AIBU to think social housing homes should be temporary?

[Shannoncakequeen]

I know a lot of people won’t be happy about this view so I’m prepared to get flamed for it.

I don’t agree with people living in their social housing homes when they’re no longer ‘entitled’ to them.

By entitled I mean their children have left home so they have extra bedrooms they don’t need but continue to outlive their life there, and so preventing another family from enjoying a suitable home.

It’s not a bash about social housing per se as I know it is there for a very good reason. I was raised in council properties myself so I understand the importance of them being available to those in poverty. I feel many people abuse the system that keeps it fair for those who need it.

As an example, I have a neighbour who lives alone in a 3 bedroom house, large garden, garage and driveway. Ideal property for most of the population. Her children left home over 10 years ago and she is in her early 50s. She told me she had decorated the spare bedrooms for her grandchildren to sleep over in the future (they are currently babies). Whilst I’m flabbergasted she would want to stay put rather than downsize to something small and suitable for one adult, I am human and understand the memories/emotional connection/a house is a home etc, but it isn’t her property and is rented from our local council and therefore I’m shocked the council haven’t got stricter policies on this type of thing. I understand they can’t legally turf out people from their homes, but there should be an incentive to rehome these people so families aren’t stuck in one bedroom tower block flats whilst single adults live in luxury.

Maybe I am bitter because I have to rent and pay extortionate money for the privilege as I cannot get a deposit to buy so I will never be able to raise my child in a home like she has. The house would be £400k+ if it was owned privately, yet she gets it for free and for life just because she joined the list many years ago when it was easy to get social housing. I know many other people in similar places to her and they all believe they morally own the property and have no concern for the housing crisis.

Does anyone else agree that there needs to be stricter rules to make it fair for everyone to have affordable housing whilst in need only (up until children leave home) and not for life? If you are in this position what makes you stay and not give up the property to a family in need? If you plan to stay in your property when your children leave home what offer would make you rethink staying? I’m aware there are new rules for new tenants but this is aimed at long term tenants.

Again I understand this will trigger some people, but morally I can’t come to grips with the entitlement of some people (excluding those who still need the property for health reasons).

Given that I have quoted my own rent. I would imagine it is clear that i am referring to people quoting the exceptionally low rent of their neighbours and friends of a friend.
I am sorry that you don't understand , hopefully that helps.

Social housing should be much more widely available . It is not "emergency" housing its the answer to almost all the housing issues in the UK. The Tories have pretty much stopped it and now we cannot provide affordable housing for millions of people. Just build the bloody homes we need.

@Slushpup sorry, still not clear. It’s not hidden behind the official secrets act how much rents are. A casual look in the letting agent window will reveal wonders.

Do social housing providers advertise for tenants in a letting window?

The rent that people pay where I live for social housing varies, even for people in similar accommodation. I have no idea what different people are paying. I guess it's accessible if I want to wade through public docs, or make a FOI request, but I doubt that the posters quoting 'I know someone paying £75 per week for a 4 bed ' are doing that.

@Slushpup

No it is usually allocated on a choice website where you bid for properties and you’re placed in a particular band based on your priority need.

I was classed as overcrowded with 5 of us sharing a 1 bedroomed flat and I bid for 9 years before I was offered a 3 bed property.

I am aware of that.
I am responding to the countless posters on here that seem to know how much rent people are paying for the council homes and social housing, that would break out in hives if they came with a 20 mile radius of one, I doubt they are on a bidding site for a council property.

If I was in social housing the only thing that would tempt me out would be to buy. (In fact it did!)

Anyone who leaves a social tenancy for a privately rented tenancy are mad!

Agreed, and most social housing does not have the option of RTB.

A few years ago we were offered £40k towards a mortgage if we gave up our council house as we have a secure lifetime tenancy with succession rights and rtb. No idea if the scheme still exists

Lots of very elderly people that people in this post are complaining about do still have the right to buy. If they took that up the houses would never be available to families in need.

If the point of social housing is simply to provide affordable housing to whoever wants it, why don’t we just take away the criteria used to assign it and have a simple waiting list for anybody who wants to be on it? If it isn’t about ‘need’?

Because there isn't enough properties

Totally agree- tenancies need to be renewed on a regular basis - they should not be indefinite. Social housing is a safety net. What really winds me up is people like the RMT deputy leader earning 108k a year and living in a council house. Flipping liberty, denying people in genuine need a decent home

Or how about we build more so that there are enough to go round?

Stop blaming the people at the bottom and aim your vitriol a little higher.

But at least he hasn't used right to buy, it ll get passed on.

Exactly, so they should go to the neediest, not blocked by those on 50k!

I'm never leaving council I don't think. If I want to move I'll do a swop. So many perks can decorate how I like, can have a pet, dirt cheap rent obviously. I'll never earn a decent wage and I'll never meet a partner at all let alone a financially well off one so yeah this is me.

My HA property is about half the market rent. There are very few houses under £500k in my estate. I have no reason/desire to leave 😂

And that would be in breach of her tenancy and she risks possession proceedings . . .

I doubt it is true.

*HA property is about half the market rent. There are very few houses under £500k in my estate. I have no reason/desire to leave 😂
*
Is yours only worth £500,000. My 5 bedrooms been valued at £950,000 and my HA is paying me to live alone in it 🤣

In my neck of the woods and i know this to be true as I am a housing association tenent,I have seen this in action still do.Our rent is 3 bed semi huge front and back gardens really lovely family homes in a quiet cul de sac rent is 450 quid a month,There are no kids here other than my one! Huge houses in a great location all occupied by single adults or couples whose kids have flown the nest all on life time tenancies.My neighbour bought her house the other year for 45,000 with discounts and just sold it for 225,000 ...thats quite a profit in anyones eyes. You are right OP when my dd goes and its back to me and her dad or if one of us leaves this earth then this would be far too big for one of us to even want to manage,if there is the option of us dropping down to a smaller property then we will do.

I absolutely thought that I had seen the last of these council house envy threads. Silly me 🙄

Stop blaming the people at the bottom and aim your vitriol a little higher

Surely the families in temporary B&b’s with no security are the bottom? If those with larger homes moved to smaller properties the families could move up?

What about if they are unable to work due to disability,so therefore on a low income?

Yeah I get it OP. I know someone who had a 3 bed council house for his entire life - kids moved out when he was 40. He lived there alone for de 30 years. Shortly before he died, his son somehow bought the house under former resident’s ‘right to buy’ and sold it for a massive profit, which he didn’t share with the rest of the family.

Not a fan of the system, it gives huge advantage to some and clogs up the system so there isn’t housing for the homeless.