to think if you earn over £60,000 and still rent your council home

[RedHelenB]

that in fact it is a lot better than if you had bought it cut price? At least it will go back into the general housing stock when you no longer need it.

bella nice idea but what about those kids who have been given council flats after leaving care at 16? them being told "right, you don't have kids by the time you are 21 you're out". Ditto people who live alone. Council housing isnt just about families. And not all families in council housing have "houses", so I'm not taking you say houses meaning only houses.

I ended up in council housing due to health issues and a major fuck up in my private rental (not mine - landlords dying etc etc) making me homeless. I work, and in my time here I pay the rent without help as its always been a level I can pay without help (before DH) I have called maintaince three times - all because something they did went wrong - electrics blew because of a faulty install prior to me etc. They don't do half the checks on stuff like boilers that private landlords do. And, because I work I've kept the place nice - its much nicer than when I moved in and all thats stuff that I have done on my own, and have got nothing for.

All you actually get for council rent in my area is 4 walls, a ceiling and floor. I have to provide my own carpets, fix any fuck-ups made by previous tennants etc before I move in. All improvments or decoration I make to make my home nice I loose when I move - I don't get compensated in any way. Honestly the problem as I see it isnt high earners still renting - i doubt there are very many outside of london.Its older people over-occupying and 3 bedroom places not being built to replace ones sold or not fully occupied.

In the beginings, social housing was only offered to those who worked, could provide references of their good character and passed an interview with the housing officer. They were seen as something to aspire to and awarded only to those that would take pride in their homes, lest they be evicted. It was an achievement.

Now council housing is seen as the domain of the less fortunate and a non-working underclass of society. A place to go when you have no option left, like a modern day workhouse. We are told we should aspire to privately rent, or get into debt to buy a home instead and with this went the pride in being a council tenant and the desire by many to care for the community they live in.

Council housing should never have been sold off and definitely shouldn't be still able to be brought. There is not enough social housing in lots of areas in this country, which in turn has brought about the stigma of only the poorest and lowest in society can have a council house. As stated previously this should not be the case, social housing should be available to all that need it. However there does need to be a cut off point and some kind of system that makes it fairer.

How is it fair that my grandparents who when they first moved into their council owned home, were on low salaries, with 4 small children and in need as ere previously living with my nans sister and her family, but over the years, had better paid jobs and would have been able to afford to buy a similar and probably even bigger property in the same area, but chose not to. Now they live in a large 3 bedroom house with just the two of them, large garden that they find hard to manage, but they refuse to move as is 'their home' and they've lived there for 50years plus.

Also my xin laws are similar they live in a large 3 bed semi in York, just the two of them, moaning about how much it costs to heat the house on their pension, but yet refuse to move or even look at possible exchanges. Again 30 years ago they were in the position to buy a house and move on letting someone else in need move in, but the different generation saw/see the council property they live in as theirs for life, and often passed the property down to their dc by putting them on the rent book. I think this loophole has now been closed though.

I'm really not sure what the solution is to be honest. I'm a private renter, I'd love to pay social housing rent, but then I like the flexibility of choosing where I want to live. However only 4 years ago I wasn't quite so lucky, going through a divorce not working as had just had a baby, no one would rent to me as was receiving income support and housing benefit, the council couldn't even put me in temporary accommodation as they said they didn't have any, I had to live with my parents and 4 dc for several months, the council said that I would never be priority and the likelihood of getting a council house was about 2%, with a wait of at least 4-5 years. Luckily my parents gave me the money for a deposit and the first 12 months rent in advance. Even though I am now working full time and pay my own rent and bills I am still always 12 months rent in advance as those are the terms of my contract. How many people who have a need for social housing have access to that kind of money? I've seen the standard of housing here that landlords who accept housing benefit have and most of it is appalling, outdated appliances, manky carpets, poorly decorated and yet rents still set as high as the lha will pay. whilst I accept those properties are probably in the minority and the landlords too, they are out there and lots of families are at the mercy of their landlord, tenants have very little rights in terms of choosing the standard of accommodation.

Something does need to be done in this country to regulate private lets.

FreddieStarrAteMyHamster

I completely agree with your post.

"ReallyTired.....or you could give private landlord the choice to a) lower rent to same as council owned property b) offer to buy property off landlord to add to council stock. the initial outlay of this being offset by reduced welfare spending on housing benefit that would have bee paid to future tenant(s).

Eventually as council housing stock increases, everyone who wants one can have a secure tenancy. Only committed private landlords, not in it for a fast buck remain. It also has a knock on effect, lowering the cost to buy a house.
"

That idea is beyond stupid. Councils do not have the necessary 200K to buy my flat. If I was to sell my flat I would want to sell it on the open market for the highest price possible. Most likely my tenant would be made homeless.

My tenant is not a social tenant, but she isn't rich either. A lot of my tenants in the past haven't wanted a long term secure tenacy. We have let to people trying out their relationships, people who have six month work contract in the area or prehaps more sadly someone whose marriage has fallen apart and they need to move out of the family home.

It would be awful if my tenant could only rent from the council and have little choice in where she choose to live or the amount of space given to her. She has a good job and why can't she have that spare room to allow her visiting daughter to stay? Why can't she pay that little extra to live near the train station?

Any welfare benefit thread,or any 45/50/60k in London is poor thread.

I find it awful that a family with 3 children in a one bed flat can be stuck in a one bed flat because of high rents. They can't get a council property as they are not homeless, but cannot afford a bigger property on the private market

Not the case, that family could apply and would tick several priority boxes, you do not have to be homeless to apply

At the end of the day there's not many people earning £60k and living in a council house. I think I read somewhere it'd net about £80 million which isn't even going to touch the sides of our debts.

