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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask a really stupid question about council houses

224 replies

cleofatra · 20/12/2017 17:25

To be honest, this is the best way to ask so I don't embarrass myself too much.

Do people actually pay any "rent" for council houses? (Or does it come out of some kind of payment?) I have no idea.

Sorry, I honestly am asking to find out as I don't know.

OP posts:
TheHungryDonkey · 20/12/2017 20:56

If the OP had put this question into Google, it would have come up with several reputable sources saying that yes you do.

However, that doesn’t have the same wind it up and watch them go effect of popping the wide-eyed question on Mumsnet.

And housing association rent isn’t that far off commercial lets.

NK493efc93X1277dd3d6d4 · 20/12/2017 21:01

I think nowadays that most people eligible for council housing would be unlikely to pay their own rent.
This is not how it used to be & I grew up in one.
The shortage has meant that only the most needy can manage to get one who usually do not work.
And yes I know there are plenty on here that do pay rent but I'm guessing they've been tenants for quite a while.

GoldilocksAndTheThreePears · 20/12/2017 21:08

How sad that people can't ask a question anymore without being leapt upon or having it re-interpreted as patronising or rude. It's not something I know much about as literally all I hear about council housing is that there is very little of it- I'm disabled, and after I got too ill to work but before I moved away housing benefit covered less than half of my rent. When I looked into council housing everyone told me not to bother, from jobcentre people when I was sorting ESA to friends to a helpline to do with my specific disability. In fact when I tried to sign up for council housing or any help through my then local council even being on highest levels of ESA and PIP I was told I was lower priority due to my age and having no dependents. So with all that I've had no reason at all to look further and would need to ask potentially 'stupid' questions. And Googling barely helps as you end up with several areas info thrown at you, so asking and hoping for an answer rather than sifting though tons of info trying to find a strait answer makes tons of sense.

GoldilocksAndTheThreePears · 20/12/2017 21:12

And given that I'm not allowed to own a home based on the rules around savings etc it's something I might be asking about one day I'm stuck forever renting which may leave me homeless at any point. Whereas buying could halve the HB I claim and be a far more settled future for me but thats a whole other issue.

Original poster
cleofatra · 20/12/2017 21:14

The occasional cynic but lots of really clear explanations and information that I'm really grateful for. Thanks all.

OP posts:
Spartaca · 20/12/2017 21:14

I got my arse handed to me a few years back for thinking this, but to be fair I didn't have the excuse/good reason of not being from this country. I just didn't know anyone who lived in a council house and had never given it much thought so assumed they were free. When it was pointed out to me, MN style that that wasn't the case I could see how ridiculous that premise was!

IfNot · 20/12/2017 22:28

Moat people I know in council housing have had it between 2 and 12 years. Everyone I know pays their own rent.

Frequency · 20/12/2017 22:54

I'm moving into a HA house soon. I'll be paying more rent after HB has been taken off even though the rent on my new house is cheaper than the rent I pay now.

I lose 14% of my entitlement to HB for having a 'spare' bedroom. I have two children, aged 11 and 15. both girls. According the government, it's fair to expect them to share until they are sixteen. The 15 year old has mental health problems including severe social anxiety, which impacts a lot on the 11 year old who can't have friends over as they share a room and DD1 would have no safe space to escape to. For her sake, I'm willing to find the extra rent.

If I lived in private rented, I could have as many bedrooms as I pleased but none of the decent LL take on HB claimants. A three bed, in a reasonable area from a reputable LL costs less than what I pay now for a crappy, damp, mouldy two bed from a large scale buy-to-let LL.

I'm done with crappy LL. I'd rather pay more and have the security of HA/council houses than move to another private let from another large scale buy-to-letter. The HA houses are nicer, they're bigger (you couldn't swing a cat in my front room) and I get to decorate however I want and hang pictures on the walls, which I can't do in private let, The walls must be magnolia and we are not allowed to hang any pictures, even with things like no more nails or the like.

The private rental market needs a massive shake-up.

mammmamia · 20/12/2017 23:04

Don't think it's an unreasonable question. We all have different backgrounds. I had no clue how this worked until a few years ago. Never had to think about it. Don't know anyone who lives in a council house. I've learnt a lot on MN over the years for which I'm grateful.

SerPants · 20/12/2017 23:18

How sad that people can't ask a question anymore without being leapt upon or having it re-interpreted as patronising or rude.

Totally agree with this. Some people seem to search for things to be offended by.

It was a reasonable question OP, which some people have kindly given answers to- take no notice of the rude or accusing posters.

