To think people dont understand the magnitude of the social housing crisis?

[Arrowfanatic]

I work in social housing. We have endless requests for moves from customers who expand their family whilst in a property which is unsuitable to move them to a bigger property. We advise that family size housing (3 bed+) has a waiting list of around 10+ years and then these customers get mad.

We're accused of allowing them to stay in overcrowded properties, or affecting their mental & physical health and inevitably an overcrowded property becomes prone to damp & mould as it's too full.

These customers also want these houses in the exact location they desire, thereby limiting even more their chances of a move.

We get so demoralised when every day it's the same thing, but social housing is at a massive shortfall for the needs of the country & family size housing is in an even greater shortfall.

My company has an extensive plan to build more properties but it's a 5 year plan!

It's like they think we're lying to them, or the old classic of "you housing immigrants straight away" note, we dont, they have to apply like everyone else. We dont want our customers in unsuitable accommodation, and we really work hard on making the housing stock we do have work.

If you're in this position what could we tell our customers to make them understand the position we are in, and the one they have put themselves in and why we cant help as quickly as they would like.

I feel like I say "we have a shortage of family size housing" 100 times a day & get yelled at 100 times a day for our association not caring.

@Menora - your comments about leaving the U.K. to me are pretty unacceptable too. I may have family from elsewhere but I am as British as anyone else. Entitled to my opinion without being told to “go back home” thanks all the same.

I have literally no idea where you have family or where you live or come, I’m assuming UK as you have decided your tax is going on people who make zero contribution to the society you live in - from but if you do not like the UK tax system, anyone is welcome to leave. It’s not really acceptable to support a class system that has historically been horrific for the poorer people in society, it was only as far back as 1970’s that people were still living in slums in Manchester.

One high paying tax doctor to be able to practice effectively in the UK requires a support system of cleaners, administrators, lab assistants, phlebotomist, porters, health care assistants - all of whom are paid a very low wage. There is a hierarchy in society of layers - those at the bottom are no less valuable in terms of productivity than a lawyer or a doctor. They all make their own contribution.

To earn £38,000 per year you would have to work a 90 hour week on a minimum wage of £8.21 per hour. Does this seem realistic for anyone to achieve?

It makes me think that you and your DP have sat around in your secure accommodation since you were 21 and he was 44

Another one to mark off the bingo card!

I think Menora might have meant your posts come across as "im not classist but.................

I don’t think you really have a solid grasp of how society functions to be completely honest.

An entire GP surgery or hospital can only function effectively when it is staffed by low paid workers who facilitate the systems in place so that a patient can see the doctor. They prevent people from catching diseases by keeping the rooms clean, they print the documents people need, they maintain the patient notes, they answer the phones, they feed the inpatients and they wash and dress them. They do this so that the doctors can focus on just the patient care

A supermarket can only operate when it is staffed by low paid workers. Who else grows the picks the produce, packs it, ships it, unloads it, stocks it, then sells it to customers? Minimum wage staff. Every little person is important in that chain, without them we would have an uncivilised society

At no point did I say ‘go back home’ so go and check my wording. I said if you do not like the UK then you are free to leave.
There are many corrupt 3rd world countries who have the same views about poor people, that they have brought this on themselves and enjoy sponging off the state and kidding themselves they don’t contribute to society. It is exactly like saying ‘I’m not a classist/racist/homophobe.... BUT’ and then coming out with statements that are exactly that sentiment

Proving once and for all income, stability and wealth are not the products of hard work and intelligence

Completely agree @malylis The amount of people incapable of critical thinking is frightening.

But @HelenaDove are you going to say what you and your husband would like to happen in your housing situation?

You complain so much about it that I don't think it is unreasonable to ask what you would like to happen?

I'm assuming you'd like a ground floor flat because of your husband's disability and that doesn't seem to be an outrageous thing to want. I would want the same in your position.

But instead of giving a simple answer, you don't address it at all-preferring to make silly and sarcastic remarks.

Why is that?

As you won't answer, I ponder to myself and the only reason I can think of is that you want something that is going to sound a bit unreasonable, so you cover it up by not replying and, as I say, making snippy remarks that imply you're some sort of victim.

I still think the fact that you and your husband have had HA housing since you were 21and he was 44 (he is now 70 and you're 44) is something to be pleased about and I can't see why you are so puffed up with snippiness and woe.

One more time-what is wrong with your housing and what would you like?

@Menora - no idea where you got the “my tax Is going to people who make zero contribution”. My posts were part of the debate with other pp that in our economy some people are net contributors and others are not (as I and others have said). It is not the case that everyone contributes to society equally on a financial or non financial basis.

As you point out it is not realistic for minimum wage workers generally to be paying their way financially. You seem to think that the face that we need some low skilled workers means they contribute more than they earn. Economically that’s not the case. In fact it’s likely the minimum wage means many people are earning more than they would get if there was no such minimum (some would argue lower skilled workers would earn more without benefits but they might not depending on demand.

Supermarkets these days have much fewer workers as they have been replaced by self checkouts, etc. We need a mix of all workers to some degree of course but higher skilled workers (provided their skills are in demand) will always be able to earn more and be more employable. It’s quite feasible however that we might soon have very few supermarket workers.

Your references to supposed third worlds societies that are corrupt look a bit unhinged and racist. Have you ever even lived in another country?

And as for people living in slums in Manchester in the 70s or “supporting the class system” what on earth does that have to do with any of my posts? Or me.

I'm not sure who it was, but a while ago a poster wanted a bungalow as opposed to a ground-floor flat, and was quite angry that one was not forthcoming from the council - like they have many thousands going spare...

