Petition about council house

[ThinkAboutItTomorrow]

I just got sent a change.org petition to ask a council to let a house to a specific family.

The house had been their grandparents and they have both died and the council is reallocating it. It's not going to the family.

On the one hand I can see that it's heartbreaking to lose family and the family home at the same time. The grandparents had lived their for 58 years and put a lot of love and time into it.

But AIBU to think that it goes against the point of council housing to pass them down through families. The house should go to the next family in need, not the relatives. That's only fair isn't it? Otherwise people would be jumping the queue because of family.

And why do they think their feelings and memories are more important than anyone elses ,so that they think the house should be kept in the family ,lots of people have nice memories of Grandparents houses but it's just nostalgia.

Council houses should never be an inheritance, so I disagree incywincyspiders.

So they want the house because they're sad about losing family members (understandable) and they don't want to see the house empty. NOT because any of them actually have a need for the house, particularly over other council tenants?

No, I don't think they should get this house. Yes, it's sad when relatives die, but that doesn't mean that rules and processes should just be thrown out of the window.

My DH was in a situation where he lived in a house with his then-girlfriend who owned the mortgage. She died incredibly unexpectedly and traumatically and he was made to leave his home because he wasn't on the mortgage, nor were they married.

If HE couldn't even stay in the house after everything he'd suffered through, then these people definitely shouldn't get to keep this council house. Let another family have it to make new memories.

@x2boys

And why do they think their feelings and memories are more important than anyone elses ,so that they think the house should be kept in the family ,lots of people have nice memories of Grandparents houses but it's just nostalgia.

Indeed.

Both of my grandparents lived in rented houses. All I can do is stand outside those houses or view them on Google maps ( I did this a few weeks ago) and remember when they were alive and we could visit them. I don't feel deprived at all. They are now homes for new families.

Of course it shouldn't go to their family. It should go to the family at the top of the housing list, which I'm sure it will. The only thing that concerns me is that if this family genuinely has 100 members in the surrounding area, will the people who genuinely need the house suffer unbearable harassment? I've a feeling these people won't be making any new tenant's life pleasant.

@knittingaddict

Council houses should never be an inheritance, so I disagree incywincyspiders.

I am only saying IF they met the set criteria as someone else who would be moving into the property. Not that they should get it over people who are more in need than them. If they NEED it then I don't see why they can't take on the house.

Same @knittingaddict my grandparents owned their homes ,omy paternal grandparents,moved with their daughter ( who had always lived with them ) to a different area a few years before they died ,my aunt still lives there ,but the house I have most memories of was sold on years ago ,my sister visited the area a few months ago and sent me pictures of the outside of the house ,it was nice and nostalgic

I'm my area a house is only allowed to be pasted on once. So say grandad was the lead tenant when he died grandma would be, but once she died it would go back to council as it's already been passed once

Couple of local family's got around this they had two bed council flat, old family house was 4 bed once the mother became elderly they do a council exchange with each other, don't actually move them few months later give up the two bed and have elderly relative live with them

[quote incywincyspiders]@WorraLiberty

How? I am literally saying if they have family who are on the list and fit the criteria (ie have been on the list a certain amount of time and it's the right amount of bedrooms for them) they should be allowed to take it over?

I am not privileged, I've grown up in council properties my entire life so I understand how the system works. I just think that there should be a little humanity in the system. Their grandparents would have paid rent (most probably) their entire lives so it's not like they haven't paid for that house 50 times over.

And while we are on it, you are all going on about shortages of affordable housing. Yes, that is a massive issue but these people aren't the problem. The problem is that not enough affordable housing is being built and the majority of old council stock has been sold off. Blame the government because if there was enough affordable housing this wouldn't even be an issue as there would be plenty to go around.[/quote]
How? I am literally saying if they have family who are on the list and fit the criteria (ie have been on the list a certain amount of time and it's the right amount of bedrooms for them) they should be allowed to take it over?

Because at any one time, there will be tonnes of people on the list that fit the criteria and only one family can get it.

I don't think 'having family that used to live there' should give them the edge over another family who don't.

My grandparents lived round the corner from my Mum and Dad, it was her childhood home from a relatively young age, it was a council house, they bought in and then my Aunt and Uncle purchased it at some point. (were in the pub trade so had no real home) Grandad died, Nan died, Aunt and Uncle lived in for a while until they split up.

It is now lived in my other people, I often walk past it when we are down visiting my parents and because of where it is it is the first thing I see when we are almost home. It is very different but I walk past and I remember playing in the garden, the family occasions, the kitchen. I don't need to be in there to have those memories.

We really would have a housing crisis is every family kept the house a family member had once lived in.

@Hallyup6

Of course it shouldn't go to their family. It should go to the family at the top of the housing list, which I'm sure it will. The only thing that concerns me is that if this family genuinely has 100 members in the surrounding area, will the people who genuinely need the house suffer unbearable harassment? I've a feeling these people won't be making any new tenant's life pleasant.

That did cross my mind as well.

@AfternoonToffee

My grandparents lived round the corner from my Mum and Dad, it was her childhood home from a relatively young age, it was a council house, they bought in and then my Aunt and Uncle purchased it at some point. (were in the pub trade so had no real home) Grandad died, Nan died, Aunt and Uncle lived in for a while until they split up.