LemonysSnicket · 20/12/2017 23:43

I thought they were free when I was a kid. I only know how the whole thing works from watching those horrible programs about council tenants and ‘benefits britain’ shite. Which btw I know is not at all representative of many HA tenants.

I think the people getting offended need to look at why they’re offended - because council tenant do get an awfully bad rap on tv and by people who don’t understand or don’t agree with the notion , but OP was just asking... for clarification . She doesn’t seem to have said anything offensive or with malice at all.

Elusiveone · 20/12/2017 23:50

Not free and takes years to get one and only then there are certain criteria to be met eg if you have a local connection to the area etc.

famousfour · 21/12/2017 00:04

I didn't know anything about how council houses worked for a long time simply because I don't know anyone living in s council house. I had also imagined it was 'free' housing for those in need such as the unemployed, non working single mothers etc. so I don't think this is a stupid question personally. I am also not British if that makes any difference.

I actually think it's a good thing to have the discussion because from what little I know there seems to be quite a bit of confusion about the role of council housing. Is it a temporary 'safety net', is it just a cheaper version of private renting with a secure tenancy etc. Personally I'm strongly in favour of increasing council housing.

No doubt I will get flamed for not just googling it but if a council house is akin to a private tenancy but (usually) cheaper where does the bedroom tax fit in? Why does a property not just have a fixed rental regardless of the number of empty bedrooms?

Frequency · 21/12/2017 00:12

Bedroom tax was brought in to reduce the number of pensioners hanging on to three and four bed properties while hundreds of thousands of families were crammed into too small properties and temp accommodation due to a lack of available family homes.

Sadly, as always, the government went about it all cock-eared and a lot of people in need ended up paying for their mistakes (people who need spare rooms for health reasons for example).

My area has no shortage of council or HA properties. I've been on the list less than a month and have already been offered two properties. We still have the bedroom tax Hmm

x2boys · 21/12/2017 00:26

Well no Elusive it doesn't take years to get one again it depends on where you live it took us a few months in the northwest of England no priority whatsoever .

x2boys · 21/12/2017 00:31

Properties do have a fixed rent, famous , the bedroom tax comes in if you apparently have a house bigger then your needs but if you are paying the rent yourself regardless of how many people live there then there is no bedroom tax as that only applies to those who claim housing benefit .

Gwenhwyfar · 21/12/2017 00:32

"My council house costs way more than my mortgage was and costs more than the average rental price of similar properties in my area."

Why are you in a council house if private renting is cheaper. Doesn't make sense.
Where I live council house rent is MUCH lower than private.

myrtleWilson · 21/12/2017 00:34

Frequency - sorry thats not right.. bedroom tax didn't apply to pensioners so actually schemes that LA's and HA's had to incentivise pensioners to downsize were stopped as resources were needed to support people affected by bedroom tax. Bedroom tax was a welfare measure not a housing policy measure.

x2boys · 21/12/2017 00:34

Because it's a more secure tenancy Gwen and we don't all live in London or the south east why can't you understand this?

Gwenhwyfar · 21/12/2017 00:38

"Elusive it doesn't take years to get one again it depends on where you live it took us a few months in the northwest of England no priority whatsoever ."

But in some places it does take years and single people can forget it.

Gwenhwyfar · 21/12/2017 00:39

"we don't all live in London or the south east"

Eh? When did I say anything about living in London or the south east??

Having rented all my life and never been thrown out, I suppose my experience makes me not worry about 'secure tenancy'.

x2boys · 21/12/2017 00:40

And some people also forget that not everywhere is like the south east ?

x2boys · 21/12/2017 00:42

.Not where I live single people can also get a council place the it really does depend on where you live people should realise this .

Tumbleweed101 · 21/12/2017 00:52

Council housing is a form of secure housing for those unable to buy a house. Started as a way of rehousing the poor after the war when lots of slums had to be knocked down because of damage. They are still the only form of secure housing for the poor. Rent is payable on them but is at a realistic rate rather than the stupidly high rents in the private sector. In theory they are affordable to those working in low end jobs whereas private rental is unaffordable. They are a form of housing both sneered at by the better off and desperately wanted by those on lower wages. Despite people saying they are for those not working etc everyone I know in a council house works. They aren’t subsidised by the tax payer as some think but they are paid for by tenant rents. Housing benefit is subsidised by the tax payer but more of that goes into the private landlords pocket than into the poorest renters pockets.

Gwenhwyfar · 21/12/2017 01:00

"Council housing is a form of secure housing for those unable to buy a house. "

Not really. It's for people with low incomes and who fit the criteria. Loads more people cannot afford to buy a house than can have a council house, except where x2boys lives of course.

"They aren’t subsidised by the tax payer as some think "

The houses are council owned so bought by the tax payer.

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