What would you do. Buy or rent housing association flat?

[Cheeseandlobster]

I am posting on behalf of one of my best friends who doesn't know what to do.

She is living with her ex dp in his home. He is a difficult character in lots of ways as he never made time for her and was emotionally unavailable. He has however said she can stay as long as she needs to sort herself out.

She has always wanted to buy her own home but is unable to afford anything other than a run down property in a bad area. She has a 10 percent deposit and enough for second hand furniture. At 45 she feels time is running out but is scared of negative equity with the current economic climate. She has also been bidding for local authority/ housing association flats and has been 4th or 5th in line recently so may be successful soon.

She has a job which will give her just enough to get by on but her salary will increase in increments over time.

She is torn between desperately wanting to own her own home but she won't be able to afford anything but bills, food and socialising only once a month. Or the option of an ha flat where she could afford to have a better life than just affording the essentials. I think she would struggle not being able to go out often after her relationship breakdown but am worried advising to go down the ha route might be the wrong thing.

What would you do in this situation?"

Of course its different round the country. Renting in say the home counties with relatively easy access to the higher wages in London will always be more than say renting in Teeside. Housing association rents will align with the general housing market in that area

The new build one/two beds my HA advertise are usually a lot higher rent than mine/other definitely not new builds.

Normally I would say buy, but at the moment I would say rent and watch out for a nicer property that she can afford in the future. The economy is on a knife edge and house prices have gone crazy in the last 2 years. There could easily be a house price correction in the coming year.

the problem with being max'd out and owning is maintenance and repairs. toilets crack, handles fall off the cupboards and mice damage wiring. a frozen pipe once every ten years or a leaky roof that goes unnoticed for a few months...then there are big, massive issues like the drain tiles needing to be replaced.
i would not recommend someone buying a fixer upper without a substantial safety net. buying a small flat maybe.

@Fidgety31 right to buy isn’t possible with all HA properties- I got my HA house 8 years ago and there is a clause in the lease contract saying that I will never have the right to buy it.

I live in the east midlands. Does she live in the south? Obviously some areas are more expensive than others for housing.

The West Country has a huge housing crisis as well as London.Families are in hostels or 1 room with 3 children for up to a year.If you can afford private rentals you should do that.

I think from reading replies on here, and from my own thoughts, getting a housing association flat would be better for my friend. She knows she would probably not have right to buy but is desperate for her own secure space which this would provide.