1 single person in a 3 bed council house

[Fyptk]

20ish years ago this person exchanged from a 1 bed flat to a 3 bed council house because relatives were moving in with her, so all the bedrooms were needed.

Fastforward a few years and those relatives all moved on and the single person remained in the 3 bed house.

To get out of paying bedroom tax they claim the other bedrooms are used for something to do with their work which they are not. The rooms are unused apart from storing excess clutter.

Meanwhile here in London (where this person lives) families are stuck in hostels and overcrowded rooms whilst the local burroughs housing register has in excess of 10,000 people on it waiting to be housed. The minimum wait for a 3 bed house here is 10 years.

AIBU to think they are selfish?

I don’t think a person should be removed from their home because they no longer need to occupy every bedroom, no. It’s her house, she has a right to live there regardless of how big the house is. You’re aiming your anger at the wrong person, try the Houses of Parliament.

@BlatantlyNameChanged

there is absolutely no guarantee and those who can't afford their mortgages have to move. The bank doesn't listen to them saying 'but it's my HOME, I should be able to stay FOREVER'

Do you mean eviction for non-payment? Because that happens to council tenants too, if I stop paying my rent then eviction proceedings willbbe started. Its not a free house, it still has to be paid for, and no rent = no tenancy = get out.

Really? How often does this happen? Surely if there is a change in circumstances, their benefits will change? It is cheaper and more secure than any other housing

Meanwhile - we have children suffering like this. Of course single people living in huge houses need to be re-homed and yes there is a problem to be sorted with ensuring there are enough flats etc but this blanket idea that they should just be able to stay in a 4 bed house indefinitely when children are suffering like this is just wrong:

blog.shelter.org.uk/2018/06/bb-is-a-prison-sentence-children-speak-about-being-homeless/#:~:text=The%20law%20states%20that%20children,250%25%20higher%20than%20in%202009.&text=Children%20in%20care%20aged%2016,B%26Bs%2C%20even%20in%20an%20emergency.

Absolutely agree with you @BlatantlyNameChanged.

I am bloody grateful that we are able to live in a well maintained, secure home despite not having the means to own a property of our own.

We've lived in a private let with ridiculously high rent, where the visually impaired landlord insisted on doing all repairs himself (despite the obvious issues which often left things in a dangerous state), absolutely no decorating or even a screw in the wall for a curtain pole and eventually deciding to sell up on minimum notice - it never felt like a home as a result.

There needs to be a massive shift in the way the private sector is managed.

I've seen quite a few families evicted for not paying rent, it definitely happens especially when they started paying housing benefit to the claimant rather than the authority. Unfortunately not everyone is able to manage their money or budget properly.

We are a low income household and our rent alone takes approx 1/4 of our monthly take home. We don't receive any benefits because we both work.

Of course the ideal solution is to stop the whole buying a house idea in the first place. Let renting become the norm, as is the case in certain other countries. That way rents are affordable, as the rental market is so big. Long let’s become the norm. More security and more affordable, available housing for all. But of course the homeowners on MN who are whinging about people “blocking” council houses wouldn’t like that idea! No, you don’t want any housing solutions that would affect your standard of living.

Before anyone starts banging on “but what about old age, care home costs etc”. People pay way more into their retirements funds, insurance etc as fheir housing costs are low and that’s what funds their old age.

@IloveJKRowling

Re-homed? We aren’t talking about a cat here.....you sound clueless

Also, you talk about benefits being adjusted?? A HIGH PROPORTION OF COUNCIL TENANTS WORK AND DONT CLAIM BENEFITS!!

Don’t assume!!

Really? How often does this happen? Surely if there is a change in circumstances, their benefits will change?

A good proportion of council tenants are not on benefits, they work and they pay full rent. If they stop paying their rent and fall into rent arrears then eviction proceedings would start.

Tenants who are claiming Housing Benefit get this money paid directly to them as part of their benefits, they then pay their rent to the council. If they don't pay this money to the council and fall into rent arrears then eviction proceedings would start.

Council tenants can and do get evicted, they have tenancy agreements just like any other sector of the market and they can be evicted for breaking that agreement.

Do you think all council tenants are sitting in huge houses, have no chance of being evicted, and don't pay any rent? Perhaps you should learn more about the social housing sector and its tenants before forming an opinion based on incorrect information and assumption?

There needs to be a massive shift in the way the private sector is managed.

Getting rid of the bob-a-job landlords, the accidental landlords, the hobby landlords, and the "this is still MY home even though I moved into a different one ten years ago so don't mind me randomly popping by to check you're vacuuming properly" landlords would be an excellent start in the process. 'Landlord' should be a professional title and anyone wanting to rent out a property should have to complete a course on the legalities, the realities, and the obligations as a condition of registration. They should also have to be audited on a schedule by a rental sector version of Ofsted to check they are acting appropriately and enforcement action taken on failings.