I think that was @SimplySteveRedux and it was due to his and his wifes disabilities, He got the be grateful for what you get too.

@paulinespeaksmanylanguages There is nothing wrong with the flat apart from it now being too small for DHs needs. But we cope with it I dont like the implication that we are ungrateful or that we sit around. Especially as DH has no choice but to do that now so you can knock it off with the abilism.

Ground floor flats are hard to come by too. a. because a lot of older people need them for mobility reasons and one of the reasons there is a shortage of bungalows is because they have been demolished by developers and flats built in their place. And
not at social rent either. So of course this has affected the numbers who need a ground floor flat.

There is certainly a housing shortage both for private renting in social housing, private renting at low rents which is not social housing but probably not at market rents. I remember when we even had a shortage of market rent properties to rent just before assured shortholds came out because tenants could stay for life even in private rented sometimes at £10 a year - those restricited rents still exist and you can search in your local area to look them up - often half the normal market rent. At least today for those who can afford it there are properties to rent privately at market rents - my son's house is let out at £1050 a month (2 bed, 2 reception, garden, SE).

I have never had any social housing and I pay what feels like far too much tax but no political party at the moment seems to want low tax and a smaller state so I will just have to put up with it and work half of almsot every day of the year to fund direct tax and then move on to what I earn each day to pay indirect taxes, then relieving the state of my sons' university costs may be by 5pm each day I get to earn something to earn my food and heating......

Sometimes councils are to blame. In 2012 Kingston calculated it could afford to borrow and invest £200m over 30 years within the HRA to build new council flats but then it decided to let a developer 'regenerate' the
estates into mostly £0.5m+ private flats

dchkingston.wordpress.com/

But neither you-nor the HA-could have predicted that one day the flat would be too small for your needs.

If your husband hadn't become disabled, you would have been fine living there for the next 26 years.

I'm sure you've explained to them that you need a bigger flat but demand for those must be high and I'm imagining-rightly or wrongly- that they give families priority.

I suppose money is tight but-and don't bite my head off for asking a question-as you are only in your mid forties, is it possible that you could get a mortgage for something in an affordable area?

If not, I suppose you'll have to wait and I hope it's not too long.

pauline we manage and its just one of those things. It is what it is, I just posted what i did to show that each tenants situation is different.

What is needed is more adaptable housing, housing for families

single people/couples and when building new estates building a mix of properties that cater for all the above.

Well again @HelenaDove, I hope it works out for you.

Thanks

None of this is about how much people earn or low paid workers, it is down to the housing crisis and the rip off rent prices people have to pay, social housing should be provided by the state at a set rate for everybody, because it is not, people can buy up houses and charge what they like, if housing benefit went upto £1k tomorrow so would the rent prices that private landlords charge. It's no good blaming each other for the housing chaos, local councils and the government are to blame, but as usual nothing will get done about it unless people start protesting and rioting.

I’ve only read a few pages, but one thing jumped out at me: ‘people want the perfect location’, ‘people should have to take the first place’ etc.
It’s not often a case of people wanting to leave in Road XXX, it’s people being offered places where they can no longer work, or send the kids to school. A few examples I know:
1- dad died, mum Disabled and they lost the house. Daughter just passed 11+ in London, offered a flat in Wolverhampton. Away from all support, school, everything. It’s not a move across town
2- revenge eviction for complaining about damp. Property offered outside London. Taken but now 3 kids out of school due to no places and dad out of work as not able to travel to work. Spiral into property further and lack of education compounding it
3-landlord sells property, can’t get another private rent. Council offer a place the other side of Kent. Both parents no longer able to get to their jobs, kids no school places. Decent family, no issues prior to this but due to one parent being zero hours contracted they can’t get a place to rent, despite never missing previous payments.

People are not routinely turning down viable options. The options mean they have to give up work, school places and may be downright dangerous. Maybe starting with a few weeks in an old office block on an industrial estate without transport links (I’m not exaggerating, one near me is 40min walk to a public transport link and shit scary. Open drug deals and everything else)

@UpsideRound yes, that has been my experience.

What Upside said.

Those discussing people demanding the perfect place etc, are those who get their knowledge from the Daily Fail.

I also think, like a number of my friends, I am not unusual in having moved out of social housing. When I was 6 my dad got a good job in a city and we moved. Other friends lived in social housing as kids, but didn’t after university. One who still does live in social housing had a three bed, but when her mum passed away when she was 19 swapped for a one bed (and is still there with a child and partner now). It’s a lazy stereotype that for most generations live in social housing. Out of those I know the only ones to remain in social housing had unfortunate circumstances or disability that blocked many options. They were unlucky, rather than lazy and entitled.

I hear if these stories about scrounges, but the reality is out of the large number of people I’m close to who have lived/ live in social housing they don’t fit the image. They are really really normal. For example- my sister got a council flat as she’s disabled, and moved out of supported accommodation/ long term hospital care- I’m certainly not jealous of her circumstances. Even then she had unsuitable accommodation in a shared house for two years first

@UpsideRound - in an ideal world I don’t think there’s any reason people shouldn’t be living in social housing or are “scroungers” if they do. But there is a huge housing crisis with shortages of housing so I would like to see the social housing we do have allocated on basis of need. It’s difficult but there are some people under occupying in areas of high demand but they still have tenancies for life (and pensioners I believe still get housing benefits to cover all rent even if they are under occupying). The main thing we need to do is build more houses tho.

There are def some entitled people out there too from all social classes and walks of life.