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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

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Original poster

flat snobs and bedroom tax!

209 replies

limetictacs · 17/04/2013 19:13

I thought that with the housing benefit cap people would actually want to do a mutual exchange but I've been shocked at the amount of people who immediately go "no flats"- (we live in a 2 bed and are after a 3 bed house). One person even said that they needed a house as they had a dog (er- we have a young child and a baby on the way. Besides there are many other people who have dogs in the block!).

AIBU being pissed off that so many people are so snobbish about living in a flat? I'd like to add that these same people want to complain about having to pay for an extra room- some have actually complained to me and expect me to sympathise. It also pisses me off when people say they would move but there are no 2 bed properties available when there are way more people with 2 beds in my area than 3 beds. Aaaargh!

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 17/04/2013 20:56

'Ever heard of the phrase "beggars can't be choosers". These people still want to turn their nose up at a flat without viewing it, literally just because it is a flat. That is being a snob IMO.'

Yes. Guess what?

Original poster

limetictacs · 17/04/2013 20:58

usualsuspect fair enough that did sound a bit harsh. You get my sentiment though.

OP posts:

usualsuspect · 17/04/2013 20:58

Did she really just refer to Social housing tenants on HB as beggers?

expatinscotland · 17/04/2013 20:59

'op would rather not.'

Then if she can't find someone to swap they go private. Nothing competitive about it and the 'managing' for us wasn't always. But it was that or go private so we made a choice. Still do.

That's how it works.

Possession is 9/10 of the law and those who are in possession of those houses well, if they are age 61+ they do not have to pay for reduction in benefits and those who don't use benefits don't have to at all.

Could cry a river about how snobby they are but can't say I blame them a bit or call them out for it.

FasterStronger · 17/04/2013 20:59

Op, there are better swaps than yours. You would choose the best swap for you if more than one person was interested in your property. They are just doing the same thing. It doesn't mean anything.

usualsuspect · 17/04/2013 20:59

No I don't get your sentiment.

I'm sorry but I hope no one swaps with you.

MousyMouse · 17/04/2013 21:00

we lived in a small 2bed flat until recently. with 2 dc aged 3 and 6.
it was fine. (apart from the fact that the small bedroom couldn't take a single bed and leave floor space to play.)
parks were our garden.

Original poster

limetictacs · 17/04/2013 21:00

WTF I'm not saying I know everybody's circumstances but if someone is turning down a flat for those reasons I think that's snobbery.

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 17/04/2013 21:00

And who knows what their exact circumstances are, tbh. Her desire for a house or ground floor flat may or may not be any greater than theirs.

Viviennemary · 17/04/2013 21:01

I think people with small children should take priority over dogs!! But I suppose you can't blame people for not wanting to give up their house through choice. Which is why the whole system needs to be overhauled. This 4 bedroomed council house for life just isn't sustainable any more. Not when it's a publicly owned property. I think there should be five year tenancies. And then that would give people plenty of time to look for something else.

expatinscotland · 17/04/2013 21:02

It's a preference.

WTFisABooyhoo · 17/04/2013 21:02

and OP will make a choice too. she'll either stay put or rent privately. im not really sure what point you're trying to make.

Original poster

limetictacs · 17/04/2013 21:04

usualsuspect are you serious? Are we back at school?

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 17/04/2013 21:04

Like Faster says, they are looking after their preference same as you. They must be sucking it up somehow and paying the top up rent or they'll soon find themselves in arrears and evicted and then their house goes not to you but to whoever is sitting in homeless with the highest priority.

That's how it works.

twofingerstoGideon · 17/04/2013 21:05

FasterStronger
Do pensioners living in social housing really vote Tory? That seems v unlikely.

No, FasterStronger. Tory voters are, of course, all owner-occupiers.

You do realise that Tory voters read The Sun, too, don't you. I don't want to give you a nasty turn or anything, but it's true!

expatinscotland · 17/04/2013 21:06

Maybe they are in their 50s with rheumatoid arthritis, which will get worse as time goes on. Maybe they had a litany of crap neighbours over the years - we have.

The choice is deal or go private.

CloudsAndTrees · 17/04/2013 21:07

You have a valid point OP, but it can only apply to people who are complaining about having to pay bedroom tax. Whenever that is talked about on here it is rightly pointed out that there are no smaller properties available for people to move to if they want to avoid the tax, but people like you prove that there are.

expatinscotland · 17/04/2013 21:07

People in homeless accommodation have no ability to swap. The person gets evicted for rent arrears those in homeless will be housed before you.

FasterStronger · 17/04/2013 21:07

Yes expat, there is nothing wrong with having a preference as long as you understand that's what it is.

WTFisABooyhoo · 17/04/2013 21:08

again OP, not necessarily snobbery. they dont have to express their reasons to you why they are turning it down. for example i am not disabled and my children fly up and down stairs like billio, however my left hip likes to fuck about now and again and when it does i cant do stairs at all. luckily i live in a house so if my hip goes while i'm in the kitchen, i can drag myself to the sofa and stay there til it behaves again. or drag myself to teh garden and watch the dsc playing. however if i lived in a flat and it happened, i'd either be stuck in the flat upstairs or stuck in the communal hall with 2 dcs. for that reason alone i wouldn't move to a flat. but i wouldn't explain that to someone offering me one, i would just hear that it was an upstairs flat and say "no thanks". it's not snobbery.

expatinscotland · 17/04/2013 21:09

Fair enough, Clouds, but if they're evicted for rent arrears it doesn't help the OP anymore because there are families her size sitting in homeless accommodation who will be offered the home before her.

Her entitlement is for a two-bed property.

If there are disabilities to make that unsafe then there are channels you go through to make that known.

Original poster

limetictacs · 17/04/2013 21:09

expat I hear what you're saying about it being preference and yeah if someone is in a position to not choose a flat then that's up to them but it doesn't make the system fair. This government is shit. It's turning everyone against each other and penalising the poor. I hope to one day be in a position where I can buy my own property and not have to rely on the state for anything but in the mean time if I can swap for a larger more suitable property I will.

OP posts:

FasterStronger · 17/04/2013 21:10

Two fingers I doubt they are a major Tory demographic. I dont care who votes for which party as long as they aren't facists.

That's democracy.

Original poster

limetictacs · 17/04/2013 21:10

CloudsAndTrees I am only talking about people who are complaining about the bedroom tax.

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 17/04/2013 21:11

Exactly, Faster, it's a preference, same as the OP's.

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