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AIBU?

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Original poster

People in Council houses should be reassessed…

352 replies

AlwaysAnnoyed · 30/08/2022 20:44

I want to tread carefully. But then again I’m pissed off.

I live in a 3 bed house with a mortgage. On our estate there is a selection of Council houses. I have no issue with people having Council homes, people fall on hard times and DESERVE support.

however what really grinds my gears, is on our estate we have one Council house which have 2 brand new Audi’s. Top of the range. Just got back off holiday to Florida. Weekends away. they pay £350 a month to the council for this 4 bed property. (They are very loud about telling everyone this)

it really really winds me up. We have a COST of living crisis, people are going to be struggling to pay bills but yet there are people who are in these Council houses on holidays and brand new cars.

it doesn’t seem fair. Surely Council houses need to be regularly means tested… How can this happen? Able to afford 2 brand new cars but cannot afford to pay their own rent/mortgage!

or am I just being a moany witch!

OP posts:
Original poster
AlwaysAnnoyed · 31/08/2022 12:13

@richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse how have I tried you make out your stupid? You really do take everything very personally.

OP posts:
Iliveonahill · 31/08/2022 12:13

And OP not everyone is honest about their council house. A London local authority has finally got access to AirBNB records as a number of their council houses are being sub let as holiday homes. Think of the income that is generating for the supposedly tenant.

x2boys · 31/08/2022 12:14

AlwaysAnnoyed · 31/08/2022 12:09

65% of voters agree with me.

They probably read and understood my post unlike @richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse @x2boys who have tried to make out I’m some Council house hater to fit their own narrative. who have continuously tried to tear me down because I have a difference in opinion.

Some peoples financial situations change THUS resulting in a review of their council house. That’s all I’m saying.

like a PP said they know someone who earns 170k a year but won’t give up their Council house. But that’ll just be classed as a lie by those with their own agenda.

@richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse @x2boys not everything in this world is a personal attack on you. Just because you don’t agree with something doesn’t mean you need to be nasty.

I'm not being nasty ,you however are being incredibly judgemental about a system which clearly you have no idea how it works ,so what if 65 % of people agree with ,most of them don't know how it works either and their opnion won't change the system no matter how much they believe they are right .

x2boys · 31/08/2022 12:18

Iliveonahill · 31/08/2022 12:13

And OP not everyone is honest about their council house. A London local authority has finally got access to AirBNB records as a number of their council houses are being sub let as holiday homes. Think of the income that is generating for the supposedly tenant.

The situation in London is very different yo most of the UK ,I can't imagine anybody wanting to sublet a council house and use it as an air B&B near me .

Original poster
AlwaysAnnoyed · 31/08/2022 12:20

@x2boys but it does happen. Just not near you. So reviewing Council houses would stop things like people renting them as air b&bs out.
That’s what I’m saying.

OP posts:
x2boys · 31/08/2022 12:23

AlwaysAnnoyed · 31/08/2022 12:20

@x2boys but it does happen. Just not near you. So reviewing Council houses would stop things like people renting them as air b&bs out.
That’s what I’m saying.

I know it happens but the situation in London does not represent the whole if the UK,.

richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse · 31/08/2022 12:29

AlwaysAnnoyed · 31/08/2022 12:13

@richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse how have I tried you make out your stupid? You really do take everything very personally.

You said I couldn't read and understand your post. You tagged me. That's making it personal.

richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse · 31/08/2022 12:32

When I sit for my my viva (which is coming up soon) I'll make sure to tell the examiners that I can't read and understand the written word.

richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse · 31/08/2022 12:33

I'll even send you a copy of my thesis @AlwaysAnnoyed. But I'm not sure you'd be able to read and understand it as it's probably too technical for you.

Spidey66 · 31/08/2022 12:36

We've just had this discussion.
Council houses are homes for life IMO. It's down to the individual's views imo.

DancingBudgie · 31/08/2022 12:37

@AlwaysAnnoyed Rather than stew about people living in council houses, why don't you direct your annoyance at the royal family, who live in the biggest council houses going.
After all, the queen lives alone in a 775 roomed house.
Which rather makes a council house tenant who drives a nice car and has a holiday look like a peasant.
I don't live in, and never have lived in a council house, however I'm not going to pull down those who do, regardless of its size, their income or their holiday choices.
If it's good enough for royalty then it's good enough for everyone else.

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 31/08/2022 12:42

x2boys · 30/08/2022 20:55

Only on mumsnet do people discuss the ins and outs of their finances .

Only on Mumsnet will you find sweeping proclamations as daft and patently inaccurate as this.

ILikeHotWaterBottles · 31/08/2022 12:45

x2boys · 31/08/2022 11:18

Nobody is scamming the system ,and I also don't know any houses with four bedrooms with rent of £350, even in my cheap comparable social/ private rent area I pay more than that for a two bed house .

Show quote history

You do there, but other areas don't. Not everywhere is the same, a point others have made

I'm not sure I even see the problem with a reassessment. If you need it, you'll keep it. It's not going to get taken off you if you do genuinely need it. But if you've got a household income of 60k plus and live in a cheap area for example, you really don't need it. There are people who scam the system unfortunately and they do need removed to make room for others who do need it.

