:59

People who keep asserting that the OP more than pays her way, that he house is paid for and therefore the income from her goes into govt coffers:

That's besides the point - it is an asset which should be put to better use. Either by charging a market rent to the residents (who are able to enter market rent rates but don't (obviously, given the choice) want to) or by giving the property to a family who actually need it.

It's shameful misuse of state resources regardless of political stripe. It could be generating money. It's a white elephant if used this way.

Its being paid for already means nothing. There are families waiting to be housed, OP is thieving from them not from the state.

And my focus is not on the OP, but on the ludicrous policies which allow her to do this. We are allowed to discuss politics on MN, non? I don't have to 'do something' like email an MP, I'm just having an opinion.