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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
PinkButtercups · 30/08/2022 20:56

£350 for a 4 bed council house?! 🤔

vodkaredbullgirl · 30/08/2022 20:56

x2boys · 30/08/2022 20:55

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

Even my own parents don't know my finances.

richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse · 30/08/2022 20:56

I got a free council house.

Coz I had kids and no home and my ex left me with fuck all squared.

I worked bloody hard while I lived in it. I had a new car - fancy, top of the range corny as I am it was a BMW - because it was a company car.

I worked for it.

Are you suggesting that council house tenants should not have nice things because they're just not quite deserving poor enough?

thedancingbear · 30/08/2022 20:57

This place is becoming more and more like an extension of the Daily Mail comments section every day.

Used to be a (mostly) kind, supportive, good humoured place. Now it's just full of ignorant bile.

dressupinyou · 30/08/2022 20:57

AlwaysAnnoyed · 30/08/2022 20:54

@dressupinyou with the way the mortgage rates are going we won’t be able to afford our property. So will end up having to sell it or have it repossessed and will move into rented accommodation.

there is a massive LACK of Council properties with many families living in b&b’s waiting for properties. Surely if someone is able to afford 2 brand new cars and multiple holidays they can be worked with to spend that money on private rent… then their lovely Council house can be given to another family who is stuck in some Air BnB waiting for something to come up.

That's not their fault though. It's the fault of all the governments selling off LA housing and not building new. It's the fault of the laws in this country allowing second home ownership which has created a housing crisis and inflated rent and house prices.

Not their fault you might not be able to afford your mortgage. Please direct your anger and those who deserve it and not a family simply trying to enjoy their lives.

You sound bitter and judgmental. Not a good look.

Original poster
AlwaysAnnoyed · 30/08/2022 20:57

@x2boys You don’t believe me? Ok go away. I talk about my finances until the cows come home to anyone. Why does it have to be a secret to know how much someone pays for things?? Just because you wouldn’t do it doesn’t mean someone else would.

OP posts:
DubLynn · 30/08/2022 20:57

I agree. Council houses should be for people in times of need. If you've two brand new Audis on your driveway then your hour of need is well and truly over.

I also think older people should be moved on to smaller accommodation when their families are reared so another family can benefit from the council house. However i know there's a shortage of this type of pensioner style housing and people generally want to stay in their communities:

richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse · 30/08/2022 20:57

Where do you pay £350 for a four bed. I'm in an area with a v low LHA and a 3 bed is £366 a month.

gamerchick · 30/08/2022 20:57

AlwaysAnnoyed · 30/08/2022 20:54

@dressupinyou with the way the mortgage rates are going we won’t be able to afford our property. So will end up having to sell it or have it repossessed and will move into rented accommodation.

there is a massive LACK of Council properties with many families living in b&b’s waiting for properties. Surely if someone is able to afford 2 brand new cars and multiple holidays they can be worked with to spend that money on private rent… then their lovely Council house can be given to another family who is stuck in some Air BnB waiting for something to come up.

AH there it is... People must suffer equally. I get it.

secular39 · 30/08/2022 20:57

Council houses are not means tested. There are many people who have joined in their early years, situation changes and they get offered a council house. To be honest, I would rather much buy my own home, in any please I choose from, rather than having to choose something within my borough.

Original poster
AlwaysAnnoyed · 30/08/2022 20:57

@PinkButtercups i live in the north

OP posts:
thedancingbear · 30/08/2022 20:58

richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse · 30/08/2022 20:56

I got a free council house.

Coz I had kids and no home and my ex left me with fuck all squared.

I worked bloody hard while I lived in it. I had a new car - fancy, top of the range corny as I am it was a BMW - because it was a company car.

I worked for it.

Are you suggesting that council house tenants should not have nice things because they're just not quite deserving poor enough?

I think you should be forced to donate one of your kidneys personally. Why should I have to pay a mortgage while you still have a functioning renal system?

tabulahrasa · 30/08/2022 20:58

“I have no issue with people having Council homes, people fall on hard times and DESERVE support.”

