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Original poster

Council Houses

49 replies

ReformCreweandNantwich · 03/05/2025 18:51

I grew up on a Council Estate in W Sussex in the 1960s. They were decent houses for decent people. My father had served in the Fleet Air Arm from 1939-45 and after a post war nervous breakdown became a postman.

They were part of the social contract back then. Unfortunately today the "Shameless" generations have no idea what that means and no intention of contributing to the state by working honestly and paying tax.

Nonetheless I would like to continue to see Council Houses built for decent working families.

OP posts:
Mickeychampionwhatgoodami · 03/05/2025 18:55

Stop right to buy .

Keirawr · 03/05/2025 18:56

Well the figures would suggest that those actually working are paying more tax than ever before. But there are 10 million people of working age who have decided that it’s best to let other pay people work to take care of them. Some will
be genuine, most probably just can’t be bothered.

So you can forget council houses. There ain’t enough money. And ever shrinking number of people who are actually net contributors cannot shoulder everything.

eurotravel · 03/05/2025 18:58

Few developments are proper affordable housing. How do you propose to get the people you refer to back to work?

Moier · 03/05/2025 19:00

Hardly any council houses these days.. mostly been take over by private housing associations.
The council have sold off more houses this way.. because housing associations build more houses.. so more to rent.

DarkLion · 03/05/2025 19:01

That does still exist. I’m a nurse working part time, care for my disabled sister and my own son and I live in a council house and pay tax

noctilucentcloud · 03/05/2025 19:03

I don't agree OP, there are some people like that. However I'm in social housing and the people I know realise how lucky we are, look after the place, are good neighbours and work.

Callie247 · 03/05/2025 19:03

Mickeychampionwhatgoodami · 03/05/2025 18:55

Stop right to buy .

They practically have. Nobody can afford it now there’s barely any discount.

Summerhillsquare · 03/05/2025 19:16

Is this how the private company Reform are trying to drum up support now?

Youagain2025 · 03/05/2025 19:32

Social housing is a mix of people some work and pay for everything others work but need help due to low wages . Others don't work at all due to disability/illness or being a carer. Other people are vunerble. This does not make them bad people or make them less of a person. Everyone deserves a home

Vaxtable · 03/05/2025 19:34

They are being built but by housing associations now as it’s not the norm for actual councils anymore. It’s affordable housing and must building over I think 10 houses on a plot have to have 30% affordable

MoominMai · 03/05/2025 19:57

Callie247 · 03/05/2025 19:03

They practically have. Nobody can afford it now there’s barely any discount.

Show quote history

Not quite though. I remember studying the RTB as part of my Policy degree. It’s quite awful how many homes have been permanently lost from the social housing pool. So back then in the 80s and still now just as an example, there’s many elderly people who can’t afford to RTB as you say especially now as prices have risen but what happened/still goes on is that grandkids/family members pool their finances to buy it ‘for’ grandad and then of course when they pop their clogs it goes into the hands of people who either immediately sold it for a cracking profit (especially in London) or under new rules that are a little more restrictive it still allows same to be done and for family to wrongly profit.

Keirawr · 03/05/2025 20:05

Youagain2025 · 03/05/2025 19:32

Social housing is a mix of people some work and pay for everything others work but need help due to low wages . Others don't work at all due to disability/illness or being a carer. Other people are vunerble. This does not make them bad people or make them less of a person. Everyone deserves a home

Homes don’t grow on trees. They cost to build. Everything that everyone deserves has to be paid for by someone. Making sweeping statements like ‘everyone deserves……’ is financially illiterate. It has to be backed by who are those people that should pay to provide it.

Marble10 · 03/05/2025 20:05

Councils don’t own enough houses for the most vulnerable and poor
Nevermind building them and housing ‘decent working families’

Youagain2025 · 03/05/2025 20:16

Keirawr · 03/05/2025 20:05

Homes don’t grow on trees. They cost to build. Everything that everyone deserves has to be paid for by someone. Making sweeping statements like ‘everyone deserves……’ is financially illiterate. It has to be backed by who are those people that should pay to provide it.