It is now lived in my other people, I often walk past it when we are down visiting my parents and because of where it is it is the first thing I see when we are almost home. It is very different but I walk past and I remember playing in the garden, the family occasions, the kitchen. I don't need to be in there to have those memories.

We really would have a housing crisis is every family kept the house a family member had once lived in.

We already do have a housing crisis. Mainly because people were allowed to buy their council houses and not replaced with new ones.

We also have a housing crisis because private renting is a joke and the government won't enforce rent caps. There are so many many things that are allowing people to be forced to live in hostels instead of having a safe reliable roof over their head.

@HerMammy

The family are obviously a bit dim, at no point did any of the 100 think to club together and buy it for a greatly reduced price or someone move in and get added to tenancy?? Utter chancers, the house is empty, nobody is losing it.

It could even be that the elderly couple didn't trust them to club together and buy it.

I can think of two elderly neighbours who were royally fucked over by their adult children and grandchildren.

They allowed them to buy the council house but when it came to paying for repairs, the money grabbing bastards wouldn't spend a penny. Then as soon as they were dead, the house went on the market for a tidy profit.

It's disgusting and I bet they weren't the only 2 this happened to.

@Bloomsbury45

Most privately owned family homes now are being sold to pay for care home fees for the owners.

Not sure why this family should expect to inherit a tenancy and continue to live there just because they grew up there and have fond memories.

Most people don’t end up in care.

It wasn't theirs to leave behind to relatives; it belongs to the taxpayers and should go to a family in need at the top of the list.

As I said up thread @incywincyspiders I know a family that did move into the husband's Grandads council house when he died ,but it was purely coincidental,the house went back into the bidding system ,they had been on the list for years and bidded on it they met the criteria as they had four children,they got the house but there was no favouritism they just happened to bid on the house at the right time , obviously it was nice for them ,but it could have just as easily gone to another family

If I was to die my adult DD who lives with me does not automatically get rights even though she be next of Kin for her brother, unless I put her down as joint tenancy now, but fck that as she plans to get her own place.

Should I die whilst her brother still under age of 16 as being she next of kin and given my tenancy she can ask to remain in home but council not obligated to agree. Hopefully I won’t and when both kids moved out I get smaller place.

This has been case for many many years, it’s not new thing, yes it was there home in that they would of had old secure tenancy for life but still it belongs to council or HA and they can take it back ie if your house on the 3rd Heathrow runway plans regardless how many yrs or money spent doing it up.

@lastcall

It wasn't theirs to leave behind to relatives; it belongs to the taxpayers and should go to a family in need at the top of the list.

It does not belong to the taxpayers..This reminds me of when i was a child and the other children in the street told me they were allowed to walk in our house and garden because we didn't own it 🙃.

Also - a huge amount of people in social housing pay tax

I work for a HA and you are only allowed spouses on the tenancy. There is succession of the tenancy as an option but that’s only if the tenant passes away and the tenancy has not already been succeeded

For example husband and wife, husband is on the tenancy but wife is not, she can succeed the tenancy but then on her death it would revert back to us. Husband and wife on the tenancy both named as joint tenants, wife passes away so husband stays on the tenancy as a sole tenant so no succession, daughter moves in to care for her dad, she lives there 12 months before her dad then passes away. She can apply to succeed the tenancy but this an application and it has to be assessed & a decision made.

We cannot have mother and daughter sign up for a tenancy because then the daughter could risk moving in another family member and they could then apply to succeed the tenancy which means 3 generations or 3 family members have been named for the property

Absolutely to go to a family that needs it. Yes houses have memories but it was never their own house. Why did someone in the 50 odd years not think you but it at knock down price? They could have bought it 3 times over.

There’s a significant housing shortage at the minute so attachment to a house has to be second to a family I’m more need

@lastcall

It wasn't theirs to leave behind to relatives; it belongs to the taxpayers and should go to a family in need at the top of the list.

Just to add that us Council tenants still tax still pay rent and council tax, admittedly rent is not extortion rate of private renting. Now adult DD working I lost single person council tax discount previously got.

But I well aware council own our home just like when private rented

buy it

I live in a housing association house @incywincyspiders I don't allow other kids to just walk into my Garden ,because whilst I live here it's my home we pay rent for it ,which btw is not dissimilar to private rent ,in my area ,north west there is no discernible difference between private rent and social rent

@lastcall

It wasn't theirs to leave behind to relatives; it belongs to the taxpayers and should go to a family in need at the top of the list.

People are saying this statement is wrong, but surely it’s sort of correct. Council properties are owned by the council, which is in turn funded using taxpayer money.

@x2boys

I live in a housing association house *@incywincyspiders* I don't allow other kids to just walk into my Garden ,because whilst I live here it's my home we pay rent for it ,which btw is not dissimilar to private rent ,in my area ,north west there is no discernible difference between private rent and social rent

Well obviously my Mum didn't let them. I more meant saying "their home belongs to the taxpayers" implies that social housing belongs to those who are in a privileged enough position that they can afford to pay their tax. In that case whoever "owns" their house but has a mortgage doesn't own their house at all - it's the banks.

Also as I pointed out a huge amount of social housing tenants do pay tax.