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.

I hate the framing of 'taxpayers money'. It's very Thatcherite. She was the one who said 'there's no such thing as government money, only taxpayer's money' alongside 'there's no such thing as society'*

Firstly It frames a narrow idea of tax (as income tax mostly) and forgets that Everyone is a taxpayer (18% of tax is VAT, which is regressive).

Secondly, it's a slippery slope to suggest that how the money is spent should be decided by those who contribute. When only 58% of adults pay income tax and the top 1% contribute almost 40% of all income tax, does that mean they get even more 'say' in how it's spent? Maybe we should just go back a century and only let the wealthy vote?

The private rental market is more heavily supported by the tax payer, a lot of landlords are having the mortgage paid through housing benefit
And many are paying 40% in tax on the income. Goes in, goes out!

As for the grieving of having to leave the family home, I'm confused. How is this any different to having to leave when the house owned by parents has to be sold to pay for care fees?

The problem is when one assume they are entitled to something that isn't tours and be er has been.

They are very lucky their family all live in one area, most I know have been separated by house prices. Many young adults cannot afford to buy in the area they grew up in. And many family homes are sold to pay care home fees.

The private rental market is more heavily supported by the tax payer, a lot of landlords are having the mortgage paid through housing benefit

You make a fair point, who’s fault is that? The right to buy scheme was a good thing and a bad thing. They never the stock, coupled with an increase in population, there aren’t enough affordable homes in Britain.

Housing benefits are capped though so private rentals are more expensive but there is a limit in to what someone could claim. The tenant would need to make up the rest.

never replenished the stock

All I am thinking is god help the family who does get allocated that house - if there is at least one hundred of that whinging family living on the street and they don't get to keep the house (which they shouldn't, it isn't their house - it doesn't belong to them) then I bet they will make the family who does get it lives an absolute misery claiming they "stole" their grandparents house or some crap.

If they wanted to keep the house in the family, they should have purchased it. They have no rights to it, it's a house that their grandparents rented - it was never theirs.

Most council tenancies can be assigned to a family member who lives with you - my mum assigned her tenancy to me and I didn't have dc at the time, so it doesn't matter if there's another family on the housing list who needs it more (from a legal point of view), it's just one of the rights of being a secure tenant. It's a shame that the family in the story never chose to do this, it might be that they weren't aware it was an option, but there is plenty of information on it online (e.g. Shelter website).

I've found that most stories like this about families having to leave council houses are really about people not managing to make use of the existing laws, because council tenancies are very secure and offer much stronger protection for the tenant and family members than private tenancies, so it's not too difficult to make it work for you if you do your research.

@PinkSpring

All I am thinking is god help the family who does get allocated that house - if there is at least one hundred of that whinging family living on the street and they don't get to keep the house (which they shouldn't, it isn't their house - it doesn't belong to them) then I bet they will make the family who does get it lives an absolute misery claiming they "stole" their grandparents house or some crap.

If they wanted to keep the house in the family, they should have purchased it. They have no rights to it, it's a house that their grandparents rented - it was never theirs.

I agree, there's such a strong feeling from the sound of things it could spill over into resentment of whoever does move in.

@Macncheeseballs

I would have thought people with young children would need it more, adult children can earn an income

My adult son may never be able to live independently although he doesn't 'look' disabled. He may also never be able to have a stable job. He has autism and OCD.

@fortlight how long ago was this?

I have old life time secure tenancy (10yrs now) I was lucky as it was just before they made changes

It’s always been the case that my children do not have rights to succeed my tenancy. As single parent I looked into pro and cons of putting now adult daughter on tenancy as she now next of kin for minor (sibling).

We Decided not to put her name on tenancy, which means council are entitled to take property back or allow her & sibling to stay. Given that she be responsible for her sibling they would need to offer her a smaller property.

She hopes to get her own place, so should she buy 1bed property and I was to die her sibling would move in with her. Just because her sibling still a child and would be living here their is no right of claim to property.

Few reasons not putting her on tenancy is burden also wouldn’t need 3bedroom and rent more expensive

I’m not sure I really understand why just because it’s a council house it should be allocated to other members of the family?

They don’t need it as evidenced by the fact they were living elsewhere. They want it for sentimental reasons.

@Wallpapering it was 2018, so 3 years ago. DM had the tenancy for 8 years before that. Most council tenancies starting before 2012 would allow adult dc to be assigned the tenancy. The family in the OP certainly should have been eligible, with a 58 year tenancy. Changes came in on 1 April 2012.

From Shelter website
"Secure tenancies starting before 1 April 2012

You can assign your tenancy to your husband, wife or civil partner if they live with you.