Show quote history

Everyone does deserve a home everyone needs a place to live. If people are not working or on low income there for need help to pay their rent. Its better it cost 500 -600 maybe more depending on the council/area. Than paylng 2000-2500 in private rent. And all the family's in temporary accommodation some of them places cost 800 a week.

Lostinthewoods8 · 03/05/2025 20:22

I was given a council house when I had my children, I wouldn't have been in your bracket back then, I was full time parent. I still have the house but now work full time and pay my tax. My rent is now "affordable rent", there is no right to buy, and when one of my children move out I will also have to. The house and garden were a total shit hole, and I've had to spend thousands on it.

I really don't understand why people think it's all free hand outs. I'm extremely grateful for the house I have, but it hasn't and doesn't come without it's issues.

Youagain2025 · 03/05/2025 20:29

Lostinthewoods8 · 03/05/2025 20:22

I was given a council house when I had my children, I wouldn't have been in your bracket back then, I was full time parent. I still have the house but now work full time and pay my tax. My rent is now "affordable rent", there is no right to buy, and when one of my children move out I will also have to. The house and garden were a total shit hole, and I've had to spend thousands on it.

I really don't understand why people think it's all free hand outs. I'm extremely grateful for the house I have, but it hasn't and doesn't come without it's issues.

@Lostinthewoods8 why would you have to move out when one of your children leave ? I have never heard of that

Bumpitybumper · 03/05/2025 20:31

Youagain2025 · 03/05/2025 20:16

Everyone does deserve a home everyone needs a place to live. If people are not working or on low income there for need help to pay their rent. Its better it cost 500 -600 maybe more depending on the council/area. Than paylng 2000-2500 in private rent. And all the family's in temporary accommodation some of them places cost 800 a week.

Show quote history

I think there is a huge misconception about private landlords Vs council rents that they are somehow comparable and that landlords are making huge profits.

For starters, people rarely factor in the cost of capital when calculating the cost of housing. A private landlord is probably borrowing money from a bank so often has a high BTL mortgage cover whereas the social housing is often funded through government grants. For obvious reasons the grants come from a limited pot of money and have a huge opportunity cost for the state and tax payer. The money could be allocated to other worthy causes or even better sat in a bank account potentially earning more in interest than the rent it can charge for the housing. Put simply, covering the need to cover interest payments just isn't a thing for social housing in the way that it is for private landlords and as interest rates have risen this has become increasingly crippling for Landlords with a high mortgage. They simply have to cover this cost somehow so have to pass the cost in to tenants!

I also find it super ironic when people criticise landlords for buying houses on new estates and charging a lot more rent than the social housing charges. The tenants in the private rentals obviously feel this is unfair and to be honest I think they have a point as they are directly subsidising their social housing neighbours even though often their income can be similar or even lower than the people they are subsidising. It really is a two tier system and bonkers really!

FedupofArsenalgame · 03/05/2025 20:37

Vaxtable · 03/05/2025 19:34

They are being built but by housing associations now as it’s not the norm for actual councils anymore. It’s affordable housing and must building over I think 10 houses on a plot have to have 30% affordable

The " affordable" isn't really that affordable though. My DD and her DH both work full time and can't afford any of the " affordable" places in our town. Not sure it's 30% affordable either tbh. Seems like a lot of developers find excuses not to build them

Mickeychampionwhatgoodami · 03/05/2025 20:38

Right to buy ended in Scotland in 2015.
The discount for long-term tenants was huge.
My neighbour bought his flat ,I was fairly new tenant at the time so I wouldn't have got the same reduction.
I reckon I've easily paid six times in rent compared to his buy price.
So obviously people like myself were the better deal for the council.

Timeandtune · 03/05/2025 20:41

Certainly in Scotland housing associations are not for profit and most are registered charities.
The rent levels are regulated and are designed to be affordable for those who have an income derived from benefits.

Youagain2025 · 03/05/2025 20:47

Bumpitybumper · 03/05/2025 20:31

I think there is a huge misconception about private landlords Vs council rents that they are somehow comparable and that landlords are making huge profits.

