Council houses owning brand new cars?

[TheCluelessMum]

I’m writing this post with the hopes of being educated, not slandered

however I completely appreciate I may be just completely shot down for asking this.

i live on a new build estate, 12 houses at the start of the estate are council houses. I don’t know this because I’m a snob, I know this because it’s clearly marked on plans when you buy those houses.

i see so much stuff online about how the UK benefits system is failing people, the higher rise of food banks. It’s absolutely abhorrent people are in this situation.

however, when entering my estate today I noticed that each and every single council house had a car newer that a 20 plate. Mercedes, Audi’s, BMW’s even range rovers.. there was not a single house out of the 12 which had an older than 20 plate car.

I am now confused as to why this is the case? Everyone I know (including those receiving benefits) continually speaks about how hard the cost of living is.

so could someone please answer how/why those in what we would presume lower income families, are able to afford such lavish cars.

I know, who would have thunk a Labour govt will probably be the one to block my PIP claim. I really should have got it in 2 years ago but my conditions impair me getting important things done.

Sunlight is the best disinfectant.

Of course they have, but they have to have evidence to back up the claims.

I think it remains to be seen whether long-term this could make e.g. home ownership more accessible.

My point is why charge council tenants more to align with already inflated rents in the private rented sector?

There are a few reasons why the market rent model would backfire. One is you create a poverty trap. Another is that you spend loads of council money administering this kind of thing. Another is that you encourage ghettoisation and challenge social cohesion. One pp mentioned one of the reasons social housing exists is to support sustainable communities, that again is lost. There are also potentially equalities implications.

The main thing is we need more social housing.

What do you mean by that?

@PluckyCheeks I really hope you do not mean to suggest that hatred towards social tenants has increased since "sunlight" was cast upon the fact they existed by social tenants being burnt alive in their homes??? And what is being "disinfected"? Truly disgusting way to talk about people who died in really horrific circumstances.

What the fuck is this meant to mean

Mobility cars or they just work and it's on finance

Problem with this is then you discentivise people improving their incomes. That way the only people left in social housing would be those who can't work. If someone starts with nothing and works their way up to a job, it would be perverse incentive to then have to leave secure tenancy and pay more rent for insecure private rent or buying which many cannot afford or have good credit rating.

There are generally newer cars on the road than years ago?! This is OP’s point. There are actually far more older cars on the road than years ago. Milluons who would have bought a newer car before are now unable to afford it and are driving round in the oldest car they’ve ever owned. That’s how the COL is being funded, with working people’s assets. The only new cars are the ones the tax payers buy for those on the govt payroll or that haven’t earned it themselves.
And when you take what people have earned by working hard in the private sector, and give it to those that DON’T work, or work in jobs paid for by tax payers - what do you think happens?
Clue: Lehman Brothers.

DFOD my parents lease new cars and don't claim any benefits at all.
You can lease a new car too... then we can all judge you too.

Do you live in the borough?

Thought not.

It’s actually disgusting and quite telling where your mind went with that.

Er, that’s exactly what I said. Why live in a council house if you can afford a lease car? But feel free to ignore what’s being said and have a little rant.

I have a relative who works full time - no benefits- rents from the council - no car though.

I’ve lived in social housing since the 1970’s. I have never once claimed benefits. 🙄

I worked and then I retired with private pensions.

And, yes, I’ve owned cars.🤷‍♀️

How about saving your money amd buying your property and freeing up yours for someone on the list then?

We rent a HA property have been here 6 years. When we got the house it was a waiting list system you just moved up the list and we got offered our house in a rural area near where we were brought up and there was only 2 on the list at the time.

we both work i am a community nurse and have a new car but need a reliable car for my job and new cars come with warranty and no mot etc needing done for 3 years as well as service deals etc so it works for us, we pay full rent and get no benefits except child benefit. We looked at mortgages but the deposit money is too much and we are cheaper renting than buying currently

Many people in council houses work. Lower rent = more spare cash for other things. They clearly prioritise a decent car.

Council rent in my area is half of what I pay as a private tenant, if I could get into a council property I could probably afford car finance too. Unfortunately I’m not eligible.

What does where I live have to do with it? I'm not about to tell you where I live.

You did not explain your shitty comment. Hopefully because you've realised that was a fucked up thing to say.

"Surely the point of council houses should be that they're for people who NEED subsidised housing, and when their circumstances improve they should have to go and pay market rent or get a mortgage. I have never understood how people get longterm tenancies without the situation being reviewed at intervals."

Both sets of my grandparents lived in council houses their entire adult lives and expected to have them for life. They always worked with a reasonable income. Living in a council house was what most working class people did.

This I 100% agree with, I would never have bothered spending 4 years studying to better our lives if we were under some kind of tenancy with a clause of being asked to leave just because we had bettered ourselves

My parents lived in council property for all but the first ten years of their (long) marriage.

In the last year before he retired, my DF earned over £75k, which was a bloody lot of money in 1997. They could have bought their council house outright, but DF wouldn't, because he thought right to buy was wrong and that the house should go to someone in housing need, as they were when they first became council tenants.

If they were really so concerned about social housing stock they would have bought a different house outright...

Obviously it was an awful way to die.

But unless you’re up close and personal to the shit that went on and is many cases is still going on, you don’t know what you’re talking about.

It’s def. a case in some cultures (I’ve lived in one such abroad) that the ‘right’ make/model of car is intrinsically bound up with social status/self esteem, and may well be prioritised above other things.

Not that I’m saying the same doesn’t apply increasingly within average UK society.