I think the focus should be on landlords charging extortionate rent which pushes people onto that waiting list for social housing, not the people lucky enough to be in those social rents having to give up the place they live to house one family out of 10,000. A waste of energy to be upset at underoccupied properties, if you ask me.

My sister is in a similar situation to a lot on this thread. Four bedroom council house in a nice area. Her three children have now moved out. She wants to downsize but the council only have smaller properties in worse areas or high rises. She's obviously not going to do that. Private renting would cost more for less.

@Sweettea1

They will pay bedroom tax does not matter if its used for work. And why should they move out maybe people should of thought about where they will live before having children.

People should've thought about where they're going to live before having children

Oh. My. God. How dare you?????? That is THE most ignorant thing I've EVER read on Mumsnet........

@Sweettea1

They will pay bedroom tax does not matter if its used for work. And why should they move out maybe people should of thought about where they will live before having children.

Some people have lost their homes for reasons beyond their control, are escaping domestic abuse, are asylum seekers, lost their homes in a fire, the list is endless. Sort your vile attitude out

This is a governmental policy problem and not individual person issue!

Race to the bottom

Excellent point raised by a previous poster, council/housing association properties often come in a bad state and you need to do so much when you move in.

I had to paint throughout, buy curtains, replace all the carpets as previous tenant had dogs - the carpets were vile. I've had to put in a shower, replace the hob, replace the cooker, replace lino in kitchen etc.

I've spent so much money on this place over the years, it's in so much better state than when I moved in.

I work full time and pay full rent on my HA home. I have lived here for close to 30 years paying close to £250000 for rent.

It is not subsidised by anyone. It my home. I have some adaptions due to disabilities. It was an utter shit tip when I moved in. I've spent £££ doing it up over the years.

I don't live alone yet but will in the next few years.

I won't be moving.

@BlatantlyNameChanged many people who live in social/council housing would ironically laugh their heads of at the idea that SH/ CH fix things both quickly/well/properly
Close family member had a hidden leak which mostly affected their poor downstairs neighbour before it affected them (bathroom floor back of modern loo) The downstairs tenants had to move out whilst it was fixed & their accommodation was NOT paid for HA & other issues in their property took months & several attempts & extra visits of their workman to fix. My absolute favourite (NOT) was when the original workmen were called back to finish job on a particular day & (unfortunately for them) I was present -they came late & sat outside for10minutes & than told the disabled tenant they had got the part so they would have to come back! I said that they could get the part at the local diy & had better do so because they knew what was wrong because they had been their before! I was somewhat forcible & contacted supported housing officer & got them to ring them directly - I was present because of previous issues with them -it got me really angry because they knew this was supported living & the tenant was disabled.
I am sure many council & social tenants will tell you the same thing

had not got the part

The bedroom tax means disabled victims of domestic violence and rape can't leave the relationship even if at risk of being murdered. Bedroom tax has taken the studio and 1 bedroom places away so nowhere safe for victims of domestic abuse to go. It's offensive to then see other threads where people say victims are making excuses for not leaving. Private landlords like on here don't take benefits so there's nowhere to go. That's why women get murdered and it's not because of not asking for help. There isn't help because no safe housing for after refuge.

Where do these smaller homes come from?
Who will pay for moving costs?
What if tenants don’t like the area/home
Will they be reimbursed for decorating/improvements?
How will schooling work?
What about friends/family? Will they be forced to move away?
What about disability adaptations?
What about family pets if moving to no garden?

All things every person has to think of when moving home whether an owner, private renter or social renter. For many, jobs, redundancy, relocation, illness make these decions for us, no always through choice and you have to adapt your situation. As someone who has moved home over 10 times in my life its always an upheaval but not an insurmountable obstacle.
You soon learn to settle down and make new acquaintances.

@OopsUp and nor should you. That is your home no matter what other posters think, you don’t need to leave just because the people you’ve shared your home with have left. There’d be an uproar if someone suggested private let tenants or those who have bought their own home should leave when their children/flatmates move on.

Yeah yeah @saleorbouy....but every 5 years? Nah if I can stay out, and I can, I will

Same as anyone else would. Redundancy,illness and job loss may force your hand but a lifetime tendency gives you security above that

I’m not making myself and my family miserable to give another family out comfortable home. Sorry, but I don’t think many people would

*put not out

Another point to consider is that if people know they will be turfed out of their council house if their income goes up, their occupancy numbers change, or their needs change then they have no motivation to progress their lives if it will result in them losing their home.

I’m not making myself and my family miserable to give another family out comfortable home. Sorry, but I don’t think many people would

It isn't yours though so you shouldn't have a choice.

Tricky one. If this were privately rented and a landlord suggested to the tenant they should move out because in their opinion 'they didn't need the space' there'd be all kinds of 'its their home etc' remarks.

But... Local authority housing is designed to help those most in need and from what I understand, you have to qualify for a certain size property. If they no longer physically need the space, and there are families desperate for it, then yes they are being unreasonable.

We review tax free childcare every 3 months to check whether people are still eligible to receive it, why is this any different? I suppose it isn't.