For starters, people rarely factor in the cost of capital when calculating the cost of housing. A private landlord is probably borrowing money from a bank so often has a high BTL mortgage cover whereas the social housing is often funded through government grants. For obvious reasons the grants come from a limited pot of money and have a huge opportunity cost for the state and tax payer. The money could be allocated to other worthy causes or even better sat in a bank account potentially earning more in interest than the rent it can charge for the housing. Put simply, covering the need to cover interest payments just isn't a thing for social housing in the way that it is for private landlords and as interest rates have risen this has become increasingly crippling for Landlords with a high mortgage. They simply have to cover this cost somehow so have to pass the cost in to tenants!

I also find it super ironic when people criticise landlords for buying houses on new estates and charging a lot more rent than the social housing charges. The tenants in the private rentals obviously feel this is unfair and to be honest I think they have a point as they are directly subsidising their social housing neighbours even though often their income can be similar or even lower than the people they are subsidising. It really is a two tier system and bonkers really!

Edited
Show quote history

My post was not really about profit private landlords make or don't make . Generally I think there is probably a mix of landlords that have alot to pay out cover the mortgage and other things and do not make much profit. Then there will be some mortgage free that do make alot of money.

In blunt terms my post was more about if someone needs help to pay their rent and the rent is 2000 a month for private rent. And its paid by the tax payer is it better they pay 2000 a month or 600 a month. Either way the tenant can't win . 2000 a month would =im a tax payer im paying your rent etc ... council house would =you don't pay your own rent you don't deserve it .

Callie247 · 03/05/2025 23:31

It’s just annoying that the very person in government who has made right to buy out of reach for so many people by removing the high discounts once profited herself from right to buy.

JenniferBooth · 03/05/2025 23:51

ReformCreweandNantwich · 03/05/2025 18:51

I grew up on a Council Estate in W Sussex in the 1960s. They were decent houses for decent people. My father had served in the Fleet Air Arm from 1939-45 and after a post war nervous breakdown became a postman.

They were part of the social contract back then. Unfortunately today the "Shameless" generations have no idea what that means and no intention of contributing to the state by working honestly and paying tax.

Nonetheless I would like to continue to see Council Houses built for decent working families.

I bet you also think that they should only be allocated to the most desperate without seeing the connection

Nyell · 03/05/2025 23:55

Both my sets of grandparents had council houses. They were solidly built, big rooms, gardens front and back. The council periodically upgraded them. The fact the council rented them all meant the estates looked uniform, neater and tidier. Security of tenure and the ability to pass on to relatives. The estates weren’t perfect but they were perfectly good places to live. Right to buy, to my mind, has been a disaster.

User46576 · 04/05/2025 00:04

Bumpitybumper · 03/05/2025 20:31

I think there is a huge misconception about private landlords Vs council rents that they are somehow comparable and that landlords are making huge profits.

For starters, people rarely factor in the cost of capital when calculating the cost of housing. A private landlord is probably borrowing money from a bank so often has a high BTL mortgage cover whereas the social housing is often funded through government grants. For obvious reasons the grants come from a limited pot of money and have a huge opportunity cost for the state and tax payer. The money could be allocated to other worthy causes or even better sat in a bank account potentially earning more in interest than the rent it can charge for the housing. Put simply, covering the need to cover interest payments just isn't a thing for social housing in the way that it is for private landlords and as interest rates have risen this has become increasingly crippling for Landlords with a high mortgage. They simply have to cover this cost somehow so have to pass the cost in to tenants!

I also find it super ironic when people criticise landlords for buying houses on new estates and charging a lot more rent than the social housing charges. The tenants in the private rentals obviously feel this is unfair and to be honest I think they have a point as they are directly subsidising their social housing neighbours even though often their income can be similar or even lower than the people they are subsidising. It really is a two tier system and bonkers really!

Edited
Show quote history

Agree. We’re all subsiding social rents and social housing yet some people get to make a windfall from it under right to buy. Totally wrong imo