If you don't live with a married or civil partner, you can assign to any of the following family members, but only if the person has lived with you for at least 1 year:

an unmarried partner

an adult child or grandchild

a parent or grandparent

a brother or sister

an uncle, aunt, niece or nephew"

Our 3 bed is cheaper to rent than a private rental (even a 1 or 2 bed) so it made more sense for me to be assigned the tenancy.

It depends on whether any family were genuinely resident there. If one of the family had been caring for them and living there, it does seem wrong to essentially evict them, but if no one is there then of course it should be let to a different family as that family aren't in need

I should add, if another family member is in council housing, allowing a swop is a good compromise as that means they keep the house and a property is released

@PinkSpring that has happened before on that estate but it was a different family and a few years ago. An elderly much loved gentleman died. Younger members of his family who had been more or less squatting there causing problems for neighbours just assumed they could stay on in the house after his death. Of course the housing association and neighbours couldn't wait to be shot of them.
It ended up with some of them coming round one night and smashing in every single window of the community centre.

Thanks @fortlight. I will look dig mine out as really do need to ensure have things in place incase of ‘what ifs’

Mine pre 2012, even though adult DD doesn’t get automatically succession, the council was quick enough have new council tax bill day after Uni course ended, even though she still had tenancy with private landlord by Uni. I was no longer classed as single person same as rent they take her earnings into account but bill me, so it’s like we living as couple but she has no rights I could kick her out one day (not going to).

A lot of councils handed over tenancy’s to HA’s which have so many different rules, I’ve tried to do exchange as isolated here and no family, I given up as amount of people in HAs I’ve had to tell them no you can’t have spare room for your hobbies or kids can’t just have own bedroom as council are strict, u have to meet criteria of property size.

As for those bitching about tax payers money, you never think what is like never to actually own your own home.

I’ve still got ugliest 70’s bathroom and kitchen that if I replace and if anything goes wrong which has council will not make good of damage. Pipe work is in stupidest place, I’ve already had ceiling cave in from burst pipe. I only got choice to accept property in middle of know where isolated from family. Only thanks to my parents fixing damage and helping decorate and carpet it was not shit hole.

Still pay fcking rent council tax and utilities bills.

Meanwhile the landlord next door charges his tenants £400 more! And he bone idle fuckwit.

There’s no inheritance for my kids and if my parents needed to go in care home of course sell there home to pay for best care because never grew up thinking entitled to inherit what they have worked for and still are and given their property they brought nearly 50 yrs ago is now 1/2million there big Chuck of inheritance tax will be taken.

Btw if I was to die I have no shame in knowing that be having paupers funeral curtesy of taxpayers, so enjoy being really pissed about! But you be relieved to that not pay for any church service, no fancy coffin, and buried with other paupers u can’t be cremated as that more expensive.

@fortlight

Most council tenancies can be assigned to a family member who lives with you - my mum assigned her tenancy to me and I didn't have dc at the time, so it doesn't matter if there's another family on the housing list who needs it more (from a legal point of view), it's just one of the rights of being a secure tenant. It's a shame that the family in the story never chose to do this, it might be that they weren't aware it was an option, but there is plenty of information on it online (e.g. Shelter website).

I've found that most stories like this about families having to leave council houses are really about people not managing to make use of the existing laws, because council tenancies are very secure and offer much stronger protection for the tenant and family members than private tenancies, so it's not too difficult to make it work for you if you do your research.

Can only be signed over once tho so I was there with mum an dad mum died so then it went into just dad's name which was classed as a signing over so when he passed I couldn't stay there.

Does anyone fancy donating money to me so we can buy DH's family's former country pile? Yes it was sold a couple of hundred years ago but surely my children deserve to grow up in a 12 bedroom stately home on its own estate?

@soooooooG

Does anyone fancy donating money to me so we can buy DH's family's former country pile? Yes it was sold a couple of hundred years ago but surely my children deserve to grow up in a 12 bedroom stately home on its own estate?

Don't ask us to pay. Surely it's the council you need to lobby. It's absolutely not fair that you lose all those memories.

@soooooooG

Does anyone fancy donating money to me so we can buy DH's family's former country pile? Yes it was sold a couple of hundred years ago but surely my children deserve to grow up in a 12 bedroom stately home on its own estate?

I will ,if people help me buy back the pub in Ireland that my Grandad sold In the 1950,s I have never actually visited but I'm sure me and my extended family would enjoy the memories 🙄

I’ve got some really old coins with harps on @x2boys might be the right era? Probability not enough of them, but you could do one of those silly penny lines that used to pass for fundraising?