To think you should downsize your council house if it’s just you?

[OuchOuchOuchh]

Oh my goodness I have created war at work and everyone is gunning for me.

My auntie has a huge 4 bedroom council house she has lived there since the 90s with her one son. That has now moved out.

All i said was I think it’s unfair that she’s living in such a big family home perfect for a family to bring their kids up in. Large garden backs on to the woods plenty of visits from deers and fox’s it’s beautiful! Anyway all I said is that if you haven’t purchased the property in a certain amount of time you should have to downsize if it’s just you living there.

Theres families overcrowded and can’t get anywhere then you have my auntie paying £100 a week in rent for a massive house for just herself.

please tell me if I am being an asshole! I appreciate it’s her family home but it just doesn’t seem fair to me.

@Kabalagala I own my house. How are you going to make me move?

And how will you make council tenants move who under contract law have a right to stay?

If people want exactly what they want, they need to pay for it privately.
Social housing should for fulfilling needs before preferences.

Suppose old people die at a fixed rate
And younger people become old at a fixed rate

You move all older people out this yea rather than wait for them to die - you free up say 10 new homes for families

But next year those 10 old people don't die and free up their homes so all you have are the usual number of people becoming old

So you don't really get many more homes in the pool anyway

You're saying all this... But the law literally doesn't agree with you

Exactly!

And how often exactly, do councils do any major modernising of properties?
You seem to forget that tenants spend time and money on their homes too.

@Kabalagala I own my own home.

But you are proposing breaking the law. Glad you are not my landlord.

I worked in social housing for many years. We managed around 8,000 properties and I think that no more than 5% were one-bed places. In most cases they’re not really cost effective for the long term. You’re better off having 2, 3 and 4 bed properties even if at times they are not full.

They shouldn't have a choice.... Fucking... Hell...

‘Paid in’ to what? She’s paid cheap rent. That doesn’t ‘entitle’ her to anything.

That's because I'm not talking about does happen. I'm talking about what should happen.

Ultimately you can all debate as much as you want on what is "fair". The many threads on this topic show it's hotly debated.

The facts are though, that they tried shorter tenancies. Didn't work. the administrative costs were too great. So now they've gone back to giving out lifetime tenancies again.

Bleating on about it on MN isn't going to change that. But carry on.

Tax and national insurance. She used to own her own home. She doesn't pay cheap rent. She pays what the council ask of her. She doesn't receive any benefits. Carry on frothing though

How do you know what’s ‘better for them’??? So their daughter and her partner live in the house therefore it’s fully occupied. Struggling to understand your point. If doing your neighbour a simple favour that you offered is too much for you, I really don’t know what to say but your take is bizarre to say the least.

People forcefully removed from their homes against their will and made to live miles away from where they were ... Hmmm good job you're not in charge innit.

I agree and I’m in council housing. They’ve changed things up in my area, they review your housing every 5 years, if you are deemed to have more room than you need you are downsized. They bought new contracts in about 5 years ago.
I work in community care and the amount of single people in 3/4 bedroom houses whilst I’m overcrowded and need an extra bedroom due to medical needs is quite infuriating. I am obviously grateful to have a roof over my head of course.
we will be moved to a 3 bed this year and once the kids move out I will happily down size!!

Like private renters have to do all the time? If I stop paying my mortgage should the bank be stopped from repossessing me because it’s ‘against my will’?

I have recently been housed into a 5 bed council house. I really hope to think once I don't need a big house I will down size. As I get older it most likely would not be practical either. But i also understand its not that easy to swap or move via the council. From my understanding council don't put their self out to help people who want to down size.

Just because the situation for private renters is bad doesn't mean we should make social housing just as bad

We should fix the problems

You can’t ‘inherit’ a council property. One other person can be named as a successor on the lease although increasingly councils are cracking down on that. If the husband dies then the wife can carry it on if the tenancy is in his name only. If it’s in joint names then the daughter MAY be able to continue with the tenancy but I sincerely doubt it. I cannot believe you think because two wealthy people are abusing the system the poorest in society should be punished.

But it wouldn’t be just as bad if social housing was shuffled about to accommodate need. One of the reason private rentals are so scarce is because we’re being forced to put social tenants up in them in the absence of suitable social housing. Because, y’know, people like OP’s aunt should’ve moved out years ago.

Maybe you should save your ire for the greedy landlords who charge exorbitant rent. Or the people who hoover up buy to lets, when those properties could go to first time buyers. Or the government which has kept the overinflated housing market bubble afloat for so long.

You are right, the better reason is she legally allowed to live there till she dies

Why are we assuming they would move miles away. I refuse to belive there are many places in the country where there's not an under occupied house and an over crowded house within a mile or 2 of each other.
The people in charge are spineless and totally failed to forward plan, that's why we're in this mess. But hey as long as your nans ok 👍

Oh right so because private renters have it bad everyone should? Is that what you're saying. How about.. again... Opening your mouth and getting on to the government to make changes to the private rent market and stop coming after people living in HA homes.. how about that? Nah.. too easy just to whinge about it on MN