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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to want 'rich' people to understand that council houses are the only option for some people!!!

46 replies

M0naLisa · 13/02/2013 11:34

We are listed on a council list where we have to bed for a house weekly. If we are shortlisted on the bidded property then the council contact us and offer us a viewing, if we like that property we will sign contracts, hand the notice in on our current council property and then move to the new property when it is ready. (as i imagine most council moves are)

We have lived in the town we live in for 7 years now. We hate it. DH loved it to begin with and i hated it, now DH hates it and im not too bad but id love to move nearer to my immediate family. (where we live now i have maternal family here, Aunties, Grandad, Cousins) only see them maybe once a month - there too busy to come see me. I never see my cousins unless its a family get together.

I posted on Facebook (i know i know) that i will be bidding on some more houses tomorrow. One of auntie who lives in this town commented saying she was shocked that we are wanting to move away as the boys are settled in school and we have made friends. I said yeah but the boys will settle into a new school they are only young and its not like they are doing their GCSEs.

One of my cousins who lives 112 miles from this town sent me a message stating that 'i shouldnt rely on the council as its not an option for her and i should save up for a bond on a rental home'

Thats all well and good but to us council IS an option to us, we cant afford to save up £1000 for a bond and first months rent for a rental property.

Why cant people get it into their heads that some are worse off than them, when we say we cant afford to save up for a rental it genuinely means we cannot save up for a rental!!!

AIBU to think people need to realise that council IS an option others, just because it isnt for them?

Sorry its long

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 13/02/2013 11:38

I don't know, I can't get fussed about it really because it's too obvious that everyone has a different income/potential.

Would you have rang this cousin up who lives 112 miles away to tell her your private business, or would you think 'actually she wouldn't understand so what's the point?'

If it's the latter, you'll understand why it's pointless putting these things on FB for everyone to read.

SPsFanjoHasABlingingVajazzle · 13/02/2013 11:41

I honestly dont care. Don't listen to her, I wouldn't.

I also never put on FB that I was bidding on houses. Plenty of people I know did and didn't get told anything like you did.

Dont let it get to you

Bejeena · 13/02/2013 11:43

I think you need to get a bit of perspective here, everyone can actually afford to save, it just depends how much you have in the first place. My husband and I saved almost 20K for our wedding in the space of 18 months.

Now you would probably class us as 'rich' but with all due respect I don't think our annual income is 20x more than yours, far from it that couldn't be possible. Even 'poor' people could save £10 a week somehow if they looked and tried hard enough.

Meglet · 13/02/2013 11:45

Unless there is a massive change in the private rental situation in this country then you would be insane to give up a council house.

Ignore her.

WorraLiberty · 13/02/2013 11:45

Fucking hell £10 per week towards a deposit?

She'd be like a million and one before she moved in Grin

Original poster
M0naLisa · 13/02/2013 11:47

Maybe we could save but we'd go without for something. I budget and like to have at least £20 in my purse for when the next lot of money goes in, whether it be CB, CTC or JSA. But it doesnt happen, yesterday we got CB and i have 33p in my purse. I had save £15 but we ran out of gas on Friday and emergency will only strectch to Saturday night the latest from friday evening.
When its summer that £20 will stay in my purse as i wont be having to put on as much gas but last week i put on £15 EXTRA to what we normally use due to how cold its been.

I dont let it get to me i just wish she'd rewalise that shes more well off that we will ever be!

OP posts:
Bejeena · 13/02/2013 11:47

At £10 a week it'd take 2 years, which isn't that long really.

Original poster
M0naLisa · 13/02/2013 11:48

Meglet - thats what i said. The rental market is good for some people but i know people who have moved to a rental from a council only for the landlord to say hes selling 6 months after they have moved in.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 13/02/2013 11:49

Oh I'm a twat...I read it as £10000 sorry. Was thinking mortgage deposit but even that wouldn't cut it Blush

AmberLeaf · 13/02/2013 11:50

Ignore her.

You would be very silly to give up social housing to go into a private rental anyway!

Council house envy is sad.

Orwellian · 13/02/2013 11:50

There are some very rich people living in council houses (who got them years ago) and many very poor people living in private rented houses. There are also plenty of people in social housing who have more money left over to spend (even though they are earning less) than similar households in private rentals, because so much more of the income of the private rented household goes on rent.

I think most people in private rented housing would love to get a council house because of the security of tenure, the much cheaper rents and they tend to be bigger properties.

Council houses are the "desired" option for most non-owners these days and you are very lucky if you are awarded one!

ILikeBirds · 13/02/2013 11:51

Yabu to assume that anyone who doesn't qualify for a council house is 'richer' than you.

TroublesomeEx · 13/02/2013 11:54

As is so often the case, I agree with Worra.

Original poster
M0naLisa · 13/02/2013 12:00

No ILikeBirds im not suggesting that. My cousin lives in a brand new build that she has only just moved into with her husband. She says she knows what shes talking about with rentals as shes had 5 rental flats in 10 years - 10 years? exactly!! Im not going to have 10 council houses in 10 years!

My mum owns her house but is skint. As does my dad. (well they say skint)

OP posts:
Original poster
M0naLisa · 13/02/2013 12:02

I got my council home 7 years ago after having to declare homelessness with a new baby. We private rented a 1 bedroomed flat - it was awful. Damp, cold, had very dangerous metal steps to the door at the back. With a baby it wasnt ideal but at the time it was all we could afford. The landlord wouldnt renew the contract and we had to go to the local council to declare homelessness, we filled in a homeless form. A couple of weeks later we were offered a house, and its the house we live in now.

OP posts:
MonkeySea · 13/02/2013 12:27

So where are you living now?

MonkeySea · 13/02/2013 12:28

Already in a council house? So why do you have to bid for another? Confused

AmberLeaf · 13/02/2013 12:31

So she can move to a different area?

Its not like she'll have two houses.

WorraLiberty · 13/02/2013 12:34

Folkgirl did you have to say that after I called myself a twat? Hmm Grin

Tryharder · 13/02/2013 12:37

Perhaps your cousin is envious of your perceived easy life on benefits with a council house whilst she is working poor with a shitty, damp private rental?

Perhaps she is just an obnoxious snob with a large income; who the hell knows.

YABU to post anything like that on FB.

Given recent reports about people like Jade Jagger apparently living it up in luxury council property(!), you can't be surprised that this topic has riled a lot of people.

Original poster
M0naLisa · 13/02/2013 12:57

I currently live in East Yorkshire, we are from West Yorkshire and are wanting to go back to that area. So we are on the list for the West Yorkshire area we want. (Wakefield)

OP posts:
Original poster
M0naLisa · 13/02/2013 12:59

TryHarder
I like your second option Wink

OP posts:
coraltoes · 13/02/2013 13:03

I am "rich" I understand people need council homes. I understand it is stupid to post stuff on Facebook in general.

Birdsgottafly · 13/02/2013 13:08

Even 'poor' people could save £10 a week somehow if they looked and tried hard enough

As someone who has lived on benefits and who does budgeting with "the poor" as part of my paid and voluntary work, i just wanted to point out that many couldn't.

I know people who put up to £5 a week away in a Credit Union savings scheme so that their children can participate in Christmas (which the rest of society are doing", but saving for "bonds" etc is out of the question.

Single people recieve £55-£68 per week to live on.

Council/HA houses don't come with white goods/decorated etc.

Belmo · 13/02/2013 13:09

Just want to say Bejeena there is absolutely no way I could save £10 a week, unless we just gave up eating. £10 a month would be really pushing it.

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