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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

council people!

72 replies

Skivvywoman · 16/04/2016 10:40

Going to start a thread based on the babies ear piercing thread where someone said it was very council like (very rude)

What makes a person council like?

I'm from a rough council area and can say I'd honestly move back there in a heartbeat!
The people are the friendliest (I know not everyone is but you get good and bad everywhere not just on council estates)

OP posts:
MrsJayy · 16/04/2016 12:39

There seems IMO a difference of opinion of council houses from country to country my English relatives were very snooty about estates yet we all stayed in them in Scotland was very strange

x2boys · 16/04/2016 12:41

I lI've in a council house northwest there's no paticular shortage of social housing in my town either it took maybe nine months from being registered to getting my house, I have had a mortgage and they are not all that tbh the reason we went on the council list in the first place is because I gave up work to be ds2 carer he's severely autistic. I, m a trained nurse dh works but it was becoming increasingly hard for us both work and care for a disabled child so here we are the house is fine the estates ok not much trouble we back on to a big adventure park so it's safe for the boys to play.

thomassodorisland · 16/04/2016 12:45

I live in a council house, it's a new build house and everyone on my street has one or two workers in each house.

There is not a shortage of houses here (Scotland) I would be wary of starting a thread like this as although in some councils areas there is no chance of a working family getting a council house in a lot of other areas the can.

x2boys · 16/04/2016 12:47

There is also a priority for some of the council/housing association houses for working families in my town.

mollyonthemove · 16/04/2016 12:55

My mother is dreadful about 'council types' wherever dd1 is renting (privately), her first question is 'does it look council? ' which is hilarious, because until she moved I to the supported flat she lives in now, she lived for 20 years in a old people's council bungalow! !

Original poster
Skivvywoman · 16/04/2016 12:57

Thomas I stay in a big town in Scotland and housing shortage is ludicrous

OP posts:
Original poster
Skivvywoman · 16/04/2016 13:00

I'm also not starting a thread regarding getting a council house I'm talking about "council people"

OP posts:
x2boys · 16/04/2016 13:02

Fair enough Skivvy but you did say it was hard getting a house anywhere in the country prow are just pointing out that not the case everywhere.

x2boys · 16/04/2016 13:02

People not prow.

x2boys · 16/04/2016 13:03

Sorry you actually said there was a shortage of houses everywhere .

thomassodorisland · 16/04/2016 13:11

In any city there are bound to be many shortages but in the smaller counties (fife, Ayrshire, Renfrewshire) I know there are empty properties.

I know in my county on the councils website they have listings showing properties that have been left empty for a while and want people to take them, most of them are flats as a lot of people wants houses but if people are not picky they can choose one and move in within weeks.

We did not expect to get a new build and where shocked when they offered us once we met all our neighbours realised the whole street is a working one.

thomassodorisland · 16/04/2016 13:13

I've also never heard the term council people, it's a bit mean to group people together like that don't you think.

Original poster
Skivvywoman · 16/04/2016 13:30

X2 I'm shocked that there are still places where housing is available easy enough

OP posts:
MattDillonsPants · 16/04/2016 13:32

Well there are some places left with houses. I turned down two before I got my old place.

MattDillonsPants · 16/04/2016 13:32

And that was less than two years ago.

Original poster
Skivvywoman · 16/04/2016 13:47

Lucky you Matt

OP posts:
MattDillonsPants · 16/04/2016 14:05

Yes, well...compared to people in London who live in one room with three kids, yes I was lucky. Much better off now because we left the country...it served a function and since those people who can't get a house need them long term, I actually felt guilty about ours. I had a struggle with accepting it...but since they were available there wasn't an issue.

People who can't get housed are in terrible positions I know.

awfullyproper · 16/04/2016 14:16

I was going to start a thread about that horrible comment. Hate that sort of snobbery.
Interesting to know that there isn't a housing shortage everywhere.

howmanyairmiles · 16/04/2016 14:38

oh my kind of thread! Grin

So many things can make someone "a bit council" a few to kick off.

Random tattoos
Different father for each child
Dogs that are 90% teeth
Wearing Tracksuits when not engaging in Sport
Logo'd clothing
Excessive and tasteless outdoor Christmas decorations and usually still up in August
Wearing Onesies in public
Huge Televisions
Someone who when you enquire about occupation they state "Full time mum"
Thinks that Drinking Stella from a glass is classy
Smoking outside a hospital entrance, double council points if smoker is attached to a drip
Tatty Eng-er-Land flag in one of the bedroom windows
Assorted furniture slowly decomposing in the front garden, extra council points if there are dubious stains on an old mattress.
Going to public houses that have fruit machines.
Naming your offspring some stupid like Kai or Clamydia.
Toddler with earrings clutching a half chewed sausage roll from Greggs.
Leaving your front door open and conducting conversations by shouting down the street.
The annual claiming of compensayshun in some insurance scam

HelenaDove · 16/04/2016 16:08

Before it became subscription only i used to go on the Inside Housing website You cant see the comments now but prior to subscription you used to be able to.

I wish i could say i was shocked by the classism and shitty attitudes towards tenants on there but i wasnt.

References to tenants as "cannabis growers" and how they must have something to hide simply for asking for a convenient appointment for the gas safety check.

So these attitudes are rife from ppl actually working in the sector.

Last year on the Chat board an MNer posted about when the HA she rented from did a flat inspection the housing officer went into her sons room and woke him up making him get out of bed. He was working nights.

StiickEmUp · 16/04/2016 16:19

My grandad was told he'd never get out of a council estate. Night school, architect, millionaire.

Oceanside · 16/04/2016 16:21

I worked in social housing for years. Tenants vary enormously. Yes there are families who cause asb, but there are also some really nice people too. I've done inspections in properties where the tenants are really struggling to make ends meet and their homes are beautiful and spotless and the children a credit to them and other places that are total shitholes.

totalrecall1 · 16/04/2016 16:24

A lot of my friends were brough up on council estates. Their key objective was to buy a property that was not on one.

LifeofI · 16/04/2016 16:42

I think it looks cute

Babylove2015 · 16/04/2016 18:30

There are troubled types that are on drugs / dealing them or end up in jail for theft/ assault/rape/ murder who have grown up on/ still live on council estates and when they get out of jail, where do you think they return...