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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be worried about social housing?

330 replies

thegreenlight · 13/04/2019 13:57

Have found our dream home on a new estate - looks out over green to the front. Lovely lay out, super excited. However, we went to look at the one we wanted to reserve (80% finished) to find that half the garden backs onto a small row of 3 social rent houses. I feel awful to be worried abou this but I am! The other houses it backs onto are small private houses. I now don’t know what to do. I don’t want to make the wrong choice for our family. What if there’s trouble? It’s seriously making me reconsider. There isn’t much social housing on the estate (minimum amount I guess) does anyone have any experience?

OP posts:
Huskylover1 · 13/04/2019 15:41

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SmithyDarlingLetsDoShots · 13/04/2019 15:43

Wow 🙈

hazell42 · 13/04/2019 15:48

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FabulouslyFab · 13/04/2019 15:52

I live in social housing. My previous house (also SH) was a semi and next door was owner occupied. Sadly the old lady died and the family who bought were an absolute nightmare. Screaming constantly, dog barking, renovations at weekendsand evenings that went on for over 12 months before I moved out and lasted at least another 2 years, ferel children running over all the gardens.
At least with SH you can complain to the HA if you are having problems with their tenants! I was very lucky that I downsized and now live in a new build on a very nice estate of about 50 houses, only 6 of which are SH and we are all very well behaved!!

Huggybear16 · 13/04/2019 15:52

I worked as a Police officer for 5 years, in a large town, with lots of Social housing. We were called to the same social housing estate

So in a large town with lots of social housing, you were called to ONE housing estate regularly? So social housing wasn't the problem - that particular estate was.

MeltingWax · 13/04/2019 15:56

I live in social housing. I work full-time and have done since leaving university. I have 3 degrees - including an MA and a PhD. DP is 'an immigrant' - I complain about him sometimes, does that count Husky?

My delinquent teenage DD has spent most of the day practising her 3 musical instruments. (That may make us problem neighbours to be fair)

Am so tired of people trying to shoehorn others into boxes by 'type'. It's so boring.

LipstickforFish · 13/04/2019 15:58

@LovelyJubbly67

That isn't true AT ALL!

I live in a shared ownership property now and have lived in HA before and it was generally the owner occupiers who didn't take care of their property or acted like anti social wankers.

Anyone can be an anti social neighbour, just because someone is in HA doesn't make them lesser than an owner occupier.

When I live now the problem houses are ALL owner occupiers!

MeltingWax · 13/04/2019 15:59

And I naively clicked on this thread thinking it might be someone lamenting the lack of affordable housing. But no.

gauntletthrown · 13/04/2019 16:07

All new housing estates have to build some social housing stock.

This is far better than when all the social housing was all on one big estate which is where the impression that social housing breeds anti-social behaviour comes from.

Honestly I'd be more concerned about the neighbours who buy next to you as you can hardly get them evicted can you?!

Whitechocandraspberry · 13/04/2019 16:13

I think the one thing toremember when you’re flaming the OP is that she is using her money to
Invest in a property. It is the biggest purchase of her life so far. She is right to consider her neighbours. Neighbourhood issues can be horrendous. I’m not sure what social housing is. If you buy a property you have to think of it as an investment

PositiveVibez · 13/04/2019 16:13

And, it's always people like that, that complain that all the immigrants have "stolen our jobs". Er, no they haven't, you've never fucking worked a day in your life. The immigrants are hard working, and doing a job that you would never do, because you'd rather stay at home partying and getting pissed every day. Argh

You really do need to stop watching Channel 5 and reading the Daily Mail.

Good god.

Noteventhebirdsareupyet · 13/04/2019 16:15

I would be cautious about buying a house anywhere with nearby neighbours! We live in a caravan in a field without mains electricity because we love peace and quiet so much that it was preferable to buying a house in a residential area. I admit it's pretty extreme for most people but we've had so many shit neighbours (none of them social housing tenants by the way), that it was the best choice for us.

wonderingsoul · 13/04/2019 16:16

Oh bless.

You must live a very sheltered life.

You do realise people who live in sh don't have two heads and some even work right?

Give your head an wobble will you.

Huggybear16 · 13/04/2019 16:18

@PositiveVibez apparently she was also a police officer. God help us all if there are cops like that about.

Huggybear16 · 13/04/2019 16:20

I’m not sure what social housing is

Then it's probably best not to advise on this particular thread @Whitechocandraspberry

MagicKingdomDizzy · 13/04/2019 16:22

I think most people would baulk at a property backing onto rough looking social housing.

But this is Mumsnet, of course no one is actually allowed to admit to that!

Whitechocandraspberry · 13/04/2019 16:23

I’ve never heard the expression

Chloemol · 13/04/2019 16:26

Well aren’t you the lucky one. How about thinking about others, thos3 why can’t afford to get on the housing market without social housing, which normally is either renting, or shared ownership to help people start in the market. It’s people like you and your attitude that make me ashamed to live in this country sometimes. What example are you to your children on tolerance, on helping others? None at the moment

Whitechocandraspberry · 13/04/2019 16:29

Sorry why the rant? Because I have never heard expression social housing??!

dalmatianmad · 13/04/2019 16:29

OP I live in social housing. I'm a senior Nurse at the Hospital. My house is well kept and my gardens are landscaped.

My neighbours are social housing, they're lovely, all work, their house is beautiful.

The people that we back into own their house. Their garden is a shithole and they smoke so much weed that the smell makes me feel sick. They are abusive.

Does this help? Hmm

Huggybear16 · 13/04/2019 16:31

I think most people would baulk at a property backing onto rough looking social housing.

But this is Mumsnet, of course no one is actually allowed to admit to that!

What about rough looking privately owned housing? Or immaculate social housing? OP didn't say they were rough looking....

Changingmyname2019 · 13/04/2019 16:32

Run, op. Don't buy the house,. You will regret it

We had similar in my town about ten years ago. A beautiful new housing estate was built. It was a mix of half council, half owned. There is a park in the middle.

The park is well known for drugs, prostitution, and the like. There are never any kids in it. It's always full of screaming adults with aggressive dogs. Needles and takeaway containers everywhere.

The houses are today worth 2/3rds of what buyers paid. Nobody wants to live there, and I know several people desperate to sell and get out.

AnnieMay100 · 13/04/2019 16:35

What a snobby comment, god forbid you lose your jobs and home and need social housing!
Just because they are on low income doesn’t mean they deserve to be looked down upon. I know plenty of well off people in social housing I don’t personally believe they should be entitled to, but making assumptions about your neighbours is awful.
I own my own house on a council estate and the only issue I’ve had with neighbours is a fellow home owner.
I’d be concerning myself more about a new build that have tons of issues in years (if you’re lucky) to come.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 13/04/2019 16:35

If you have doubts, don't do it. If it's putting you off and it's not going to be your forever home it may out others off when you come to sell. You won't be the only one put off by it.

PookieDo · 13/04/2019 16:39

I live on a lovely clean and tidy estate and I am in the social housing Home

I spend most of my spare time pottering, decorating, gardening and cleaning and threads like this make me feel really... ashamed. And cringing.

Admittedly a house over the road (social)was not well looked after and in a bit of an internal mess. They evicted her and did it all up again. It didn’t affect anyone else

My housing officer visits frequently I have rules to follow and have to keep the property in good condition or I will lose my tenancy. The first year is probationary