Like I say, what is the plan otherwise? Keep building? Where and for how long? Only what, 10-15% of new builds get given for council housing/HA? But more get built for private buying, and we still need even more for those who can't afford a home. We are already running out of safe places to build, to avoid flooding. That's not going to stay the same forever. What are your plans then? Put all council housing people into homes that flood frequently? I mean no one will buy them after all, but that seems cruel to me. They deserve better than that.

RedHelenB · 31/08/2022 12:56

I find it bizarre , all this envy of council house tenants. Where I live owning your own home is seen as much better.

balalake · 31/08/2022 12:58

Rent levels should be means tested I agree. Forcing people to move house I am not so comfortable with. Estate and letting agents are the scum of the earth in some cases and I don't want them to give some of them any more business.

TheyreOnlyNoodlesMichael · 31/08/2022 13:09

ladywithnomanors · 30/08/2022 20:59

Look at it this way OP. In years to come when you have paid your mortgage off and you have a nice property to leave to your children , they will still be paying rent and have no property for their children to inherit 😜

Oh you really thought you did something there with this, didn't you.

Knocks me sick the attitudes on here. As a previous poster said, MN is now just the daily mail comments section.

x2boys · 31/08/2022 13:13

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 31/08/2022 12:42

Only on Mumsnet will you find sweeping proclamations as daft and patently inaccurate as this.

Show quote history

Out of all the ridiculous and blatantly untrue things written on this thread ,you pick on my post??
You might find people discuss the ins and outs of their finances to their neighbours I don't ,and it's only something I see on here .

RoomOfRequirement · 31/08/2022 13:19

But they do pay their own rent - they just don't pay it at the ridiculously inflated housing prices that YOU want them to, which I think is a great thing!

noiwontshutup · 31/08/2022 13:20

You're going to hate me OP.

I've privately rented for 10 years, the past year my rent has gone up to £1400. I earn 1700. I couldn't leave the house because everywhere in the area is around 1400-1500 for less than my two bed house with two children. I'm in zone 6 London.

Having to borrow money off my family every month. Sell all my belongings, and this six weeks holidays has been depressing.

Just got offered a 2 bed house in the north west for £85 a week. I'm originally from that area so I'm quite happy to leave now I've got rid of my "I live in London" ego.

So the fact I'm gaining an extra 1000 a month. I most definitely will be buying myself new clothes, splashing out on my children for a few months! I've been at the mercy for landlords for years, living in shit holes.

However, I'm also planning to save up lots of money so I'm a few years I'll be able to buy a property, so then my new council home will be freed up for someone else.

Love and let live. I know it's frustrating

Tumbleweed101 · 31/08/2022 13:21

What happens to all the people moved on but then can't afford private rental or get a mortgage in the longer term? They may not be struggling now because the rent is reasonable against earnings but private rentals may be beyond their means. If those people get moved out and into private rental their children may then have to move every six months and change schools. They may run out of savings due to moving costs, rental applications etc. They may then be priority once more for a council house. It seems a bit pointless moving unwilling families on just because they may earn slightly more right now. Much better for us to invest in new affordable housing stock. And affordable doesn't mean £800 like the new 'affordable' housing seems to mean!

DancingBudgie · 31/08/2022 13:26

ladywithnomanors · 30/08/2022 20:59

Look at it this way OP. In years to come when you have paid your mortgage off and you have a nice property to leave to your children , they will still be paying rent and have no property for their children to inherit 😜

Look at it this way....the government will snatch your kids inheritance if you need to go into care.
So that argument is irrelevant.

MessyBunPersonified · 31/08/2022 13:32

I pay a little over 350 for my 4 bed council house.

I've decorated and floored it all, refenced/turfed/slabbed the gardens, put up a shed and a summer house. Why the hell should I have to move out of a place I've spent thousands on?

People used to look down their noses at council tenants, now it's posts full of envy.

I would rather have not went through the circumstances I went through to get a council house, but now I have it why shouldn't I better myself and still remain in my home.

screamingbanshees · 31/08/2022 13:44

How do you know they aren’t living out of savings? And why are you tracking people who live on the estate? Very odd.

FarmerRefuted · 31/08/2022 13:45

balalake · 31/08/2022 12:58

Rent levels should be means tested I agree. Forcing people to move house I am not so comfortable with. Estate and letting agents are the scum of the earth in some cases and I don't want them to give some of them any more business.

Rent levels already are means tested. If you're on benefits then you get a housing payment as part of Universal Credit.

TheyreOnlyNoodlesMichael · 31/08/2022 13:46

65% of voters agree with me

That means absolutely nothing. The red-faced spitting gammons in the DM comments all agree with each other too...is that what you're aspiring to?

Anyway, the really really simple solution OP is to jack your job in, get loaded up on the benefits and get a council house. It's easy. You'll never have to worry about money again, you can have a top of the range audi and a TV the size of a cinema screen. I don't know why you wouldn't. You and all your supporters can do the same.