Council housing isn’t support, it’s just rental properties.

How do you think it works? Because it kind of sounds like you think it’s subsidised somehow.

ShimmyYaYaYay · 30/08/2022 20:58

Yawn!

Haven't signed in to MN for 3 weeks and it's the same boring, jealous shite being written

richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse · 30/08/2022 20:58

Fwiw I could not privately rent because my credit was shit and I had judgements and that precludes you from private renting. And god forbid that I wanted security of tenure for me and my kids and a safe place

MsPincher · 30/08/2022 20:59

Seems very unlikely the rent is £350 for a four bedroom property. But I agree that tenancies for life in social housing can lead to unfair outcomes.

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 30/08/2022 20:59

It all comes down to it not being a trace to the bottom. Housing costs, both private rent and buying, have risen and represent a far larger percentage of people's income than they used to. But does this mean that we should not allow people with a good income to remain in social housing or should we actually be looking at the state of housing in general?

I do see where you are coming from, with most benefits you use them when you need them and you come off them when your income goes up (obviously that is a very simplistic summary) so I do understand the argument that you use a house when you need to and give it up when you can afford to private rent or buy.

But why should it be like that? We'd be effectively punishing people for improving their income by forcing them out of their homes.

Everybody deserves a secure home. This involves fixing the private rental market, having options for affordable home ownership within new developments and allowing those in social housing to remain there. All that should change is their rent which should go from being supported by housing benefit when needed to bring paid for by then when they no longer need benefits.

RootinandTootin · 30/08/2022 20:59

My neighbours don’t work, own a car and a converted camper van. Have a pedigree dog and 3 pedigree cats. A tv the size of a cinema screen and can afford to smoke. It pisses me off that I work very hard all week to scrape by (especially now the electric and heating have gone up) and I’m on not a bad wage. Why should my tax pay for that? Benefits are for emergencies not to buy luxuries. If you can’t work then I get it but if you can you should. I don’t blame the neighbours I blame the government for making it easy

CaptainBarbosa · 30/08/2022 20:59

I live in a council house, me and DS, it's a small 2 bedroom house with front and back gardens. It costs me £450 a month, in Wales! Who's paying £350 a month for a 4 bed, because I'm not above moving 🤣

But in seriousness, if you did that, I'd deliberately deflate my wage to ensure I have secure housing for my child. The whole point of social housing is it's a secure tenancy for as long as you want it. I'm a lone parent (widowed) a war widow to be precise, after all me and DS have sacrificed for this country can we at least get a stable home?! 🤷🏻‍♀️

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 😜

Mydogbog · 30/08/2022 20:59

I currently live in a temporary council flat with 2 children. I fled domestic abuse which is why I'm in my situation however before I hit my flat I was In a hostel for 8 weeks I had to be inside by 10pm every single day making getting a evening job impossible (my childcare was only available then ) I fully agree with you. As my hostel had 12 other single mums with children all who there is no housing for yet Jenny and mark got a council house in 1980s and now have 2 range rovers holidays every year and live very comfortably. I know the Tory's sold of housing. But I believe council houses should be temporary or until child is 18 and then flats or you work hard and buy somewhere. Most people would have enough warning to work and save or not care enough.

I'm actually surprised people don't agree

vodkaredbullgirl · 30/08/2022 21:00

Just had a new bathroom fitted in my HA house, hope that grinds your gears OP.

richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse · 30/08/2022 21:00

My kidneys are shit @thedancingbear you wouldn't want them. My legs are shit too. They don't work properly.

I could crawl on my hands and knees and lick the feet of the sainted house owners to show how much I deserved my not actually free house at the time!? Would that atone do you think?

Original poster
AlwaysAnnoyed · 30/08/2022 21:00

@OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea Great well rounded response

OP posts:
bloodywhitecat · 30/08/2022 21:00

It's their home. There isn't enough stock to go round but that is not of their making. Private rentals are not secure and you can be given your marching orders at the drop of a hat so why wouldn't they want to stay in their secure rental.

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