To really regret buying on a council estate

We had some similar issues, people would shit on the stairs, needles left around, screaming fights with people kicking in doors, loud music all day and night etc.
We didn't actually have a problem selling because it was 5 min walk from a good commuter station. I think people trying to get on the ladder and investors can be less fussy so you might be surprised.

@FreyaStorm Yes, some people will squander chances but as most of the people described on this thread have probably never been given a chance, we don't know what will happen when authority does something that says "We believe in you". It might be worth a try.

I don't think you really mean that anti-social people shouldn't be allowed to have children!

Move. You need to be very selective re buying a former council house. Only buy if they all privately owned.

Totally understand and empathise, OP. I bought my first house on a council estate and loved living there - however if I'd made the mistake of buying just one road over, I'd be in the same position as you. My friend lived on that road, had children climbing over her garden wall and throwing dolls heads and pieces of bike at her baby, drug dealer next door dealing through the front window, alcoholic/mentally unwell woman screaming through the nights. My friend had so much empathy for them, never spoke badly of them but still left. We also did litter picks and got involved in the community. We had friends there and started up various projects. But a handful of families can ruin a whole estate!

'why are council tenants such pigs'


All council tenants?

I live on a council estate now and also grew up on one and I recognise alot of the issues. Personally what others do outside doesn't bother me too much as long as they're leaving me alone. But I understand the frustration if it's stopping you from selling. I remember it used to drive my mum mad.
Speak to your local Councillor, arrange a community meeting for the estate to discuss issues and how they can be tackled.
You could try and start up a community group on Facebook and arrange litter picking days. We do it here and lots of people help. Contact the council about the fly tipping and get them to collect it.
Speak to the council about dog mess, maybe atrange flyers to be posted through doors. My estate has alot of cats and they were using my garden as a toilet so I just put things in to deter them and scare them away if I see them.
Weed, annoying but you can't really stop people smoking, I also smell it while walking through the estate, luckily not my direct neighbours though. Could you have a word with the people smoking my your window? In my old house my neighbour smoked weed and my childrens bedroom stank of it, i mentioned it to him and he apologied and moved to the end of the garden away from the kids bedroom window.
Arguing and police, yes we have that as crack addicts across the road but i just shut windows and ignore (or sometimes have a nose through the blinds). They also regularly fight and kick the glass in their front door so its boarded up.I know the people opposite me grew up in care and have alot of mh issues. I imagine the council get alot of conpaints about them but they have to live somewhere i suppose.
Just keep complaining to the council.
Personally most things don't bother me and I just think live and let live. I can make my flat and little garden lovely but I can't dictate how others live.

Because I would suspect that someone who name changes to put an opinion across that seemingly passionate about - would have a history of posting that contradicts their stance on this thread.

I think you have to use the fact that its a council estate to your advantage. There are rules for tenants to abide by regarding ASB and rubbish being outside, hound them relentlessly, go to your councillors, involve the MP there are timeframes that they have to work to, to resolve issues so use them,, keep a log, become a thorn in their side, your neighbours will get on board, bring some pride and freshness. You can bet the rest of the neighbours want all this to be resolved as well, you wont be the only one

Given @MindYourBeeswax name changes just to post on this thread, I would hazard a guess that she is more definitely not living on a council estate

Not sure what country you live in but I don’t know a local authority in the UK that isn’t falling over itself throwing money at ‘dem programs’ and forking out gibs left and right.

You can lead a horse to water…

Perhaps people have been too tolerant and too excusing of bad behaviour which is why it continues?

I’m sure they would be happy to house swap. That would be the kind thing to do, after all 😬

Just put it on market at appropriate price and it will sell op. It will soon be a distant memory.

Perhaps people have been too tolerant and too excusing of bad behaviour which is why it continues?

Exactly. Bad behaviour needs to be called out. It's ridiculous to act as though it should be excused because the person maybe bored or been through something.

The local authority gave them a home, that's enough of a chance!

Yes, some people will squander chances but as most of the people described on this thread have probably never been given a chance, we don't know what will happen when authority does something that says "We believe in you". It might be worth a try.

I was homeless at 16 and got a council property at 19. That was the "chance" I was given! It allowed me to study whilst working part-time because the rent was so cheap. I knew I had a home for life if I needed it. What more do people need? To be spoon fed?

My neighbors have a cat repellant alarm the kids can hear it and run past - there are sounds only teens can hear - play this and they’ll move elsewhere.

Teens aren’t teens for long and the problem soon moves on - the parents tend to stay so less kids in a few years.

Are you in London OP? Houses arent selling atm.

It’s an uphill struggle but things can improve with work. It isn’t an overnight solution though. Is there a group that meets to litter pick or improve the estate who might understand where you are coming from? On my Mum in law’s estate, which sounds similar, the tenant group were awarded a big lottery grant to improve the community centre and public areas. Once the place looked cleaner and nicer, and the tenants involved built a better relationship with the housing association, there was less litter and antisocial behaviour. it is more of a barrier for people to mess up a clean nice environment, and the association were more responsive to complaints from tenants about antisocial behaviour as they wanted the whole thing to work and didn’t want to see the lottery investment wasted.

Today it is more gentrified and more families who are priced out of elsewhere and care about the estate have moved in. It has taken about five years but now it is quite a peaceful and clean place to live.

Sell it anyway you can before it destroys your health.

My last house I sold for less than I paid for it because I was desperate to move. Someone or a company or the council will buy it.

I'm renting but honestly even being surrounded by more people its quieter than the house. It's taken me nearly 18 months to recover.

We bought a new house on a new housing estate ,didn’t realise they were building 80 council houses at the end of our very very small garden .
we have music all hours of the day and night ,an over grown garden with rats in that wander in our garden.
screaming shouting ,dogs locked out all day and for hours at night ,so constantly barking ..I absolutely hate it as well…weed at 8 am drifting in our kitchen,who the hell needs weed at 8 am.
it looks run down ,and not taken care of .police there at least once a week
my friend lives in one of the houses she tells me it’s housing association and they pay £80 a week for a 4 bed house with a huge garden .the neighbours are running it for her as well
Our morgage for a similar size house is £1000 a month ,so when your paying £1000 a month you look after what you have ..
huge difference £320 or £1000 for same same houses .

the Housing Association will not give a damn. Been there, got the t shirt.

of course there were nice people living there too, but they were overwhelmed by a smaller number of lowlife.

The play park was mainly vandalised by boys who lived next door to it. Their parents actually feet away. The mayoress who opened it, two hours later told the boys off, as they wrenched the roof off the little playhouse. They ignored her and broke the swing next.
The disabled lady had a pretty flower garden made by her family. She was v ill but liked to be outdoors. It was totally destroyed overnight by weed killer/bleach poured all round it.
The drug dealers ruled.
A man with schizophrenia lived alone. Care in the Community. Poor guy. He would walk up and down shouting all night because he hadn’t had his meds. And no the police wouldn’t come out. They said he was SS responsibility. SS said to call the police. Etc.

Have you Thought of selling it back to the council?

Why don’t you rent it out and live elsewhere? Or consider selling it back to the council they won’t pay top asking price though
You could put it on the market and at least see you don’t know the situation of the other house next to you As to why it’s not being sold

Be kind to drug dealers

ive heard it all now

op maybe you have to sell at a loss just to get out-i live in ex council in a not great area luckily my street is one of the nice ones round the corner its like a dump