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Original poster

To be disgusted at my friend buying her council house?

349 replies

AbsoluteUnfairBollox · 01/08/2016 18:46

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 Angry

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. Sad

OP posts:
Aeroflotgirl · 02/08/2016 23:00

Your not much of a friend. A proper friend would be delighted for her.

PersianCatLady · 02/08/2016 23:06

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

But without council or HA properties to put families into, every time a family on HB or LHA is housed in a private let as opposed to a social let, the council has to pay the private rent for them.

HB / LHA payments to private landlords are costing councils across money thousands every year and that money goes into someone's pocket. When the council were able to house these tenants in council properties even though they lost out on receiving rent on those properties at least they did not have to pay out rent money to private landlords.

HelenaDove · 02/08/2016 23:08

When i was growing up in the 70s and 80s i never heard the phrase "property ladder"

People were buying houses to turn into homes. Which it seems to me is what a lot of tenants are doing it for.

For a lot of buyers though its now an investment......not a home.

minifingerz · 02/08/2016 23:16

People who buy their council home at a 50% discount are in effect being given tens of thousands of £££ of public money.

Let's hope they never moan about anyone else being given huge handouts despite not being 'needy'.

BlondieLoxie · 03/08/2016 00:22

I live in London. Can't afford a proper house. Don't see why I should feel bad about buying a council flat!

What a ridiculous post.

Just5minswithDacre · 03/08/2016 00:30

You'd think council flats were well-maintained des res type places, if you listened to some people, wouldn't you?

WiddlinDiddlin · 03/08/2016 02:44

The area I lived in, we had an arms length management co with a load of new build properties and the council trying desperately to get shot of all the old housing stock (not the flats but the houses) because of the maintainance costs.

Thats not the same in every area of course, but as I did say, the system was not well thought out and has been badly managed and changed over the years too.

Worth keeping in mind for anyone really cheesed off about the scheme - you have to live in or at least own, the property for a number of years before you can sell it without giving some of the discount back, and then AFTER that period you still have to offer the LA the right to buy back the property at the market rate before you can sell it anyone else.

My (then) LA has never bought back a property when I sold mine - the above does mean its not realistic to buy RTB and then 'flip' them quickly for huge profit.

UnderaRock · 03/08/2016 02:53

At least your friend is in it and not someone with lots of money who might test it down? Honestly I don't like council houses being for sale but that isn't your friends fault. Shed be stupid to not buy the home at such a price

UnderaRock · 03/08/2016 02:53

Tear it down not test *

OlennasWimple · 03/08/2016 03:46

Ridiculous policy but your friend did what most of us would do if a similar opportunity presented itself

QueenOfTheGinPalace · 03/08/2016 07:00

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

Absolutely.

Nataleejah · 03/08/2016 07:13

Not your friend's fault. You'd do the same given the chance. However, the whole practice is shit. Once the said people get on the "property ladder" they then sell on it to some buy-to-let agent who just hike up the rents. There goes the neighbourhood.

pearlylum · 03/08/2016 07:16

I sold my ex council house to a young couple buying their first house.
Ex council houses in estates generally sell for less than other homes of similar size, so a bargain and great entry priced property for a first time buyer.

pearlylum · 03/08/2016 07:20

The young couple I sold my house to paid £125K for a small semi with a garden, , in a lovely village, 3 minutes walk from the school and local park.
A comparable non- ex council house would have cost them £165K.
My old house has helped this couple buy an affordable house.

Lilmisskittykat · 03/08/2016 07:35

Alot of council areas around here are mixed part owned part council and the council houses are now being split into flats ... You wouldn't be so envious then I'm sure.

I think also If she's been renting it for so long it's only like she's already paid mortgage on that house... More like shared ownership if you think about it just bought last bit of it?

Lilmisskittykat · 03/08/2016 07:37

Alot of council areas around here are mixed part owned part council and the council houses are now being split into flats ... You wouldn't be so envious then I'm sure.

I think also If she's been renting it for so long it's only like she's already paid mortgage on that house... More like shared ownership if you think about it just bought last bit of it?

chilipepper20 · 03/08/2016 12:52

When i was growing up in the 70s and 80s i never heard the phrase "property ladder"

the trouble is that the government loves the money that London (and UK) property bring from foreign investors. Many foreign investors live in countries where rule of law can't be taken for granted, so plonking your cash down in the UK is a safe bet. Low interest rates make this a viably good investment: now you have two strong spiralling forces making property rise. Couple that with London have a supply/demand issue, you are golden.

But for obvious reasons, we don't want property to be an investment. If you pit ordinary people looking for a place to live against international investors, you either have to over build to meet demand, or the people will lose out.

Reapwhatyousow · 03/08/2016 13:29

The Right To Buy is hugely unfair on private renters. Look at how the tenancy is awarded in the first place. Let's be honest, how many Council & HA properties are awarded to single parent teenager mothers/barely out of their teens? Putting themselves in need. Encouraged even to do so. I'm going to enjoy this.

pinkie1982 · 03/08/2016 13:33

I am going to be one of these people you are disgusted at. We are looking to buy ours next year. No deposit, at a discount.
We will never move now either way so are taking advantage of whats on offer. It will enable us to A - make money if we ever did decide to move (highly unlikely) and B - have something for us to leave our son when we are gone.
Stop being jealous and congratulate your friend

PersianCatLady · 03/08/2016 13:53

how many Council & HA properties are awarded to single parent teenager mothers/barely out of their teens?
10-15 years ago most of them, nowadays nowhere near as many.

rapidough · 03/08/2016 14:19

I'll be buying my council flat later this year, it really is the only way we could afford to buy as we're in a London borough. I did get it allocated to me as a single mum in my teens (child conceived through rape), but I was homeless and had to flee DV as well, plus I have multiple disabilities (my own and my dd's). Most of my friends here are privately renting or have had to buy on the open market, and they would probably see it as unfair that they've had to pay more for their properties, but their flats tend to be on much nicer roads and maintained better. And of course, none of them have had to suffer the challenges that I did, which have severely curbed my ability to earn enough to rent/buy on the open market, while they've been able to develop their careers unhindered and be able to earn enough to buy or rent on the open market. Most people wouldn't want to have to experience the kind of life and disadvantages that leads you to get priority for council housing.

In our area the council is being forced to sell council flats above a certain value once they become vacant, so if I chose to give up my tenancy and buy on the open market (not a possibility for me financially anyway), my flat wouldn't go to another needy family, it would have to be sold.

Gowgirl · 04/08/2016 09:27

I'm hoping the 50%discount comes in here, I would love to buy my house! And fix it properly

HelenaDove · 13/08/2016 20:05

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