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.

I have bought my house btw but was bloody hard and my house cost twice what hers dos and isn't even as nice

Little green monster bothering you then?

I would be genuinely happy if a friend managed to buy a house, (I rent) - glad I don't have you around.....

Have to? Is someone forcing you to

This has always been a Tory policy since the Thatcher era.
When we have a Conservative Government, tenants, such as myself are actively encouraged to buy our homes.
I have been a tenant, for 26 years, that will be a MASSIVE discount.
When labour were in power their policies discouraged rtb; much less discount, prices comparable to the market, the process much harder.
If you voted Conservative, then you effectively voted for rtb to be much easier and for huge discounts.
If you disagree in rtb (like me) then vote Labour.
Simples

Not sure the blame should be laid at people taking advantage of the right to buy. If they buy the house they would be living in anyway... (have to stay there five years at least to avoid repaying discount).

Shouldn't the blame be at the buy to let people pricing FTB out of the market? At the government for not allowing replacement housing to be built. Many people buying under RTB are/were told that the money would be used to build another house so how are they selfish?

Yes she was once broke, alcoholic and vulnerable but she's now RAKING it in from her own business.

Wow shouldn't we be in awe of what she has achieved to fight such a difficult addiction and turn her life around? Why remove her security and possibly risk her relapsing? You make it sound so minimal what she has achieved.

Council housing should be used only for people who really need it, not those doing very nicely for themselves.

Ok, so to keep a secure tenancy somebody should not seek to improve their circumstances?

Councils and Housing Associations HAVE to follow Government Policy. They are not responsible for this.

If you voted Conservative, then you effectively voted for rtb to be much easier and for huge discounts.

This is true and was in their manifesto. Including the right to buy being increased to include housing association tenants. So I am guessing tories all for it? Many tenants voted tory on this basis.

Some of the ways the Tories are encouraging right to buy to increase:

Took off the maximum discount cap (which was about £26,000 in many areas outside London). New discounts would be far higher for example up to around £75,000. Massive increase to those not convinced it was worth it previously (Labour put the discount cap in place).

Plans to make those earning above 30K pay market rent which will mean in many cases it would be daft NOT to buy because the mortgage is often cheaper or the same as rent.

Wow shouldn't we be in awe of what she has achieved to fight such a difficult addiction and turn her life around? Why remove her security and possibly risk her relapsing? You make it sound so minimal what she has achieved.

Ah but shes a "lowly tenant" jellybean. So no matter what you acheive whether its beating alchoholism or beating obesity its still nothing unless you own your own home.

I had similar shit slung at me on the tax credit thread. Even though ive never claimed them!

I can completely see where you're coming from, OP.

I bought my council house for £55K and sold it 3 years later for £120K. We were able to buy a much bigger house with a good deposit.

This just screams "I'm alright, Jack." Well, good for you, that you were able to take a property off the market that a vulnerable family may have needed, with a nice tidy profit. As long as you're benefitting, bollocks to everybody else getting screwed over, hey?! Congratulations on pulling the ladder up behind you.

I suggest that the system ( however flawed) was designed for people to get a foot on the property ladder.

No, it's designed to provide the most vulnerable people in society with a roof over their heads.

Which is what I did.
Again, good for you.

I don't know anyone who would have done things differently in my position
Oh, well that makes it ok then.

yes, there is a clawback if you sell the property within a short time after buying it under RTB. Typically 5 years, I believe.
Well, not in Pearlylums case, £65k profit after 3 years, for what??

Don't hate the players, hate the game

Games don't exist without players.

Hold on council houses are supposed to be cheaper? I'm private renting at £40 cheaper than the flats around here.

You sound jealous. It's none of your business. The availability of housing for low income families (a lot of who have kids without considering for one minute how THEY are going to support them btw) is not your friends responsibility! Do her a favour and back off!

You do need to have been in the same property for a set period of time before right to buy is possible. Our neighbour paid a tiny amount but has to pay for all works. We had the chance but declined. We have a full heating system worth courtesy £7000 for free. Just to prevent people moaning, we claim no benefits other than tax credits as I work full time but hubby is said due to health. He claims nothing as he's not a liar or a cheat.

Edit to sat hubby is said

wanderingnotlost- "pulling the ladder up behind me? You think I engineered these rules?

And as to the "I'm all right Jack", so if you won five million pounds you would give it away to needy people ? I guess not.

I bought my property for my family. When we purchased out mortgage payments turned out to be 25% cheaper than the rent we would have been paying.
We were not well off financially, things had been a bit of a struggle. Do you seriously suggest that any family would choose to go on paying a higher amount per month and refuse to buy their discounted council house so they could single handedly protest about the unfair rtb scheme?
What have you done to protest about the scheme if you are so outraged?
Have you lobbied your MP? written to your council? Organised a protest march?
I am guessing not. It's easier to blame an individual for making use of a totally legal scheme

*I suggest that the system ( however flawed) was designed for people to get a foot on the property ladder.

