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).

gamerchick. <See if you manage to secure SH, there won't be a cat in hell's chance would you give it up. For any reason and you know it.>

Some people do, me for one. I will never forget how awful it was in my early 40s with a baby then toddler trying to get secure housing, private or social for 4 years. Eventually becoming officially homeless and spending 8 months in a shared facility hostel. When I was finally offered my SH flat I was so, so grateful.

Over the next few years I managed to mutually exchange into a nice little house, garden, drive, garage and good neighbours.

In my 50s I inherited some money, not a lot but just enough for a hefty deposit on a very cheap house. And happily handed back my keys to the HA, knowing that at least it was another house back in circulation.

There needs to be a house building scheme but with well thought out builds that works for different types of family including more 1 bed homes that older people want to move to. Not the return of huge tower blocks, sticking a roof top garden on them does not make them anymore desirable.

@WorriedWarrier

No, I personally am not doing that. The government is by their failure to build more social housing. I am a self payer rent wise so I don’t need to pay housing tax. People should redirect their frustration at the government not people who DID hit rock bottom, and then made a life for themselves. At the wrong side of 40 there is not a hope in hell I’ll ever be able to buy a house of my own. Do you honestly think I would give up my house and then go and spend 1k a month on an insecure private rental? Oh please…. You’re having a laugh there. The previous owner of my house was a very elderly lady who died and she clearly didn’t move either.

I COULD actually buy my council house but actually I’m just going to rent it off the council and then when I die it will go back. Am I grateful? Yes, will I be giving it up? Hell no.

I'd give up my 2 bed bungalow (which would be ideal for someone with limited mobility), for a 1 bed house but never for a flat. I've lived in flats before when I was in my 20's, not a chance in hell I'd do it now in my 50's.

@AclowncalledAlice

Same. Took me nearly 40 years to get a garden. I would move into a 1 bed house with a garden too if I was older and it was cheaper rent, but I wouldn’t move back into a flat. Hideous. Also I’m laughing at the notion that’s it’s just easy to swap into smaller homes and flats like there’s plenty of them about.

Newsflash to certain posters - they’re also occupied. Many of us can’t rely on a bean either inheritance wise.

Ive been in my one bedroom flat since 1994. Because i have never wanted children.

Also I’m laughing at the notion that’s it’s just easy to swap into smaller homes and flats like there’s plenty of them about.

When I asked my HA about the possibility of a 1 bed house, the nearest place they have them is over 2 hours away....making the commute to work (currently a 10 minute drive), impossible, so if I had taken it I would have had to give up my job and rely on benefits to pay the rent...not sure how that would benefit either me or anybody else really. It's all well and good saying those of us who don't "need" the places we have or can afford to live in them should downsize/move to a different cheaper area but it's not that easy and it solves nothing.

*can't afford to live in them

@AclowncalledAlice

Exactly. The suggestion is no doubt being given by a mumsnetter who owns their own detached 4 bed in some leafy destination 😂😂. I mean good for them but you have to laugh.

What is the point in giving someone a secure rental for that person to then go BACK into insecure rentals whereby they could potentially need the help off the council again.

Not at all that unlikely with god awful landlords putting up the rent or hoofing you out whenever it takes their fancy. Most people who have landed in social housing also haven’t got the financial means to go and buy. Some do and it’s a preferable option of course but in the real world many don’t.

Just because someone can afford to live comfortably in social housing, doesn’t mean they can afford to live comfortably in (insecure) private housing. Or that they can afford to buy a house. Someone can be earning more money than before but still not have enough to move out of social housing. And just because someone else has more need for the social housing that doesn’t mean the current tenant should have to move out if they still have need of it themselves.

I still maintain that the reason social housing is in such demand is because privately rented housing is insecure in the UK. That’s what really needs to be tackled.

Totally agree and I'm in council home! Old area we lived was a neighbour, 3 bed and only her living there,our council did offer money to downsize and of course you can go on exchange lists,I'm happy to downsize once we no longer need bigger sized place,am also trying to move as I have MS and stairs are an issue but finding a place isn't easy,real lack of disabled/suitable homes.

I think it is true that there is a shortage of smaller properties for existing SH tenants to downsize into, even the willing ones. And properties with private gardens, which is really important to many people, in fact moreso as they age and retire, one of the few pleasures left.

It doesn't have to be flats - traditionally it was bungalows - but I've rented a few SH and ex-SH private large 2/3-bed maisonette/flats. All came with large private gardens, all built 20th century. Using similar layouts, smaller SH properties for SH downsizers should be built.

@Mswarrior77

There is a lack of ALL homes not just ones with disability access. Did you ever consider your neighbour might have struggled to downsize with a lack of suitable options? Honestly it’s incredibly rare for people to exchange houses in my city. I’ve known a couple of incidents where it’s turned out terribly in terms of neighbours etc. Or are you just too busy pointing your finger at other social housing tenants because your property is currently unsuitable.

Does anybody consider that when you are in social housing you may be at a higher risk of neighbours presenting with anti social behaviour? It doesn’t take a genius to think critically in that respect. If you’re on a road that houses social tenants and you do have good neighbours, believe me you will not want to upset that apple cart.

