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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

wibu to buy my council house? would you? has anyone?

76 replies

GaryShitpeas · 20/02/2015 09:22

got a letter from the council yesterday offering RTB, i rang the helpline and we are eligible. just not stopped thinking about it since and just wanted to ask advice

pro's

assuming all goes to plan we will have no rent to pay when we are old, something which worries me to death

we will possibly have an asset to leave to our dc

we will be able to extend/alter the house (money permitting)

its a nice house but a shit hole area (recent murder on my actual street) if we buy, we will be able to sell up in five years and move somewhere nicer

I don't want my dc growing up round here its like the Bronx tbh. shit schools, feral kids and teens, burnt out cars and jezza families everywhere (sorry if that offends but its true, I live with it every day)

i want a home for life.....even though we have a secure tenancy here, we will almost certainly have to move anyway when dc leave / we are old due to bedroom tax

cons

dh would have to get the mortgage as I have shit credit and only work a few hours whereas he earns ok money...so he would own it (I think?)

I am dead against the selling off off council homes and would feel I am adding to the problem

the mortgage would actually be higher than the rent by about 100 pcm, more if interest rates rise, we are not high earners and this would be a lot of money to us

we would have to pay for all repairs

I suspect the gas boiler is on the way out so we would almost certainly have to stump up for that within next few years

if dh and I ever split I'd end up back in private rented for the rest of my days as id never get another CH

this has always been mine and my dc home, whilst renting if dh ever fucked off he'd be the one up shit creek whereas me and dc would still have our lovely home

sorry for long post!!

OP posts:

Feminine · 20/02/2015 15:17

Lots of council and HA homes are in such a dire state, you'd be doing a favour by buying it.

That said, l don't really agree with buying council stock either.
They need to build more.

I am laughing at the suggestion of 'saving' up (for a deposit) Most tenants aren't in a position to do that.

SisterMoonshine · 20/02/2015 15:32

Tough one.
I think you are. more secure for life as a council tennent.
You can downsize later through an exchange and perhaps claim the money for rooms given up. You can do this at your leisure later, so spend a couple of years or so waiting for something you like to come up.
It is nice that if something goes wrong - boiler, roof tiles etc someone comes to fix it and it's not your responsibility.
Yep, I'm leaning more towards staying renting.

SmileAndNod · 20/02/2015 15:35

I heard on the Wright stuff the other morning so it must be true that the Tories are trying to rejuvenate the Rtb market so it's not something that is going to go away overnight. I thought they also said that now they are allowed to plough money back into housing stock, which they weren't previously allowed to do.

Not that it helps OP with their decision, but the opportunity may come round again.

SmileAndNod · 20/02/2015 15:39

I suppose it also depends how much and how soon OP wants to get out of that area either by a house swap, or by getting on to the property ladder with the hope of selling and moving on in five years(if other homes are selling ok in the area).

Seriouslyffs · 20/02/2015 15:51

Breakout there is vitriol against the policy, but I've never heard any vitriol against individuals who have 'rtbuyed' In fact any local Labour Party I've been a member of has several members who have done so.
OP why is the area so awful? Is it in a pocket of deprivation in an affluent area?

expatinscotland · 20/02/2015 15:56

In a shite area I hated living in, no, I would not.

ilovechristmas1 · 20/02/2015 16:18

I am in social housing because I am POOR, as are the vast majority of us. There is nothing left to save! I honestly wonder what planet some of you live on.

dont assume all home owners are on great wages or get a "gift"of a
deposit,some poor do manage to be home owners

social housing is that for a reason,well should be

i would rather see a family secure in a council house than buy it make vast sums and sell it onto a BTL landlord where they will rent it out for a vast rent never for it to be a la house again

Andrewofgg · 20/02/2015 16:24

happy2b Don't count on the bedroom tax not being extended - whoever wins in May! Your only real security is to buy - do it.

ilovechristmas1 · 20/02/2015 16:33

and to add

a 3 bed council house,nice area etc was sold to the tenant for £26k,6yrs later tenant sold for £150k,a btl landlord rented it out to my friend at £800 pcm (council rent would be approx £380 pm),she is entitled to housing benefit just under the full amount and has been recieving this for 3yrs

what is the sense of that

Jayne35 · 20/02/2015 17:01

We bought ours on rtb, rent was higher than what what the mortgage is. We have no regrets and are not planning on selling to make a profit as we like the house and the estate it's on (apparently a 'rough' area). New HA houses are being built in the area but not council ones, to be honest the council don't look after them very well as they apparently don't have the money. They have tried to sell them to HA's twice before in recent years.

