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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to buy a new house next to social housing?

151 replies

plentyofsoap · 09/06/2013 22:18

I had a casual conversation about a house we are looking to buy with a group of friends today. One who is a friend of a friend said it sounded lovely, but we would be mad to buy near those in social housing?! I once had a neighbour who caused me huge problems and she owned her house therefore it makes no difference to me. This was ignored by her. Am I missing something or is she just being a snob?

OP posts:
Boomba · 09/06/2013 22:19

She is a snob

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 09/06/2013 22:21

She is absolutely right.

I am a feral thug and a second class citizen because I live in social housing.

(Is she related to my mother?)

gordyslovesheep · 09/06/2013 22:21

she is being daft - my house is opposite the social housing on the estate - lovely row of 3 bed terraces with young families in - no issues what so ever BUT if there where you at least have the housing association to turn to which you don't if they own it!

BuntyPenfold · 09/06/2013 22:23

I have had both awful and lovely neighbours in social housing, but the awful were truly dire, unbelievable even.

So I would be wary.

raisah · 09/06/2013 22:24

My formet boss pulled out of a house sale once she found out that a small social housing project was planned 2 streets away.

She also decided to have her baby in a private hospital because 'you can catch all sorts of germs in an NHS hospital'. Absolutely charming women

RhondaJean · 09/06/2013 22:25

When I bought my new build the surveyor noted it was close to social housing which might affect the resale value.
It was written in the report!

I wanted it so I bought it regardless.

kim147 · 09/06/2013 22:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Crumbledwalnuts · 09/06/2013 22:28

Location for resale is important but you know that? If you are staying, and it doesn't bother you then it doesn't matter but it would affect when you sell on.

Sleep404 · 09/06/2013 22:30

All new build estates now have some element of social housing included and if the stupid sales reps didn't point it out, no one would be any the wiser.
Neighbour opp me is SH and is lovely, neighbour next door isn't but if I could I would pay for her to move. shes a nightmare. Of course the opposite could be the case too.
Your friend is a snob.

financialnightmare · 09/06/2013 22:32

TBH, I work in this sector and most 'needy' people are cared for in their own homes these days - which may well be privately owned.

(I've recently moved into this sector and there are alarmingly high numbers of offenders everywhere. Some in social housing and some cared for in their own homes (i.e. 'monitored').)

So to be blunt, there is no way of telling. I've always lived near social housing places. Your own children might end up there one day. Or you. It's just part of normal life.

CustardOmlet · 09/06/2013 22:34

I am one of the bigger snobs (have to be honest!) and iv just bought a house opposite social housing. The houses are well looked after, don't look scruffy or un cared for and the children were all playing happily outside. I'm happy with it!

Wholetthedogin · 09/06/2013 22:45

I thought that all new builds had to have a mixture of private and social housing or have I got that wrong?

teenagetantrums · 09/06/2013 22:51

I live in social housing we have loads of cctv very safe here I have never had a problem, but seem that roads near the estate get burgled quite a bit, so the kids here leave the estate as they know we either have nothing worth taking or will know their mothers and take stuff of what they perceive at rich people..

CloudsAndTrees · 09/06/2013 22:51

Depends on the area.

sleeton · 09/06/2013 22:54

Social housing? Is that Council Houses? I thought many of these were now privately owned since the Thatcher government's Right-to-Buy legislation. If so, how would know whether the ones near your prospective purchase were owned or rented?

MaryPoppinsBag · 09/06/2013 22:57

All new building sites have to have affordable housing 15% I think.

CloudsAndTrees · 09/06/2013 23:03

There was a rule about new building sites over a certain number of homes having to have social housing, but I thought there was talk of the condemns scrapping it because it was leading to less housing being built.

Disclaimer - I might be making that up!

LilMissSunshine9 · 09/06/2013 23:08

I found out today that the houses opposite me are rented out to those on benefits - to be honest I haven't had any problems at all but it does explain why a group of men were going along the houses and painting them. If my neighbour hadn't told me then I would never have known

ParadiseChick · 09/06/2013 23:40

Enter I stay was originally a council scheme. Since right to buy its such a mix. My row is owned, council, owned, council, council, owned, owned, owned but let out.

Variety is the slice of life, friendliest place I've lived and the norm for towns around here.

schooldidi · 09/06/2013 23:49

My estate is a mix of SH and privately owned. We had hideous neighbours to our right, in a private rental, they were truly awful and I was thrilled when they moved out. Our neighbours on the left are SH and are lovely, they help us out with DIY (because we're rubbish at it) and give us homegrown tomatoes etc when they have too many. Across the road there are 3 SH, 2 are lovely, one family is less lovely but not a major problem.

So we have no regrets buying our house next to HA properties. We got a much better house for our money than we would have done in a completely privately owned estate, we're still in catchment (only just) for an excellent primary school and a very good secondary. We're planning on staying here forever so resale value doesn't really bother us.

LessMissAbs · 09/06/2013 23:49

I bought a house a year ago in a new development with the compulsory social housing percentage. Many of the other houses are privately rented. Already, there is a difference between the social houses and the privately owned/rented ones. I've had to phone the police about (middle aged) boy racers with noisy exhausts racing around the development late at night - they live in the social housing, about the noisy parties they've had, the bike shed has been broken into, bikes stolen and left damaged, and my neighbour has had his car stolen. My neighbour is thinking of selling up and moving because of it, I hope she doesn't. Its still a nice place to live and its not unbearable, but I was actually shocked at the difference.

We just have to put up with it. You're not supposed to talk about these things are you?

Original poster
plentyofsoap · 10/06/2013 07:07

Thanks for the replies. The sales rep stated that they were part rent part buy. I know all new housing estates have to have a certain number. It is a forever house, so we don't plan on moving for a very long time if we could help it. It is in a nice area and a good price as the last buyer pulled out at the last minute. Her comment just took me by surprise without any actual facts to back it up with!

OP posts:
GailTheGoldfish · 10/06/2013 07:10

I live on one of the new estates which has some social housing and it is bloody lovely, there is no way to know which homes are privately owned and which are not. Unless you know for sure there are issues with the neighbours I would go for it, same as with any house purchase.

nurseneedshelp · 10/06/2013 07:17

I'm in social housing and its mostly really nice!

However, wen I was looking to buy last year it would have put me off! Just goes to show how fickle I am!

williaminajetfighter · 10/06/2013 07:50

I'd be more concerned about buying on a new estate as new builds tend to depreciate more quickly/appreciates less quickly than established homes.