To think it's fucking unfair for people like me who bust our arses off to buy a property...

[DamnCrazyWorld]

And all the while people who have practically the same type/ size of house and who are on a similar income as me in the same area are paying just a quarter of what I paid for because its a council property bought through the Right to Buy Scheme.

Should I have just got myself onto benefits and into a council property to get onto the property ladder?

It's madness. It really is.

[SeaMagic]

Sorry, agree with BrieandChilli.

There is a PP above who said she was 29 with a 6 year old child who worked 30 hours a week as a TA. Her parents are lending her the money to buy her council house outright securing both her and her child's future.

That is great for her and if I was in the same position I would do the same.

DH and I are both in our 40s. We are both in professional, university degree educated jobs, earn more than the national average but are in London... Not highly paid by London standards.

We have two children and rent a two bedroom flat because this is all we can afford on our income.

We get no benefits, no tax credits, etc. We cannot save a deposit for a house and pay rent at the same time. Long waiting lists for council home in our area and I don't think we would even qualify.

We also feel like the squeezed middle. Everyone we know who owns a house [or even rents a house in our area] is either on a high salary or is a council tenant.

Sometimes it feels unfair, so sue me.

[MascaraAndConverse]

[HelenaDove]

mikesivier.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/the-truth-about-social-housing/

[HelenaDove]

mikesivier.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/more-home-truths-about-social-housing/

[HelenaDove]

www.theguardian.com/money/2014/oct/02/housing-association-residents-no-heating-family-mosaic

[HelenaDove]

www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/willesden_pensioner_forced_to_live_with_no_hot_water_and_heating_for_seven_months_contracts_pneumonia_1_1389701

[HelenaDove]

www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/news/11722587._Freezing__elderly_women_accuse_housing_association_of_poor_care_after_Christmas_heating_failure/

[Mintyy]

Yes, Rooners has it in a nutshell:

Why are council properties, which are in such desperately short supply, being sold off at massive discounts?

That is all that needs to be asked. What the answer is ... I sincerely cannot imagine.

Apparently there are 65,000 households living in temporary accommodation in the UK right now! 65,000!!! that is a fucking disgrace.

[HelenaDove]

www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?329965-No-heating-for-5-weeks-Housing-association-Resolved


30 visits from heating engineers THIRTY!

[HelenaDove]

www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/10904064.Single_mum_without_hot_water_for_two_weeks/?ref=mc

and without cooking facilities over Christmas. Social services had to step in where the HA failed.

[lighteningirl]

Helena you win my award for best boring way to kill a thread

[Owllady]

If you think it's any easier in private rental sector then I can tell you it isn't
Having been a homeowner at one point prior to my current situation I understand home owners live without broken boilers etc but when you ate paying fir a service, it should be done with immediate effect

[JamesBlonde1]

OP look at it like this.

In the county where I live council houses are often a reasonable size 2/3 bed with gardens. Similar sized properties to those in the private areas.

Someone buys their council house on RTB. They put it on the market for say (in my area) £80k - £120k. The equivelant house in the private area is easy over £200k and more.

Why is the ex-council house cheaper? Well we can all ponder that one. Some council areas are nicer than others but there is a reason why ex-council houses are cheaper than those from the private market and certainly in my area the ex-council houses would NEVER end up worth the same as those in a private area. Just look on Rightmove for towns across the country.

After all my rambling, what I'm saying is you can sit tight and know your house should earn more value over your mortgage paying years. You may also find it's easier to sell if you decide to do so as for some people to buy an ex-council house it's a huge compromise. Cards on the table - I wouldn't buy one as I'd be concerned about reselling it on. Mind you, that's not something I need to worry about.

Before the deluge of people trying to counter my point, I'm talking about average towns here not cities.

[MistressMerryWeather]

Apparently there are 65,000 households living in temporary accommodation in the UK right now! 65,000!!! that is a fucking disgrace.

There isn't even enough temporary accommodation.

DH and DS1 are currently sleeping on 2 mattresses in my mums living room every night because we are waiting for temporary accommodation. Toddler DS2 and I are stuck in a tiny box room.

We have been classified as homeless since July.

We were told we could be in our temporary accommodation for 2 years.

