To be disgusted at my friend buying her council house?

[AbsoluteUnfairBollox]

And refuse to offer any congratulations whatsoever

She just announced on Facebook that her house purchase completed today. she's bought it at a massive discount as she's been plastering it online for months (valued at 120k and she's got it for around 50k...didn't even need a deposit I bet the banks were chucking mortgages at them. mean fgs how do some people get so jammy)

Actually I might congratulate her. I feel like saying congrats on taking yet another social house out of the market, one less house for a needy family

Aibu to think it's totally unfair and a piss take on hard working people who can't buy a house ? I have bought my house btw but was bloody hard and my house cost twice what hers dos and isn't even as nice

I've nc for this as I am ashamed of the feelings it's stirred up and how mean spirited it's made me feel towards a friend.

why should lls sell at a discounted rate ? bang on the money persian excuse the pun.

Private renting is bloody hard. Some people who have council properties or have a mortgage sometimes do not realise that.*

I think many do.I have privately rented and have been homeless. I was offered a council property which i accepted , then eventually bought.

queen what you are doing is a lovely gesture, good for you and dh .

That two year old article from the guardian was written by the director of www.millionhomes.org/ ...

Thank you mrsfuzzy.

What seriously concerns about things like this is how anybody thinks that RTB is even possible for private lets. I don't understand the complete lack of logic and reasoning when people suggest it as a possible idea.

One of my old schoolfriends private rented .

She was (still is) married with a young son. When the landlord decided he wanted to sell he got his wife to ring my friend at home and hassle her every single weekday for months. She chose to ring my friend on weekdays when her DH was at work so was cowardly as well as bullying.

I thought that the comment was ironic- making a point against those who were saying that rent paid should be taken in to account with RTB.
Maybe I read it wrong?

Even Shelter, the homeless charity who are always on the side of tenants, say that they do not advocate the government introducing rent caps in any form.

that's not true. Shelter advocates the "german" system where tenants in place have a cap on their rent rises (i say "german" because such a system is in place in other places).

Its 2 years ago not a lifetime ago.

Or does it have to have todays date on to be relevant.

I don't really understand why you keep linking to newspaper articles Helena? That one is written by someone who is not unbioused.

I genuinely don't understand, you seem to have a huge problem with social housing and I don't understand why.

Sure, some make profits but lots are charitable institutions. sandbournehousingassociation.org.uk/

Your comment about being childless doesn't negate the fact that most people are doing their bit to increase the population and we need more houses.
A secure tenancy should be afforded to everyone who wants one, not the I am alright Jack brigade.

*unbiased

I'm rolling my eyes at "oh it's our only chance to buy a property" when there are homeless people as well as people in very, very poor and dangerous housing situations. Talk about I'm alright jack.

Tortoise i dont have a problem with social housing at all. I totally agree with you ........a secure tenancy should be available to everyone that wants one.

I only have a problem with HAs and private landlords who leave tenants without basic repairs. Especially when they cause it in the first place.

There are a couple of HAs on the workfare list on the News board.

However there are some great HAs out there who do listen to feedback about sub contractors and act accordingly.

To say that i have a problem with social housing is a silencing tactic i have come up against before.

Most HAs do a good job though.

The HA I am with runs loads of different projects and offers days out for children during summer holidays, all for a small charge of say £5 or even less.

They run lots of different courses as well.

The company they use for repairs are excellent. I've only needed to call them twice...once when the back door wouldn't lock properly. They were out within two hours because the property wasn't secure and it was repaired.

No complaints from me....but people DO still moan.

No it's not a silencing tactic but it's interesting that you have been picked up on it before.

Anyway, I am not going to get diverted by other agendas, it's interesting to hear other people's opinions.

I am genuinely puzzled by those who say that selling off stock saves the government money because they don't have to do repairs.

I agree Alfie, lots do a very good job, and yes, people do moan.

that's not true. Shelter advocates the "german" system where tenants in place have a cap on their rent rises
I was talking about caps on the actual rent charged not caps on rent rises, they are two completely different things.

Tortoise the reason i put up links is to back up what i am saying. I dont just come on here and say things and expect ppl to believe me unconditionally.

But i do promise i wasnt lying about my neighbours 9 month old "water feature"

"picked up on it before"

I have as much write to state what i have seen on here and in RL as anyone else. Picked up on what. Am i being accused of lying.

I have various family members who have bought their council house under right to buy. I really dislike the fact that this existed in the first place, but for all of them, i understand exactly why the did, as none of them would have been in a position to buy on the open market.

It's not all roses. One of them has been saddled with the shittest of shit neighbours (on all sides, it's not a nice estate) since buying and has been completely unable to sell their 2 bed house as their kids, of opposite sex, have become teenagers, so has needed to extend into the loft, using their limited resources.

Yes lots do do a good job, I didnt say they didnt.

I havent only linked to newspaper articles. Ive also linked threads from other Mners.

Helena I meant that someone else has said that you seem to have an issue with social housing, you claim that it's a 'silencing tactic' rather than an observation.

Links to articles by someone with a vested interest (an ex finance director who wants to set up a different model of finance for housing) doesn't prove anything.

I think that all the issues that are being raised, bad neighbour's, repairs etc are not limited to social housing.

What do people suggest is the solution? Where will the money come from?

YY tortoise They are not limited to private rental either. As many forces families would attest to!

LA's selling property at a discount means they do NOT have to spend ££££ on upgrading, modernising and maintaining that property.

OP you'll hate me, I bought my council property nearly 10 years ago for under 50K, when I inherited some money - I got the full discount having been a tenant for the requisite period.

I actually do think that the right to buy scheme wasn't as well thought out as schemes go, but then the management of social housing stock is piss poor anyway and really never worked as it was intended.

That said, when the opportunity to buy, outright, a property at the age of 28, falls into your lap - well I would have been a frigging idiot to turn it down and continue pissing money down the drain in rent.

I sold that property for a small profit, it allowed me to buy a property near my remaining family members which is also ex council (I bought it from the person who bought it from the tenant who had the right to buy from the LA) - if these properties didn't exist and were not sold off there is no WAY I would have afforded to move from a poor area of the north to an affluent area of the midlands.

(Please note i have not upgraded from a scruffy council house in the north west to a mansion in the cotswolds or anything - I have moved from a two bed semi to a three bed terrace, similarly sized properties, similar market values, just a change of location).

I do think it is in poor taste to gloat about how massive a discount you've got, but otherwise yeah I think you are being an insufferable twat.

I bought my council house. Valued at 165K, got for 87K. I'm very pleased I've done it, so is DH. We have an intention to live here, we didn't buy it with profit making in mind. We had an opportunity and we took it. We can't be responsible for all housing crisis. No, we don't feel guilty "we took away home form someone , who really needed it". We needed it and we've got it in the first place.