To think councils should move people to smaller properties when kids move out?

[Faithin]

There's a huge lack of 3 bedroom social housing where I live (and everywhere I think?)
a lot of the people living in the 3 bed places are usually just 1 or 2 adults as the kids have grown up and moved out. Meanwhile there's lots of young families overcrowded in 1 and 2 bed flats with no garden etc
aibu to think those that actually need the space should be in the houses and those who don't should be made to downsize?
as the waiting list is so long, what tends to happen is peoples children are in their teens by the time they are moved into a 3 bed property, the grow up and leave within a couple of years and the parents stay, so the vast majority are under-occupied.

@Faithin that's very unusual for a new build to be 100% housing association with 'council' tenants.
I'm surprised.

Is there? There are loads of flats being "built" where I live (office blocks converted into flats). I don't know if anyone actually wants to live in them and if they are even remotely decent quality. I would say there is a massive lack of quality properties of all sizes - building quality is terrible in the UK.

In East Germany they used to move people. I had a penfriend and when her father died, she and her mother had to move to a smaller flat and as her sister was an adult it was deemed that she could manage in a studio flat!

I agree with incentives to encourage downsizing etc but that was harsh!

I’d swap my one bedroom flat any day!

I don't think it's right that an elderly couple /single pensioner, who may have lived in their home for decades, should be forced into a tiny property ( probably without a garden that they have lived and tended) just because successive governments have ignored the social housing crisis.

What part of I grew up in council and my parents still live in it confused you ?

im aware of the ethos of why we have council housing but bottom line it’s still rented accommodation.

Imagine how good it would be for the economy if a shit load of social housing was built and how many jobs it would create?
My local council would rather spend millions turning the town centre into a "creative hub" that most residents don't even want

Instead of venting at your fellow social housing tenants expend your efforts in campaigning for better incentives to trade down (often requires accommodation suited to older people) within the same area and political parties committed to social housing.

When I was a child, couples/older people in family sized homes commonly moved to small bungalows and maisonettes which as well as being single level would still have some garden or outside space.. Some authoritieshelped with costs of moving and some redecoration. That generally worked to free up family houses.

Of course it’s their home.

i privately rent. It’s my home. It’s not my house. But I care for it more than I would if it was my own.
psychologically it’s horrible living in someone else’s house, your never truly settled, your never truly relaxed. but it is my home, not theirs.

Did your parents decorate it and have any flooring?

So basically you want me to live with no flooring and bare walls🤔

Housing association tenants- there are no council tenants in my borough all the stock is allocated by the council but owned by housing association.
in the case of my block, the land had housing association houses and flats on, was sold to a development company who built mostly private flats but had to build a certain number of housing association flats as per of the deal which where then bought by the housing association. Happens around here all the time there's another 2 new build housing association blocks that I know if just in the same area by the town centre where I live.

YANBU

If you down own the house it's a bit tough tits, instead of the bedroom tax the government should bring in a measure that people are moved to more suitable lodging for their family size.

Council houses are in very low supply across the country, it's ridiculous for anyone to think this is unreasonable.

And don’t you dare enjoy yourself in there

Yes, yes that’s what I want.

They are not able to build social housing and they are able to build the creative hub. Central government sets the rules and gives the money. Blame central government.

Council housing - state owned homes for the population who can't afford a reasonable dignified standards of living without them - should be a minimum we provide to people

The knock on effect on private rents and house prices would also be hugely beneficial to all

Yes I do blame central government

The council estate I used to live in was built in the 70s. All 3 bed terraces except for 4 adapted 1 bedroom bungalows.

It's the only council estate in the village

Where would you send the people to that you're turning out?

Some of us want to improve things and have more social housing, not just squabble over the small amount currently available.

It is really weird you want to just make the situation worse.

Councils should be building far more one bed homes specifically suitable for elderly people, there just aren't enough options for them. Who would want to move to a flat surrounded by noisy young families in their old age?

If you want people to give up homes they have invested in then you have to incentivise them - build nice, smaller homes, with pretty gardens, close to shops and facilities. To take lovely houses from people that they've spent money on is theft.

If you don't do this and force moves, no one will ever spend any money keeping council houses nice.

You should also be very careful in removing peoples rights - you might gain now but one day you'll be on the other end of this deal.

People could equally say to you that you shouldn't have had kids if you live in a too small home and can't house them adequately!

My parents live in a 3 bedroom with 2 gardens they've asked for a smaller property as my dad has mobility problems but there's nothing around for them. Also the rent they'd pay would be exactly the same for a small council property. I thought the council would love the house back but they aren't bothered at all

pompei8309 FFS of course it's their home whether they own it or are tenants!

So you are aware of how council tenancies work and still think that people should live with bare floors and undecorated walls. Is this what your parents' house is like?

A flat is hardly suitable for people as they get older and presumably less mobile. Even if a block has a lift they are not always reliable.
Why should someone who has lived in a house with a garden and probably spent a lot of money and time on the house and garden move into a flat? Apart from possible distress caused by being forced from their home there will be considerable cost not just removal and decoration costs but new furniture etc to fit in the new space.
The problem isn't caused by people who don't want to leave their homes it's caused by a lack of investment in social housing and stems from the 80s when Council houses started to be sold off.