[HelenaDove]

Agree Owllady And when it isnt its authorities like the NHS and social services who have to step in and they have had their funding cut.

lighteninggirl Sorry if i killed the thread but i knew if i only put one link in the reply i would get would be "So what that doesnt happen all the time" Because thats happened on previous threads.


Not all HAs are like this. Some of them go the extra mile to attend to the breakdowns and repairs of tenants.

Ppl moan about HA tenants being unemployed. Any tenant who manages to hold down a job while incorporating and having to arrange and rearrange multiple visits from workmen who then cant/wont do the job deserves an award in my book.

I know of someone who has just lost 5 days wages because of something like this

No doubt the landlord will still expect their rent though.

[Allofaflumble]

I agree Helena. I live in HA property and they are appalling about doing repairs. I once paid for a plumber as it would be cheaper than losing my days earnings.

But they are really on the case if the rent is even a couple of days late coming through the system.

I know i am lucky to live where i do but we have to put up with awful neighbours and my rent is getting harder to meet even if it is subsidised.

I was a single parent and sadly never did meet a suitable partner so have always survived on a low income. If my son and his partner can ever afford a private rent next year, I will gladly give up my two bedroom for a one bed.

[HelenaDove]

Flumble there is a lack of regulation in the sector. There is the option of the Housing Ombudsman but thats only after tenants have tried to resolve it with the HA directly. It takes too long. Tenants especially ill disabled or elderly tenants are at risk of illness in the meantime while all this is gone through.

This is something that charities like AgeUK really should be looking into.

[Idontknowmyname]

NO ITS NOT UNFAIR
and when you are ready to go live in a hostel with other dirty people who dont clean up after themselves then you can complain,
Because you CHOOSE to not add yourself to the list you sit here bitter of others that did.
Whilst you were living comfortably at mummy and daddys house people like myself were in a nasty hostel with my newborn waiting for a flat
I then got a flat in an estate where 2 women got raped
I then moved and got harassed by the nasty neighbor and moved again
I have moved about 6 times in my life whilst you were at mummy and daddys house living comfortably

And stop with the "i have to take care of my children"
well DUH you brought them into the world what do you expect you have to do? why do you say that like its everyone elses problem?
You CHOOSE to have children so look after them and stop stating it like you deserve a reward.

I cannot stand bitter people like you, stop being jealous and be grateful you can even afford a house.

oh and last time i was on benefits was when i was 19 and in that smelly tramp hostel other than that i have worked along with a lot of other social housing tenants i know.

[Idontknowmyname]

council flats are cheaper because they look like shit inside and the council dont do anything.
I still have single pane windows from the 80s in my flat and badly flaking paint outside.

just to add most council tenants and HA wont be able to even afford to buy it because they usually vulnerable and on low income.

[LeaveMyWingsBehindMe]

I don't understand why Vatican is getting angry at the OP, surely if the OP had her way and the right to buy scheme didn't exist then there would be more readily available and secure social housing for people like Vatican?

And the same to Idontknow - what on earth are you ranting about the OP living at mummy and daddy's for her? Where has she made any references to her parents or her background?

And stop with the "i have to take care of my children"
well DUH you brought them into the world what do you expect you have to do? why do you say that like its everyone elses problem?

And there speaks a woman who had a child at 19 and single, and needed to be housed at the expense of the state in a hostel and then in council housing.

Again, why are you angry at the OP for suggesting that said council housing should NOT be sold off, so that people like you can get it when you need it? What am I missing here? Or is it that you have you managed to buy your council house at hugely reduced cost, all because you chose to have a child when you were barely out of your teens with no way of housing and supporting yourself?

In which case, I think you just proved the OP's point. You took the help when you needed it, and now you're quite happy to profit from the system that helped you, thereby pulling the rug out from under somebody else who may need that council house when you are done with it.

[AccidentalNameChange]

Bit vicious Leave?

[LeaveMyWingsBehindMe]

Why?

The OP is complaining about the selling off of council houses and two people who have needed or currently need a council house and face homelessness without one give her a hard time about it?

[AccidentalNameChange]

Express an opinion by all means.

[LeaveMyWingsBehindMe]

Yes, well that's why I'm here, but thanks.

[AccidentalNameChange]

But why be so vicious about something that was clearly a traumatic life event?

Being 19 with a baby in a hostel doesn't exactly sound fun does it? (understatement)

Why all the nasty 'at the expense of the state' dramatics?