She had no health issues,the area had plenty of places she could of downsized,lots of families in small 1/2 bed places that would happily swap,she just didn't want too.

As for disability places,they did build a load but the rent was crazy high! Even though they were social housing,no way I could afford to live in one.

My in laws moved out of thier 3 bed to much smaller place when bil & sil left home,they got paid by council to do it when they enquired about downsizing.

It's hard,such a lack of housing and huge areas have been snapped up and now student housing.
A good 90% of new building is student housing,which is really expensive I don't blame students finding elsewhere to live,its crazy.

We no longer live in the old area due to antisocial behaviour, I wouldn't move back there if they paid me!

I love where we are now but the property sn't suitable,council refuse to grant permission to change the bathroom which would help greatly but refuse,so we are stuck.

Nail on head with crazy high rents, Warrior.

Most SH homes are now built via the Planning System as a % of new developments, which becomes less and less as the development passes through planning, with phased development.

The planning terms 'affordable' and 'social' often becomes interchangeable; with more 'affordable' being built than 'social. Affordable merely means 80% of Market Rent (inflated) or over-priced shared ownership with it's myriad of additional fees and monthly/annual costs. I could go on.....

My immediate solution is to build 100% SH developments BEFORE planning permission can be granted for private developments. Land provided by developer and construction costs underwritten/guaranteed by National Govt and shared between National Govt, Local Council, and Developers.

When you consider the huge post-war estates (both www1 and 2) built on the outskirts of cities, towns and villages everywhere - it isn't a very new idea.

We have a housing crisis and it needs fixing.

Sorry Velda. This is to @WorriedWarrier. Why would you expect someone to move from their house to save someone else from sitting in a b&b/hostel/hotel? They can go private just as much as someone living in the house already as universal credit will pay some private rent. I live in a council house, someone else’s life choices is unfortunately not my issue, as horrible as that sounds. Social housing is hard to come by these days. That’s the fault of the local councils, not the tenants.

We should keep building SH and get rid of the stigma. We have house snobbery here.Everyone should be entitled to an affordable , secure home. 80 percent of people live in government housing in Singapore it's not a shameful thing.

Some people really do talk absolute garbage. Some people actually seriously think that people in social housing should give up their secure tenancy (to move into an insecure little hovel with high rent,) so that a person in an insecure shitty hovel with high rent, can have their home.... What is the point of THAT? (as a previous poster said.)

Why should the rights of the person in the hostel or private let bedsit trump the rights of the person who has the social housing tenancy? The person with the social housing tenancy moving out, is going to end up being in insecure housing and a hostel. It makes zero fucking sense.

And as quite a few people have said, if somebody's got social housing, and their income gets quite decent, why the bloody hell should they move out of it into expensive private let or try and buy a house (that they can probably barely afford?) so someone else can have their social housing home???

Most people in social housing are not on really massively good incomes (with massively well paid careers,) and many are not likely to be either. Probably 90% of them will stay on a modest or low income. And even if they do have quite a decent wage (after several years in social housing,) and they are made to give up their social housing, because the bitter jealous haters insist they do, then what happens if they lose their job? They have got to go on the list for social housing again. And wait another five to ten years. DUMB IDEA!

Like quite a few people have said, the problem is that there needs to be a lot more secure, good quality housing with cheap rents. A lot, lot more. Not expecting people who've got a slightly more than average income (after some years in social housing,) to give up a really good strong secure tenancy. (Just so that somebody sitting in a hostel, or private let hovel, can have their bloody tenancy.) Some stupid comments on here. Seriously.

@WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps

Exactly. I earn 30k which is considerably more than I did in the past. I’m doing okay for myself but most importantly I am now secure. I doubt I’ll be able to afford a mortgage at nearly 40 on 30k a year. Thank you for articulating it better than me.

@WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps I take it you don't live in a 'shitty little hovel' ???

@lollipoprainbow

Ive lived in a shitty little hovel for 10 years whilst severely overcrowded and it’s certainly not something I would ever wish to go back too. The fucking rent was even more than what I pay now for a secure 3 bed. You would have to be a special sort of stupid to give it up that’s for sure.

What the fuck has that got to do with anything??

What the fuck has that got to do with anything?

@gamerchick

So why the fuck would you demand people give up secure housing just to potentially go through what you are? That doesn't make sense.

What I find interesting on these threads that's it's always misery loves company. People should be as equally miserable by inflating SH rents when in reality, it's the private sector that is the real issue. Rents should be fair all over the place. Aiming for 'market' rents rather than fair rents is bullshit.

Exactly this. Just because someone like @lollipoprainbow is bitter and angry and jealous of people who have social housing, that doesn't mean they should give it to her LOL. What a load of utter nonsense she spouts. As you say, when someone is miserable and bitter, they want everyone to be as miserable and bitter as them!

@Goosefatroasts

I've lived in a shitty little hovel for 10 years whilst severely overcrowded and it’s certainly not something I would ever wish to go back too. The fucking rent was even more than what I pay now for a secure 3 bed. You would have to be a special sort of stupid to give it up that’s for sure.

EXACTLY!