Obviously you need to consider expenses, we have had to replace parts on our boiler, though not the actual boiler yet among other things. Also op, we were told that all tenants have to have their names on the mortgage, I was worried because my credit rating wasn't very good but we managed to get a mortgage anyway.

SirChenjin · 20/02/2015 17:10

Ilove - that is exactly what happens, and is only one of the many reasons I am totally against selling off council houses.

ilovechristmas1 · 20/02/2015 17:11

Sir i know its utter madness

LST · 20/02/2015 17:37

We're planning on buying ours. But if you're not happy with the area I don't see the point.

SmileAndNod · 20/02/2015 19:36

That's interesting about the tenants on the mortgage Jayne35 as the RTB website says it doesn't matter who funds the purchase (though obviously you have to have the RTB). We know a granddaughter that purchased her grandfather's house for him. This was a good few years ago mind do maybe the rules have changed. He has since died and she now lets it out

Jayne35 · 20/02/2015 20:11

smile that's exactly why they insist on only tenants buying, to prevent other family members benefiting in that way.

peggyundercrackers · 20/02/2015 20:18

I don't think I would buy the house you live in given them description of the area you live in. Try and get a move to a nicer area then consider buying. I don't have an issues with people buying council houses, if you don't buy it someone else will. Why cut your nose off to spite your face?

Thisismyfirsttime · 20/02/2015 20:27

No, I wouldn't do it. You should be eligible for a swap now or down the line when you've retired and dc's have (presumably) left home so you could downsize and pay less rent. Even for my dream home I don't know if I'd buy, you have a secure tenancy. Do you have pensions etc?

AntiHop · 20/02/2015 21:49

Bear in mind that if you're a leaseholder you'll be expected to pay towards costs of big works such as new roof and external decorations.

keepitsimple0 · 20/02/2015 22:51

I agree with the sentiment that RTB is crap. It's pure insanity if you ask me.

however, that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. You should do what's best for you and your family. It's a house purchase. Compare your purchase price to similar properties in the area. it could be a steal.

deste · 20/02/2015 23:40

If you have been offered the chance to buy then so have some of your neighbours. If that is the case the standard of the houses in the street will improve and in a few years time the street will have improved.

Original poster

GaryShitpeas · 22/02/2015 11:21

Thanks for all the replies and sorry haven't been back...

Our street is mostly privately owned, there's a few council / private rented inc ours. It's a shit estate but our actual street is Prob one of the "better" ones (ignores the recent murder) ....but On balance I think I'm veering toward NOT buying....as I just think it would put me in a terribly vulnerable position if dh and I ever split. Dh hasn't got the best track record (I'm his second wife) and I also see far to many stories on here of happy marriages where the husband suddenly fucks off and the wife is surprised to ever trust that we are forever. And even if we stay together it could still go wrong if we lost our jobs or became ill or something. Just couldn't bear to lose my home

And in answer to a pp, We don't have pensions other than dh compulsory work pension, just can't afford it. So I do worry about paying rent when we're old. Obvs we will have to work as long as we can but there'll come a point when we can't. What do people do that are still renting in their 70s? This is my main worry about not ever buying

Wow that became a ramble

OP posts:

Feminine · 22/02/2015 11:24

You will get housing benefit (or whatever it might be called then) try not to worry. :)
You can always downsize too. Councils will always be grateful for a three bedroom to be free.

Original poster

GaryShitpeas · 22/02/2015 14:08

Yeah if that's the case would be ok, but doubt Hb will even be available by then the way things are going

Hope will be the case cos the only other way I'd be able (and willing) to buy a home would be a lotto win. Scares me to death having zero control over stuff

OP posts:

SuperFlyHigh · 22/02/2015 14:29

The area may come back up in a few years time, worth querying council on future plans?

It's a toughie, would you really want the worry of renting in your old age?

I'd also maybe try to get a transfer to a nicer area (if you could/want to do that then do rtb). If you really are against it though on your principles then don't do it.

DinksMum · 22/02/2015 14:51

I worked for the council on the other end of your dilemma-buying back houses ex-tenants couldn't afford. As well as the other points pps have said think about if you're in a block and the council render the walls, paint communal areas etc...you'd have to pay too. With the council I worked for you were automatically billed for that work.
Also think about if your windows, doors, electrics, bathroom, boiler or kitchen are old. Can you afford to replace these things as with the council they'd have those works on rotation.
I also saw a previous poster talk about demolition-In our area if the houses/area was run down we'd move the tenants out and bulldoze the place, but we paid full market value, even for houses that were sold by accident the year before.

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