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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be concerned about living near social housing?

183 replies

XNC · 12/06/2023 16:31

Hi,

So before anyone starts with the popcorn emojis or snobbery accusations, I'm well aware I'm going to offend some people by asking this question and whereas I'm not happy about that, I could really do with some advice and experiences, so I've decided to ask a controversial question.

I should also make it clear that I'm fully aware that the majority of people living in SH are not anti social arseholes - I have friends in SH. I have also had issues with neighbours who own their house or rent privately. I know SH doesn't automatically equate to issues.

However, statistically speaking, there are more issues with anti social behaviour in SH areas, disproportionately so, so am I really being unreasonable for being concerned about moving to a road which has SH?

Thanks.

OP posts:
LemonDropsx · 12/06/2023 21:14

We moved into an area before we moved from the UK that was predominantly SH, 25% of the people living in the SH in question were lovely, the others ended up arguing and having a massive brawl down the road and physically fighting each other due to them not getting on and behaving like absolute nightmares, if I had my time again I wouldn't have moved into that house. They say it happens everywhere and it does and there are some absolutely wonderful people living in a lot of SH but you just never know until you move in I guess x

SacreBleugh · 12/06/2023 21:17

Kerfuffler · 12/06/2023 17:20

Have you asked the people in social housing whether they'd be ok having you as a neighbour?

Spot on @Kerfuffler. I definitely wouldn't want @XNC as a neighbour.

JaukiVexnoydi · 12/06/2023 21:30

This reply has been deleted

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Florissante · 12/06/2023 22:12

pinkyredrose · 12/06/2023 19:18

No. I don't.

Show quote history

Neither do I.

Original poster
XNC · 12/06/2023 22:20

@SacreBleugh I think it's unlikely that would ever be the case, so don't worry👍

OP posts:
JenniferBooth · 12/06/2023 22:36

MN ........................social housing should only be for the poor and desperate and those with problems
Also MN....................i wouldnt live near social housing cos they are right ghettos

Well no shit Thats what you wanted

<head desk>

FreedomDrops · 13/06/2023 00:12

JenniferBooth · 12/06/2023 22:36

MN ........................social housing should only be for the poor and desperate and those with problems
Also MN....................i wouldnt live near social housing cos they are right ghettos

Well no shit Thats what you wanted

<head desk>

Those two positions are entirely consistent!

Breakingpoint1961 · 13/06/2023 01:12

I am from a council estate, Twas very nice back in the day, neighbours looked after their homes.

Fast forward to moving out and buying my own home(s) (lived with parents).

I have bought and sold 3 times now, I have always avoided anywhere near council housing, yes you do get some lovely people, who appreciate the homes they pay very little rent for, but what I've seen over the years, is a total lack of respect for the properties and neighbourly consideration.

Personally I'd steer we'll clear!

SacreBleugh · 13/06/2023 05:17

XNC · 12/06/2023 22:20

@SacreBleugh I think it's unlikely that would ever be the case, so don't worry👍

Small mercies @XNC

Dazedandbemused0 · 13/06/2023 05:26

The worst neighbour I ever had owned her home, was wealthy, and had an attitude much like yours about social housing.

loislovesstewie · 13/06/2023 05:53

I live in a street of Victorian houses, always been privately owned. A few years ago one of the houses was let privately to tenants from hell; they smashed the house up, dealt drugs and lots of other ASB took place. When they were evicted the landlord sold the property, he spent a fortune doing it up. We now have a very quiet family in who own it. My point being; wherever you are neighbours can be excellent or completely the opposite. Said as a former L/A housing officer.

lalalalalalaleeee · 13/06/2023 06:08

I live in SH, the house opposite me sold for £600k. We all gel along nicely (except for my NDN who is a dick)

malificent7 · 13/06/2023 06:24

Are you worried your house might not be as valuable as a result?!

Just move to Surrey or somewhere naice.

