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).

What’s wrong with a tower block? They aren’t just for “ex criminals” I know many families and elderly people living in tower blocks can’t all have lovely nice bungalows

Agree with this, council houses should not have been sold off.

Those on housing benefit pay the same rent as those who aren’t. Not sure where you got the idea that they aren’t.

Aw having had a goady SH thread for ages. Free houses galore.

I know of many that do not need affordable housing

This sentence, which has been said more than once has weirded me out though. Housing is supposed to be unaffordable for all?

My grandmother stayed in a tower block. There were lots of elderly people and families. And the flats were 2 or 3 bedrooms.
Where I live has tower blocks with 1 or 2 bedrooms. It is where the council put men coming out of prison. It is a scary place and most people will not even walk underneath as people throw things out of the window. There is no way I would want any elderly relatives living there.
The nicer tower blocks have been sold off to developers for private flats.

Sorry my message was in response to this

We don't all live in London in many parts of the country social rent is similar to private rent

I sort of feel bad if someone had lived in their home for 40+ years and they were expected to leave, especially if it’s a nice area but I do agree with you.

I think you used to be able to hand the tenancy down to family members but you can’t do that anymore.

I do think it’s very unfair that some people have spare rooms whilst there are literally thousands of people needing homes.

I think the council’s should do more to help and encourage people to move - eg give them priority for other social housing, pay their moving costs etc.

The OP of this thread is goady AF.

I am in a 3 bed property with just myself and DD9.My son lived with us until November last year but very sadly he passed away from Bowel Cancer at 22years old.His room is exactly as he left it,even the same bedding is on there as I can't bring myself to change it,I have a huge emotional connection to his room.I receive partial housing benefit and I have a block on the bedroom tax which my Local Authority kindly agreed to,but this runs out in November this year and as much as it breaks my heart I have started looking for a 2 bed property.I can't bring myself to use his room for anything so I don't see the point in staying here and having an empty room and also it will be a financial struggle if I do.
I've also been at the other end of the scale 20years ago when my son and eldest daughter were small,we were in a 2 bed and I would have done anything for a 3 bed,I used to feel bitter about people being in houses with empty rooms and thought how selfish it was when there were families who would love a house of a suitable size to meet their needs.I can see things from both sides but I have to agree with OP that people should downsize when their property is oversized for their family.

A few years back my local council changed their tenancy agreements so that in the future they would be able to rehouse the tenants appropriately according to their housing need - to try and bring an end to under occupation of the larger houses which is the big problem in our area. I have a friend who does care work and according to her, the number of properties with one elderly occupant only using the ground floor (and refusing to move into smaller more suitable and warden assisted flats) was about 3/4 of those she visited. That's not right. The cash incentives the council were able to offer weren't enough to tempt them to move out whilst still fit and able to. I don't understand why the families don't encourage them to more somewhere safer either. I can remember my grandma moving from her 3 bed house she'd been in since about 1935 into a really lovely 1 bed flat when I was a kid. It was perfect for her and she was there for nearly 20 years before she died.

I know I do love a social housing ranting thread usually started by people who have no idea how the system works but believe their opnion is actually how it should work 🤣

As an older person in social housing , the last thing I want is to be thrown to the wolves that are private landlords. The right to buy legacy stipulates that two thirds of the sale money goes to central government, so the councils have very little with which to build new houses. Add to that , there is nothing on offer in my area ; the council have not built any flats or bungalows for me to move to.
I do think there should be an income limit for legitimately staying in social housing. If you earn over the threshold then you should move on into private or buy on the open market.
Decent housing should be a right in a country as wealthy as ours, not a privilege.

Problem is the housing stock was always built for families, very few single bedroom places available. In my area single bedroom places tend to be in elderly communities, and are not available until you are over 60, and / or classed as venerable.

Why?

I’ve not read the whole thread but IMO no council houses should have been sold off and social housing tenants should have fixed term leases so it can be reviewed regularly (3-5years ) as to whether they are still eligible for social housing / in an appropriate sized property for their needs .

If people are moved on as their needs change then I think houses should be supplied with carpet and blinds or curtains so they only need furniture. Otherwise it's expensive to move.

I would prefer to see a much larger availability of social housing and a rent cap so private landlords can't charge extortionate rents... neither will happen.

People should have a right to secure housing. But that won't happen either.

Under the circumstances of our current society Yanbu

I think the whole system needs looking at. We are neighbours with a small area of council housing. 3 bed houses, one has a single man, another a retired couple who are able to afford a new car every year, others with just couples in. I know of at lest one family desperate to move to council housing in the village who meet the requirements but there isn't a spare house for them. There are 1 bed flats a couple of miles down the road which it was recently in the local paper the council are struggling to fill.

The idea that people can downsize in my part of the country is unrealistic. . There is a massive shortage of family homes but also a shortage of affordable homes for single people or couples. I had a neighbour who had lived in her 3 bedroom flat long after her children left home and was desperate to move to a smaller property but it took years to find a suitable one as she was fairly elderly with failing mobility. If you think about it, older people whose children have left home will quite possibly need accessible property down the line and there is even a bigger shortage of that. We need more homes to be built and I am also in favour of not allowing people to buy their council or HA properties. Not a popular view but I don’t see another solution.

I agree completely. I think they should be temporary contracts and when you no longer need the extra rooms you are moved to a more suitable property. Social housing is in huge demand, a millionaire could be still benefiting from lower rent and it’s not right in my opinion

Personally, when my kids leave home (a while away) I’d happily swap my 3 bed flat for a smaller property but would probably not take a one bed. But it would have to be on my terms eg in the same area, or if I was willing to move area it would be my choice. I’d also not want to spend thousands decorating a new place and going through the stress of that so there would need to be a decent cash incentive. council and housing association properties are often filthy and in a really bad decorative state so I definitely wouldn’t give up my home for that.

Oh surely, they should be happy with bare concrete floors and newspaper at the windows. After all it's not their home, just somewhere to keep them off the streets.

Can't have those SH tenants getting ideas above their station, can we?

Glorious isn't it. I was bored a short time ago.

We've had subsided by the taxpayer (nobody can ever say how like) and the general idea that SH is connected to'in need' when that's not the point of it and not everyone lives in London.

I live in social housing and always thought the same as you. However after being in “the system” the bidding, the long waiting, the cost of moving etc I can see the other side. There’s only myself and my daughter who will be 18 in a few years time - we live in a 2 bed flat in the South Wales Valleys. Now once she’s gone to Uni etc I’d love to downsize to a 1 bed flat, however the only 1 bed flats in my area are available over 60 or disabled people which I am not as I’d still be in my 30’s. What would I do? I work full time and pay my own rent and council tax.