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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder what would happen if every council tenant had their tenancy reviewed

267 replies

BumpowderSneezeonAndSnot · 30/03/2018 19:14

Life time tenant or not. Everyone was reviewed and income taken into account when calculating rents. Would this free up housing stock for those in need?

OP posts:
x2boys · 31/03/2018 18:42

Own a house ffs.

SluttyButty · 31/03/2018 18:44

@x2boys I want to lamb a house 😂 That's a brilliant autocorrect!

x2boys · 31/03/2018 18:46

Slutty Easter Grin

DeloresJaneUmbridge · 31/03/2018 18:52

I love my house...it's owned by a housing association so is more expensive than the local council. It's a struggle as we are not on any benefits (too complex with hubby's ever changing income) .
For us the house is a lifeline and I am grateful for the lifetime tenancy, my son is autistic and he might always need to call it home.
However, new tenancies are now subject to review after five years, I have no idea if they will actually ask people to move out.

gamerchick · 31/03/2018 19:06

don’t rely on the state

There’s those words again. What does that mean in your own words?

Frequency · 31/03/2018 19:11

The state doesn't own my house, a not for profit housing agency own it. Does that mean I get to stay once my business kicks off?

Also, anyone can get on the housing list in my town. Anyone at all. Even millionaires. They might not have the same priority as someone unable to purchase a home, but so long as they don't own a home, they can apply to be on the housing list and would likely get a house within a year.

I was offered mine within a week of adding my name to the list, but that was because there was a four month wait for the house to be 'repaired' (a word HAs sometimes use in place of wrecked) and my current housing situation was stable so I had time to wait, where people on the list longer than me didn't.

SluttyButty · 31/03/2018 19:19

gamerchick and Frequency , I think those who say toss people out should do as I've done (I have delusions of being a local councillor and dh has said I should run at some point, anyway) read their local housing policies to really understand their area's housing need before wading in with their opinions.

Frequency · 31/03/2018 19:26

I think those who say turf people out should think about how they'd feel being forced to give up the home they pummeled hundreds if not thousands of their own money into.

Council and HA homes are almost always handed out as bare shells in need of major decoration and flooring.

They are not the same as private lets but cheaper. If we're going to start turfing people out of them, then surely, they at least need to be given over fully decorated and fit for habitation — the cost of which would fall to the taxpayer.

My rent is also not cheaper than private. It was the secure tenancy and a reasonable LL I wanted, not a cheap house.

passionflower50 · 31/03/2018 19:55

It's not tenable for the council to sell proper to off without building like for like my next door neighbour who is in her seventies has just had her houee bought by her son who lives in australia he hasnt lived in this country for at least 8 years but used her right to buy to get a 4 bed house for 64000 pounds after discount uow is that fair x

x2boys · 31/03/2018 20:57

Well he must have given her the money to buy it passion, because contrary to popular belief on here somebody's son or daughter can't just inherit their parents council house the council made that perfectly clear when we signed our tenancy as joint tenants I can inherit the tenancy should dh die before me and vice versa however out children can't should we both die there is just one right of succession , when my dsil died suddenly her three kids (oldest was just 18) had to vacate her council house her eldest did get another house in her own right in wich to bring up her two brothers but she didn't inherit her mum's

Lovemusic33 · 31/03/2018 21:33

You can’t buy a relatives council house, the only way he could have done it was to give her the money and see buys it (in her name).

I thought that the council no longer owns any properties? They are all HA? They are here anyway.

x2boys · 31/03/2018 21:40

Some councils still own properties but a lot sold their properties to housing associations I think it depends on where you live @Lovemusic33?

myrtleWilson · 31/03/2018 21:42

No love some councils still own and manage their social housing stock - other councils own but the management is undertaken by an ALMO (arms length management organisation)

DaisytheDaftDaffodil · 31/03/2018 21:47

As someone on the waiting list, I find it annoying that there's people like my Dads neighbour, Dad owns his house, but neighbour since I was small has been only person in a 3 bed house. I was choosing places and noticed someone below me had been awarded several places, I was told that it could be their circumstances. Even though I face eviction.

x2boys · 31/03/2018 21:59

But that doesn't make sense Daisy your dad's neighbour has a place that's too big for them ,and someone else has just got somewhere has been offered. Somewhere ahead of You?

myrtleWilson · 31/03/2018 22:08

Which system do you use Daisy re allocations? Re your Dad's neighbour - if they are exempt from the bedroom tax (and lots of people on the waiting lists are liable to it) then the l/l may have taken the view when the bedroom tax came in that it was no longer a priority to downsize your Dad's neighbour?

Hedgehog80 · 31/03/2018 22:11

In the area we live in a 4 bed house is approx £1800 pcm
Our rent is £500 but we get £160 HB a month
Without a doubt if all tenancies were reviewed and tenants evicted based on income in areas like this they’d still need HB which would cost the LA a fortune

I love my council house. Feel v lucky to have got it and I know full well without it we wouldn’t have been able to afford to have as many children as we do and life would have been much more of a struggle

Sofabitch · 31/03/2018 22:13

What we need is a tighter grip on the rental market. More secure and longer tenancys, better regulation of rents, not allowing landlords to refuse all benefits applicants, minimum standards guarantees, and more reasonable deposit options.

RoderickRules · 31/03/2018 22:16

Daisy entitlement much!
Annoyed by some OAP going about their business because you think your welfare is more important than theirs.

x2boys · 31/03/2018 22:19

Quite Hedgehog I live in an area where its not that hard to get social housing my rent is £350/ month we get housing benefit of £150 / month i gave up. Work as I have a disabled. Child but tbh private rent would only be about £10/ more per week .

Doobydoo · 31/03/2018 22:21

I consider myself hugely fortunate.After horrendous private landlord and lots of issues we were going to be homeless.We were advised by colleague to go to council as they have a list of private landlords that do not always require massive deposit etc. There was not but council lady put us on list and explained re bidding.We were very lucky to be offered a house in an area which is quite isolated if you don't have a car and had a bad reputation. We have been here nearly 2 years and are really happy and I will never ever forget the utter horror of our last private rental. We also have a secure tenancy.

Doobydoo · 31/03/2018 22:23

We do not receive any benefits and I am a nurse.

leighdinglady · 31/03/2018 22:23

That's how you create a ghetto with people not being able to get jobs or they'd lose their homes. Not much of an incentive to 'better' yourself if you end up on the street

x2boys · 31/03/2018 22:28

And I'.have also gone back on the list because realistically we need a three bed house currently I have a two bed house but ds2 has severe autism and learning disabilities and shares a room with his brother and this impacts on ds1 education I'm willing to wait but I have been allowed to bid on 3 bed housesEaster Hmm

myrtleWilson · 31/03/2018 22:31

x2boys - do have a look (if you're not already doing so) at mutual exchanges as this may also be a route for you