That said when in the last couple of years the government have told us that we're so financially broke that we have to introduce measures as unpopular as the bedroom tax and child benefit removal for HRT's, it sort of then goes against the grain to say "Oh but if you earn £60k and live in a council house that thousands are desperately waiting for then fair do's"

It wouldn't be the top of my priority list but it is something that needs looking at.

That's right CaisleanDraiochta, my grandparents were hugely proud of obtaining their council home as were their neighbours. Everyone worked, I can't think of anyone who didn't. There weren't any SAHMs which was the only thing that made our estate any different from the middle class ones. Jobs were no easier to come by then, everyone worked in factories or other low paid unstable occupations. Why shouldn't we encourage people who have done well and pay their rent on time to stay in their tenancy? Good to have working role models and enables a mixed social group which is always better.

Housing is expensive in the UK (particularly London) because we have too many people who want to live on a tiny island. If all the landlord sold their properties and could not charge above council rent then there would be a lot of homelss people or people living like the victorians with ten people in a tiny two bed house.

Why should someone in a high end luxury flat pay the same as someone in a grotty council estate. Prehaps people in more desirable council properties near the train station should pay more rent. A single mother on benefits does not need easy access to the train station.

Dontletthem the problem is not people buying their council houses. It is the council not reinvesting the money in more housing stock that is the problem.

Council housing should be temporary not permanent, and only for people with no alternative.
I have heard of people passing on their council house to their children.

my grandparents lived on a council estate, along with the local teachers, policemen and many other working people. they were designed to dilute the 'bad uns' and improve overall social cohesion

now that area is crime ridden and regularly on the news for stabbings and drug raids

I think it was better when all different types of people lived on council estates

they are not subsidised. if anything, private landlords are subsidised by housing benefits

It's a nice idea in theory merci but the problem nowadays is that the 'good uns' leave for a nicer area and leave the 'bad uns' to terrorise those who remain.

How do you solve that?

What mercibucket said. It's apparent that most of us on this thread who actually lived/live on council threads believe that we need to keep working people and secure tenancies.

puzzleduck what you are advocating is a ghetto, believe me I have seen it happen and it isn't good for anyone.

Precisely whoslooking. YNBU OP.

Linking council house eligibility with income is disastrous IMO.

Yes, on paper they may be able to afford private rent, but what if they are up to their eyeballs in debt? It is possible to be scraping by on a £60K income. What if they are supporting a large family?

Two people earning £30K each, paying out full whack council rent, council tax, utilities, food, transport costs and possibly childcare costs, does not make for a life of luxury.

It just feels like another attack on the 'middle income' bracket.

Instead of pushing more money and demand into private rents, why on earth can they not invest more into new social housing stock, with secure tenancies, and at least attempt to rectify the appalling mass sell off of council homes.

That idea is beyond stupid. Councils do not have the necessary 200K to buy my flat. If I was to sell my flat I would want to sell it on the open market for the highest price possible.

But what if they did? Or what if they only offered 150K? What if all private landlords in your area were offered that or had to charge council set rent? You could sell on the open housing market if you chost to buy what if all the others did the same? I'm sure you know what that kind of supply would do to the demand, you may only end up with 100k.

You may well evict your tenant, but she will end up with more choice in the long run. More social housing of all different sizes and locations. More choice for her money be that, social housing, private rent or choosing to buy.

I know it's just a 'what if?' and so unlikely to happen in this capitalist run society of ours. But maybe we should all just stop and think- what if we stopped thinking of houses as investments and started thinking of them as just places to live in again?

A £60k salary is no longer a good wage IMO. Where I live (Norf Laahndan) you'll get nothing decent under half a mil.

A £60k salary is no longer a good wage IMO. Where I live (Norf Laahndan) you'll get nothing decent under half a mil.

it is all about attitudes, which is precisely what successive governments and media have been influencing for many years now

if council houses are seen as only for chavs (the oft repeayed myth that it stands for council housed and violent), if govts legislate so you can't earn a decent amount and live in one, if the media use lies like 'subsidised council house', then noone would aspire to live in one

actually, older council or ex council houses are much better built with bigger rooms and gardens than modern houses

'homes for heroes'

I cant imagine what private rents in London are like they are quite expensive imo where i live I dont know how people do it my mortgage was cheaper a month

Because Goldenhandshake (re your last paragraph). I'm of the opinion that it isn't a good advertisement for a certain electorate audience. But then I'm just a good ol' cynic according to a friend of mine .

mrsjay one of Ds's Teachers moved up here from North London last year. They were paying £850 for a 2bed flat. They couldnt believe the difference when they moved up Here. 2bed house now costs them only £450 a month. Can't begin to imagine what rents are further into London.

anyway most housing is being transferred to 'affordable' rents, certainly new builds

the fact that many housing studies have shown that the 'affordable' in this scenario is anything but and that in the long term - especially with benefits cuts to the low paid working people, it is just not financially sustainable for social landlords to provide these

but they will at the moment - because development is intrinsically linked with the homes and communities agency the regulator

so whilst you could fuck off and just do your own thing

you will get very little in the way of development opportunities because the hca have all the strings

and they in turn are puppets of the govt

CaisleanDraiochta: "maybe we should all just stop and think- what if we stopped thinking of houses as investments and started thinking of them as just places to live in again?"

This! A thousand times this.