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.

Coffeecreme I was brought up in a council house. I don’t live in one now because after years on the list in London it was impossible for me to get one. Most of us aren’t that lucky.

Where is the person with the 4 bed going to go if there are no 1 beds? As has been mentioned about 50 million times on this thread already

I understand that it is hard for people to move out of what has been their family home. But it was allocated on the basis of needs which have changed, then people should have to move. I know it is sad but you should not have subsidized housing which is bigger than you need.

IT ISN'T BLOODY SUBSIDED

Absolutely agree.

@Goldd

Where are all these council tenants you speak of that can afford private rent? Also where are these 1 bedroomed private rentals? The only ones in my city really are for students. (We have two unis in my city). Also, and you’ve failed to answer this on multiple occasions. Why would anyone with a secure tenancy give this up for an insecure one, why would anyone put themselves at the mercy of a private, greedy landlord who can ship them out whenever they want? Why would anyone give up that level of freedom and autonomy in their lives? Most people who have council housing already know the pain of living in insecure housing. You’re on cloud cockoo land if you think they would willingly go back to that AND pay more for the privilege. Definitely not a hard concept to grasp.

Council houses are not subsidised. They are let at the actual fair rent for the property. Private rents are higher because those properties are rented for profit. Council and social housing is not rented for profit. No one is getting subsidised rent. People are being ripped off in the private market, that is not the same thing.

Where is the person with the 4 bed going to go if there are no 1 beds? As has been mentioned about 50 million times on this thread already Completely depends on their circumstance ahd the area they live and the availability of one bed flats. If they are in a financial situation to rent privately or pay part of the rent with UC contributing to the rest then they should give up the house for those in greater needs. If the government isn't prepared to invest in more smaller council properties then they need to look at a way of fairly subsidising people so that these houses can be freed up for families.

Annoying. Everyone is out for themselves these days. Also, everyone who's commenting on it being the governments fault... perhaps they do need to build more affordable housing, however it is most certainly NOT their fault for the ever growing population, its peoples constant need to have 10 bloody kids when in reality, they cannot even afford 2. There are many people who want kids/more kids, but who have made the sensible decision not to because they cannot finance that. Why people believe they are entitled to the government bringing up their kids is beyond me. Unpopular opinion I know! But, alas, still my opinion.

It is not subsidised by the government
But it is often/almost always much lower than private renting or mortgages
Which is what people mean
Subsidised by the council vs what they’d have to pay for an equivalent non council property

Subsidised literally means supported financially. So it is correct in this context.
Unless you’re arguing that council rents aren’t substantially cheaper than any other method by which a person could live in the same size property.

Oh my life. I thought you'd read the thread 🙈

Except we have a falling birth rate so that doesn't tally as a reason for housing inequality....

I agree with you completely.

I private rent and share a room with my 8 year old and have done for 5 years. Everyone talking about the mental health of adults, what about my dc who cannot have friends over to stay and is the only one of said friends not to have a bedroom? That has an impact on mental health.

Other people were lucky enough to be given affordable housing to raise their families in and now don't want anyone else to because they've decorated over the years. It's nothing short of selfish. Anyone can make a smaller property a home, not so easy when you're living on top of each other through circumstances that couldn't have been foreseen.

@Kabalagala

Of course everyone is out for themselves, why wouldn’t they be? That’s what an individualistic, capitalist society essentially is. Every man out for himself. It’s encouraged by our government. It’s just that council tenants are easy scapegoats.

The original poster, first post of the thread.

“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.” Paying £100 a week since the 90s. (A highly subsidised amount, one might say). Definitely some opportunity to save money for a deposit or to afford private rent there.

But sorry for focusing on the actual example which the thread was made about.

So many people in this thread get it. I think the ones that don’t just won’t ever.

Also, and you’ve failed to answer this on multiple occasions. Why would anyone with a secure tenancy give this up for an insecure one, why would anyone put themselves at the mercy of a private, greedy landlord who can ship them out whenever they want?

Because they’re a nice person
Because they realise they’re using a government financial aid they don’t need
Because they can well afford private rent, moving costs etc.
Because they can afford to buy

You and everyone else has failed to answer, do you really think a couple earning joint £100k, or with substantial inheritance, should stay in a council house? Directly causing 1 less home for a family in need. Really? Really really?

Exactly this.

I am sorry you are in this situation.

You've quoted the wrong person. But I'll bite. Council tenants are easy scapegoats? By having the audacity to suggest they move house? Really? Like how homeowners and private renters have to, often when they don't want to? Besides, new council tenants don't tend to have the same privileges as longstanding ones, so even the government knows lifetime tenancies were stupid.

@Goldd

Because they are a nice person? You think someone would make their whole lives insecure for a stranger because that is “nice”. Usually when they’ve already waited for over a decade in insecure, overcrowded conditions before finally getting somewhere to call home. Do you think they would risk that again?

No that’s not nice, that’s really really stupid. People in council houses don’t need to be scapegoated for an inadequate government neither do they need to leave to pacify certain jealous members of the public who are in a much better position financially (you’ve already said you bought your home so I presume you won’t be paying rent until you die).

I know a LOT of people in SH and I can’t think of one couple who owns 100k combined. You carry on though with your fictional characters who are very much in the minority. It’s actually really sad how angry you are about people finally having somewhere secure to live. I guess a previous poster was right. We absolutely do have the government that we deserve with those values.

No, you are not using subsidised correctly in this context and do not seem to understand the meaning.
I feel like I am talking to Dougal in father Ted - council rents are what ALLLLLL rents should be. Private rents exceed them because of greed.

Thank you, I appreciate that. I'm wracked with guilt daily that I cannot provide my children with a complete basic need of adequate living space.

Been told 10 years on housing list even though we're over crowded and have been for some time. My next step is to try buy a sofa bed for the living room so I will use that as my bedroom so dc has their own space. I would have done it before now if my awful landlord would fix my living room windows and my boiler which makes it not tolerable to sleep in at the moment as it's so cold! But it has to be done, they'll be at secondary school and still sharing a room with me if I don't.

People in larger properties can swap with other council tenants in smaller properties so they are still secure so while that won't help people in my position, it would at least help other council tenants who are dealing with overcrowding.

@Kabalagala

The government is trying to remove the right to acquire for housing associations to right to buy. They actively want us to buy our houses at a massive discount. Of course they don’t like council housing or secure tenancies they’re Tories lol, not news 😂. Anyhow if they do succeed with that plan then yes I will buy. I would be stupid not too. That’s one more council house off the list for good. Not sure how that’s going to help other families mind. I would make a good profit too considering I am very close by to a prestigious university.

@OnTheRoadAgain1

Ahh yes all those smaller properties that are available. Lol. Plenty of elderly people don’t want to live in flats by the way. I will never live in one again for as long as I live.

Who mentioned flats? You do realise that a family of five living in a 2 bed house could swap with a single person living in a 3/4 bed house?

And no, these smaller properties aren't 'available', I'm talking about smaller properties people already live in but are too small so they swap?

You've intentionally misread so I'm going to assume you are one of the selfish people and you're feeling defensive. Enjoy.

a relative has lived in his 3 bedroom council house since he was 15, so 60 years
you want him to move?
not your choice or decision.