for being annoyed that our tax is paying for people to buy wallpaper.

[suzexxx]

I saw a post from a girl on facebook asking whether the social could help her buy things to do up her home e.g wallpaper and paint. Alot of people commented that she could get some vouchers to use on a certain paint brand and B&Q etc.

AIBU to think this girl should save some money or attempt to get a job for extra luxeries before expecting the social to foot the bill?

I'm moving house next month and the whole house will need decorating. However i am realistic in the fact i won't be able to afford to wallpaper the whole place at once, instead doing a bit at a time as and when i can afford it. My partner earns a moderate income and i'm currently on maternity leave, so money is tighter at the moment, but would never expect someone to pay for something i could manage without like wallpaper.

I completely understand people using the social to buy essential items such as a cooker or fridge, but not non essentials.

Maybe it varies from council to council.
I know some who was allocated a council house, it had been refurbished in as much as the doors the previous tenant had broken were replaced, just bare doors -not painted, the gouged walls replastered in part.

Bare paint -stained tiles on floor
No paint on walls after replastering
Ripped wallpaper
No cooker
No washing machine
No vouchers for decoration

Jake I do think that the number for the Tory MP was the most shocking thing about the bedroom walls

Yabu when I split up with my ex husband and had no where to live. I moved into a council studio flat. It had no carpets just concrete floor. No curtain poles. Nothing. I got £92 a week in benefit. I am visually impaired so had to rope people in to help decorate. I got given £70 back after I had decorated. That wouldn't have even covered the paint. Let alone the carpet or furniture I had to get. I didn't even have a bed. Life isn't always easy, I didn't want to be in that position. My husband left me for another woman, I didn't chose to be in that position.

It's also worth repeating that someone on this thread and her young child lived in a place with slugs everywhere and football-sized mushrooms growing in the kitchen. Some bloody disgraceful attitudes, although thankfully not many on MN...

YABU. I moved from one council property to another at the start of the year, one the council considered in a fit state to live in. Since it had a leaking gas meter, leaking toilet, holes in the walls and ceilings, plug sockets falling out of the walls to name just a few of its charms, I did not agree but like most (all?) social housing tenants, I had no choice. I have spent every evening after work, every weekend and every favour anyone ever owed me, as well as every penny I have, to get it even liveable, and it's not there yet. I'm thankful to have friends, family and a little bit of money saved, if someone without those things had moved here they would be living in utter misery now.

I did not get any decorating voucher, my council don't give them. To whichever poster it was upthread who said council tenants should pay for their own decor, every one of the five coats of paint each and every wall has needed to cover the lime green, dark green and navy gloss on them (!), has has been paid for by me. Every bit of lino and carpet (even the cheapest is really expensive), two of which have since been cut into by incompetent council workmen, was paid for by me, as well as every vat of filler to try to cover over the massive gaping cracks in every wall and ceiling, and every can of damp treatment which has not eradicated the massive amount of damp and mould growing all over the downstairs walls. Not to mention the gallons of cleaning products needed to get what looks like 50 years worth of filth from every bit of the place.

When I moved out of my old flat I had to rip up all of the carpets and lino and take down all of the curtain rails, the council were intending to fine me a minimum of £170 if I left so much as a carpet gripper. Now the vulnerable person who moved into the flat after me is living there with no carpet or curtains because he's got no money or help to get any. Most of the carpet I had down there didn't fit in any rooms in my new place, and went in the bin. It's a brilliant system.

Oxford what's with your mean post? It made the comment about my degree just to show I had a fairly sound understanding of the topic. I did an MA in Canada but 2nd year on scholarship exchange over here which is where i did work in history of housing.

We have different terminology for performance so I chose a 'first' as the best comparator I could. I graduated on the deans list but that means nothing over here.

Sorry to go off on a tangent but thanks for pulling me up about it.

Yabu, until I read this thread today I had no idea that these vouchers existed but having actually spoken to someone tonight about something unrelated and hearing that they had received money towards decorating I cannot see how you can deny people this help when you don't know their circumstances.

He has a 6 week old baby in hospital who is unlikely to live beyond toddlerhood. Now if a few measley vouchers can help him make a dent in transforming a shit hole of a house into somewhere habitable for his dc to come home to then they should be given.

Obviously not everyone is going to be in the same position but when you rent privately or buy your own house you tend to have a choice. If you looked at a property which had holes in the walls, no carpets, paint thrown up the walls you would expect either the LL to rectify it first or expect a drop in the asking price if you were buying. How is this any different?? Council tenants do not have room for negotiation so have to take what they are offered so thank your lucky stars you are not in their position.

That's madness, banana!

Fucked up priorities in national and local govt.

What gets me is that, for some people in your position, their answer would be 'I didn't get it so other people should go without too' when really the answer is you should have got funds for it.

And having to rip out carpet etc leaving nothing.

Yes well said Oxford i agree.
Jake i remember you doing that (re. thank you note) Unbelievable how hard some people are.

as a landlord i redecorate the whole house between lets and either get carpets professionally cleaned or recarpet in cheap carpet. That is industry standard here for private lets

Perhaps others would object to you getting maternity pay or child allowance- why should the state subsidise your lifestyle choice?

Obviously they would be spiteful and idiotic, but then so are you being.

I don't think its unreasonable, tbh im sick of the amount of people on the social claiming to be skint while they're sat there playing on a PS3 on a 50inch 3d tv, I've worked since I left school, im 22 now and I'm on maternity leave and we are STRUGGLING for money, if I can't afford something I don't buy it, simple. I don't go up to a local councillor and say, things are a bit tight this month but I fancy a few throw pillows to change the decor in my living room...would you mind giving me some money! What happened to a tin of budget magnolia that us working folk can barely afford. Makes me sick.

Waffly it is insanity. I have written complaints to various council people as well as local councillors, and when the required time limit is up I'll be writing to the Housing Ombudsman as well. My housing officer actually covertly encouraged me to complain, because I have the fortune to be reasonably articulate and have the belief that I deserve to live in reasonable conditions. He said that most people being housed by the council these days are in such desperate circumstances and often so vulnerable that they don't know how to complain or even feel they have a right to anything better so the council can get away with letting properties in horrible states. I hate knowing that I was forced by the council to throw away my old carpets, and the man who lives in my old flat now has none. I hate it.

Oh yeah, and it's my JOB that pays for my maternity, the only people on here with issues on this post are the jobless buggers who bash the benefit system for all its worth. Get a job.

RTFT,Joanne.

Hmmmmm, joanna you really do need to RTFT and then fuck off a bit.

Did read it, made me want to puke. It's Joanna rtfnr

the only people on here with issues on this post are the jobless buggers who bash the benefit system for all its worth. Get a job.

oh shhhh lovey you have no idea what you are talking about I will excuse your age for your ignorance

Yet again, job. Pays. For. Maternity. That's what you get when u work your arse off at school to get a cracking job, instead of getting "up the duff" at 16 and wanting the world to pay for you, erm hands up who has a job? Just me then...oh sorry, best get back to your Jeremy Kyle schedule.

20 years a go I was given a £2k grant to furnish my council home, I had nothing except mine and DDs clothes. I managed to buy the essentials, decorate some of the rooms and treat us to a paraffin heater and winter coats so we wouldn't freeze.
May be because I was poor and a scrounger I should have handed the 'left over' money back.

Why I am still surprised at the level of some people's ignorance I do not know!

joanne do you not understand you could very easily find yourself in this position? Are you so utterly ignorant to assume that you are untouchable by the shite life can throw at you?