Nicecow · 13/06/2023 06:28

It could be fine, personally I wouldn't risk it could also be really horrible

Thesunnymood · 13/06/2023 07:00

Lived near/in SH areas in 3 different cities.
1 was absolutely great. 2 were a nightmare and I was swiftly adviced not to go out after dark and keep windows and door locked.
Some people on here are well unrealistic about the issues these can bring depending on type. Some are lovely, working families wanting their area to be nice, some are very much not.
When council moves lots of problem people into area, it will be a problem. It's illogical to deny it.

InTodaysNews · 13/06/2023 07:05

It depends really op.
I mean, do those SH tenants keep a goat in their back garden?

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 13/06/2023 07:19

Tidsleytiddy · 12/06/2023 19:08

But why? What makes you think that?

Show quote history

Anti - social behaviour os massively over represented in social housing...

Lots of anti social behaviour correlates with heavy drug /alcohol use.... Who are much less likely to be working... And thus less likely to have a mortgage... Therefore social housing...

And yes i know... Not all social housing tenants... And privately owned can be thoughtless AH too...

But the facts are... Massively over represented...

PS i grew up in council housing.

Florissante · 13/06/2023 07:25

OP, if you have concerns about the road, don't buy the house. I would say that about any major issue.

Tumbleweed101 · 13/06/2023 07:42

I’ve lived in social housing pretty much my whole life except for a few years in private rental. I’ve never had any issues on council estates - just normal, hardworking families - but did have more issues when privately renting among home owners. It’s always going to be pot luck on who you move near to in social housing or private housing, you’d need to look at the individual housing area and take a walk in it at various times of day to get a better picture.

I think estates are more likely to house young families, ditto new build estates, just because many younger people now are priced out of buying so this might add to the view they are noisy.

romdowa · 13/06/2023 07:51

I've lived in social housing most my life and its usually been the snobby private owners who've caused problems. One of my current neighbours, while not snobby , the family are all criminals and drug dealers. The house is run down and looks dreadful. While the council tenants here look After their property.
It really does depend though , the next town over and there is a huge estate, was originally all council and its very rough.

Original poster
XNC · 13/06/2023 09:35

After doing some more research, it looks as though there is on average of 3 crimes a month, but not directly on that road. Just round the corner where there is a higher proportion of SH.

OP posts:
Thesunnymood · 13/06/2023 09:51

XNC · 13/06/2023 09:35

After doing some more research, it looks as though there is on average of 3 crimes a month, but not directly on that road. Just round the corner where there is a higher proportion of SH.

Delenda what crime it is. We lived in lovely quiet are with barely any crime except on 3 streets common domestics in the same houses.
Occasional anti social behaviour and like 1 carcrime a year

Thesunnymood · 13/06/2023 09:52

Soz for typos

Original poster
XNC · 13/06/2023 09:56

Mostly anti social/violence, theft, drugs.

OP posts:
ouse · 13/06/2023 10:01

I grew up in social housing and I am now a homeowner on a new-build estate of about 200 homes that has a mixture of private and socially rented properties. The homes with two or more bedrooms in my estate are occupied by families and they’re just ordinary, hardworking people with connections to our village who have been priced out of the area by astronomical house prices.

We have a few flats here too and these tend to be occupied, in my neighbourhood at least, by single people who are vulnerable. Of all 200+ homes here there’s only one of those flats that I’ve known regular police involvement at and quite frankly that’s because the chap in question is vulnerable and a drug user. He is a quiet neighbour but his flat has been used as a base for fairly low level criminality (storing shoplifted from local supermarkets by him and his pals) and some of his pals have tried breaking into parked cars in the past. Local PCSO is on the ball and his housing association have been responsive to complaints.

So if you’re worried about neighbours take a look at the mixture of properties and think about the type of tenants they may attract and how you feel about it.

For what it’s worth we didn’t buy one house here as the neighbouring three homes were four bedroom social housing homes and (given how hard it is to get a large social housing property) we thought that would probably mean a lot of noisy kids living next door, when we wanted to enjoy our garden quietly.

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