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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
BikeGeek · 02/08/2016 09:38

Also many council houses aren't maintained

Not so sure about this, you can tell which houses are still council owned on our estate by looking at which ones have new roofs ( hint: it's not the private ones)

fakenamefornow · 02/08/2016 09:48

Do you also feel such outrage when people inherit huge sums of money? To me that seems even more unfair as these people would really have done nothing at all to earn/deserve that money. I have a friend who's inherited four farms. She was from a farming family, only child and uncles/aunts didn't have any children either. She didn't even have to pay any inheritance tax because of the tax exemptions for farms. Neither her or her husband have ever really worked, she rents out the land, lives in one farmhouse, rents out one and two have been empty for years.

Life's not fair and she's been lucky. She's lovely and I'm happy for her although admit, I am jealous.

littlerabbitface · 02/08/2016 09:51

Not so sure about this, you can tell which houses are still council owned on our estate by looking at which ones have new roofs ( hint: it's not the private ones)

I imagine it depends on the council!

fakenamefornow · 02/08/2016 09:51

Oh, and she gets a farming subsidy for leaving some of the fields fallow.

littlerabbitface · 02/08/2016 09:59

God I can't believe how butter and jealous some people are.

If this was my friend I'd be thrilled for them because it's bloody hard getting onto the ladder, and presumably if they're living in a council house in the first place, they will have been struggling or in need at some point.

I own my own house saved for my own mortgage etc and to be honest I feel lucky that I've been in the position to do that, not jealous because someone else got a cheaper house than me.

I also think a lot of people saying they wouldn't do it aren't being entirely truthful.

If I was in council housing and was offered to buy I would.

Let's face it if she hadn't have bought it she would have stayed there anyway, so it's not as if another family would have got it anyway.

littlerabbitface · 02/08/2016 09:59
  • bitter
Cinnabunbun · 02/08/2016 10:06

Would you feel just as upset and jealous if she had inherited the equivalent saving in cash from a rich relative?

notamummy10 · 02/08/2016 10:11

Most council houses aren't well maintained

Over the years, we've had many renovations: new kitchen, new bathroom and downstairs toilet, new central heating system and electric fire, new roof, new windows and doors and the house has been repainted!

thisisafakename · 02/08/2016 10:12

Would you feel just as upset and jealous if she had inherited the equivalent saving in cash from a rich relative?

Sorry but not remotely the same. She has been given a windfall by the government. The government is supposed to treat people equally in terms of ensuring that people are given equal access to opportunities and resources. Not the same as if a rich relative leaves money.

littlerabbitface · 02/08/2016 10:14

Wow notamummy your local council is a lot better than ours (I have friends who are in council property who have to continually ring for anything to get sorted. They wouldn't have a cat in hells chance of getting their house painted!!)

PaintedDrivesAndPolishedGrass · 02/08/2016 10:16

my house cost twice what hers dos and isn't even as nice

This is what the whole original post boils down too. Bitter and Jealous.

Original poster
AbsoluteUnfairBollox · 02/08/2016 11:15

Painted yes I am, not going to lie!

I just think the whole housing situation in the UK is grossly unfair

Sucks that so many of us have to shell out most of our income in rent or mortgage when the lucky few don't (ie those that bought at a discount, or with help, or those that bought prior to about 2002 ish)

There needs to be better regulation so many of us have barely any quality of life. Personally, we have no holidays no treats and the Dc wear second hand clothes!! And if our (15 year old) car needs work or the washing machine dies we are up shit creek! Yet DH and I both earn well above min wage in professional jobs.

OP posts:
spidey66 · 02/08/2016 11:36

Personally I'm against the sale of council houses, but it's legal so if someone wants to buy their home, nothing you can do.

spidey66 · 02/08/2016 11:38

BTW I'm an ex council tenant and I wouldn't have bought my old flat.....even if wasn't for the fact it was on the 20th floor on a sink estate!

Just5minswithDacre · 02/08/2016 11:41

I just think the whole housing situation in the UK is grossly unfair

Yes, it is. But normally when people say that, they're not envying people in council or ex-council houses.

QuestionableMouse · 02/08/2016 11:43

I bought my council house going on 15 years ago. I'm still living in it now and I'll hopefully never move.

Round here, perfectly nice terraced Council houses are getting knocked down and replaced with shared ownership or private sale houses. That's where the problem is, not odd people buying there houses.

Just5minswithDacre · 02/08/2016 11:50

.Sucks that so many of us have to shell out most of our income in rent or mortgage when the lucky few don't (ie those that bought at a discount, or with help, or those that bought prior to about 2002 ish)

But that's life isn't it?

It's not fair. Nobody in adultland said it would be.

I know people who had deposits, discounts or bought sooner are better off than me.

It sometimes makes me wish I'd been able to buy sooner, when I realise how little I'd be paying in mortgage now. But envying people needing help to be able to do something seems really bad grace.

blondieblondie · 02/08/2016 12:02

I handed in my application to buy my HA flat last week, as RTB ended here on Sunday. I'll get max discount if 15k, but it is my only chance at the moment of securing a property for myself and meaning I will hopefully have something to leave for my son one day.

Nice to see that not everyone is against that. And I know my friends will be really happy for me if I'm successful.

Just5minswithDacre · 02/08/2016 12:30

All the people saying it shouldn't be 'allowed' do know that it is being actively encouraged, even pushed on to tenants by the government, don't you?

Rent hikes for council tenants earning over £30-40k, coupled with the caps on the RTB discounts being loosened and the end of lifetime tenancies are designed to push tenants into buying by making buying cheaper and more secure than social renting.

It's deliberate Conservative policy. Our advice centre is full of worried people who just want to be left alone to be council tenants in peace but will no longer have that option.

EssentialHummus · 02/08/2016 12:35

Housing policy in this country is simply schizophrenic.

Either we want a "European" model where lifetime renting is promoted/encouraged, with secure, long-term, price-controlled tenancies. (So a council house is a house for life.)

Or we want to promote home ownership for the maximum number of households. (So a council house is a short-term temporary stopgap for the most needy.)

We can't have both.

PersianCatLady · 02/08/2016 12:55

You are being unreasonable because you are jealous, but I understand that.

At least she is buying the council house to live in not to sell in a few years to make a huge profit or she has done one of those scams where someone lent her the money to buy it nd as soon as it is possible to sell it she will move out and split the profit.

Original poster
AbsoluteUnfairBollox · 02/08/2016 13:01

PersoanCat Shockwow does that really happen??!?

OP posts:
Original poster
AbsoluteUnfairBollox · 02/08/2016 13:03

JustFiveMinutes

SadI really do feel for those like you mention, that are in council housing that want to remain so, but that are going to be hit with rent hikes and changes to their tenancies making it less secure. now that really is unfair ...I can actually see how these policies are almost bullying people into buying just to try and keep some security

OP posts:
trafalgargal · 02/08/2016 13:11

Battling alcoholism yeah she has a really "jammy" life. The fact she is continuing to conquer it and is now in control financially would be something a genuine friend would celebrate . You are a rubbish friend.

Lovelyname · 02/08/2016 13:14

Wow...you sound very jealous!
I wouldn't class you as a friend.

I've just done exactly the same as your "friend" and bought my council house with a massive discount

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