No, it's designed to provide the most vulnerable people in society with a roof over their heads.
*

from Government web site The Right to Buy scheme was introduced in 1980 and is designed to help council and housing association tenants in England buy their home at a discount.

I understand where you are coming from OP. Sometime down the line your friend will be able to sell the property and realise the profit. It was wrong in the 1980's and it's wrong today. The result has been to remove the best of the housing stock from social housing. Family homes.

reapwhatyouso- and that is the fault of the OPs friend how exactly?

Originally council houses were only available to married couples with families who had a proven breadwinner, so under original rules a lot of people in social housing would be ineligible. The secure tenancies were to provide a home for life and can still be passed down to a resident relative so they were unlikely to go back into the housing stock anyway!

Buy your friend a nice plant and be pleased for her op!

I don't get why people bring bedroom tax into conversation like this because indies not apply, the OP's friend would be in a position to buy her rented property if she qualified for bedroom tax, you don't pay bedroom tax if you pay full rent! It's only if your are in credit of benefits that you have to pay bedroom tax.

I say good in here, as someone who works in this public sector, it's nice to see that they are now in a position to buy, after many years of renting. If I where in this position, I'd also be buying my property as the money saved is better in my pocket than the governments.

But I feel the same about renting as well, hence why we had our first mortgage at 18.

I don't get why people bring bedroom tax into conversation like this because indies not apply, the OP's friend would be in a position to buy her rented property if she qualified for bedroom tax, you don't pay bedroom tax if you pay full rent! It's only if your are in credit of benefits that you have to pay bedroom tax

I was the one who did. I have already explained what I meant, but will do again for the avoidance of doubt. I know that they have nothing to do with each other. I was just using it as an example of the government taking away with one hand, yet giving with the other. I.e. unfair and unequal treatment. That is all. Hope that is cleared up now.

OP YANBU to feel angry and frustrated that you don't have the same opportunity. Your friend however is making the rational choice for her in the situation.

The new Housing & Planning Act means that council tenants earning more that £30k (40k in London) will have to pay more rent AND their secure lifetime tenancies will turn into 3 or 5 year tenancies. Or they can exercise their right to buy with a discount of up to £100k (up from £15k when the Tories took over in 2010). What would you do?

The same legislation will force councils to sell higher value council homes on the open market when they fall empty rather than letting them to a family on their waiting list. Plus the money for this goes to government to help fund the huge right to buy discounts they've bullied housing associations into offering too.

This all leaves less social housing for everyone on the waiting list and a growing number of families renting in the private sector paying rising rents without security or any similar help.

I'm not much of a Jeremy Corbyn fan, but I think he might be right to suggest extending right to buy and government funded discounts to private renters.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jeremy-corbyn-right-to-buy-plan-backed-by-centre-right-think-tank-civitas-a7077971.html

OP,
It is not your friend who is at fault. It is the geneal system. Houses are too expensive because we don't build anywhere near enough homes to meet the needs of the community. Yet everyone tries to stop houses being built.
This problem would not exist if a house cost no more than the cost of construction.
The argument that houses need to be affordable, (council housing) doesn't change the numbers that are needed.

Don't be angry at your friend. Be angry at the system: the failure to build and invest in council housing, and the policy that allows it to be sold off like this.

You are NOT BU and you don't have to pleased for a friend benefitting from someone else's (future tennant) loss. Right To Buy is, and always has been, a disastrous policy and one of the main reasons we have such a housing crisis in this country. My mum has always refused to even enquire about buying her rural council house where I grew up as she is principled and cares about the next generation. However most people, (especially the post-Thatcher generation) do not understand this level of social responsibility and understandably take what may be a once in a lifetime opportunity to own their own home. So I don't think your friend is BU either. But I HATE Right to Buy, it is an unreasonable, shitty government policy.

OP I don't think YABU to feel jealousy. Just remember that it won't change anything, you can either just smile and stay friends or you can alienate her over this. She isn't doing anything wrong, but the system is wrong in itself. That's not her fault. Be honest, you've said that you struggled to get on the housing ladder yourself. If you had been offered the chance she was, would you have taken it? Honestly? Even if you felt a little uncomfortable with it, would you actually have turned it down? I'm not sure that I would have. We need more affordable and social housing, that's the bottom line, so everyone gets a fair deal. I remember when I moved into my house, we were struggling to afford to pay the mortgage on a 3 bed (ironically ex council) house, with 4 children and two of us working. I had a phonecall from an aquaintence telling me that she had just been given a 6 bed house by the council - house was worth in excess of £400 15 years ago. Yes, I was jealous. Neither she nor her husband had ever done a days work, why should they get that on a plate (and yes I know it was still rented, but it was theirs for life)? But ultimately, it's the system that's wrong, not the individual.

Tbh I can totally see what you are pissed off.

Having a smaller mortgage than aeone who has had to pay top whack for a house will also mean that she will have a better quality of life in the long run. It's not fair at all.

I think you need to accept life isn't fair and when it comes down to it we are all selfish and will do what's best for us and ours. Your friend paid a cheap rent for years and now has a bargain of a home. You will have paid more than double to get something worse. It's not fair but it's life.