To think council housing is really unfair??

[Helpmechooseausername]

I totally get that some people need to be housed by the council, but AIBU to think that the system is abused - but it seems to be his the system works?

I know of two families who have lived in their council houses for years and raised their children there. They needed help when they first moved in, and so were quite fairly given council houses. But, now the kids have grown up and moved on. The parents both have got jobs, nice cars, holidays, go out for meals, etc., etc.. They can continue living in their council houses for the rest of their lives.

It seems massively unfair. Is it really not means tested?? Surely the houses should be given to other people who need them? How can it be right that they aren't told to move back into the private property market?

I feel a bit like when I stand in a queue in a shop, waiting to pay, while people come in and just take what they want without paying or queuing!!

And yes, I'll admit that I'm jealous! I can't afford to do any nice things for my kids and I, despite working hard, and it seems to be because I chose to own my own home and get a mortgage instead of getting a council house!

It's one the reasons people hate people in council houses. They just take take take. Even when their circumstances change and they could afford to live else where they often don't release the space for someone else to benefit from - they just pull up the draw bridge.

i have no idea about council housing to know what’s fair and what’s not. Haven’t we got MPs earning large salaries living in council housing in London with subsidised rents? That stuff is bizarre. Surely there needs to be a means tested elements re. the rents that are paid.

You know that many/ most council houses are supplied in an extremely basic condition, right? Not like private rental. I lived in a HA house for a while. No fridge for months till I could afford to buy one. No curtains till I made them, no carpets or flooring - never got those, had to paint the floorboards to make it safe for kids. Bare plaster walls.

Those people in those "luxurious" houses have likely scrimped and saved like hell to make them nice over the years.

"Luxury lifestyle" ffs.

In my street there is one council house
worth around 350 -400k
4 HA worth around the same if you were selling

council house rent 415 a month for a 2 bed
private rent min of 1300 a month
Victorian terrace type

Modern large 3 bed / 3 storey town house type double drive and big gardens
HA rent around 500 a month
private rent at least 1500 easily as you could make if a four bed

Once their circumstances change they will be producing revenue for the council as they will be paying rent. Councils make money on council housing. The councils should buy more houses. This is a political problem.

Council tenants pay rent, and it’s not peanuts.

I often go into council houses through work, I would not want to live in one. I’m sure many council tenants would much rather live in their own homes.

But I believe right to buy should be scrapped and tenants should be obliged to downsize if they have more bedrooms than they need.

Sad you’ve got so used to private tenants having so few rights, you think no tenants should have the right to a permanent home at a not-for-profit rent.

People who use private healthcare will be saying that about the NHS soon: why should they get free healthcare when I have to pay? [not that a council home is free]

People have choice. Just because something isn't illegal doesn't make it immoral.

And rather than thinking the private rent is wrong, you're upset about the council one?

I agree we have a housing crisis they all need to be reassessed based on need regularly and means tested. There are benefits to a council house such as yes people pay rent but it is a lot lower than the current rental market at present. U are guaranteed maintenance repairs paid for etc. I know loads of older couples still living in 4 or 5 bed council houses with kids all moved out, meanwhile people with young families are stuck in a 2 bed council house kids all sharing rooms. People need to see even those within the system are being affected. It should not be a right but a means tested support and seen as a benefit that gets reviewed just like every other benefit in this country. Those that don't meet the criteria can move out and rent elsewhere. It is not their home. They do not own it as many posters on here say its their home, they rent it and could be evicted if needed. I'm not cruel or unkind I just see those in need struggling who should have access to housing and alot of people abuse the system. Obviously this does not apply to every council tenant some can't afford standard rent or cannot work because of disabilities etc but there 100% has to be some sort of means testing brought even to move those around in council accomidation. And before I get jumped saying but the council dont pay for unused extra bedrooms so they pocket for it themselves, they clearly then can afford to pay higher rent than benefits allow and also do not need the extra bedrooms so relocate to a smaller home and let the families cramped into 2-3 beds move in

The thing is a council/HA property may be your home but it is not your property, it should be yours for as long as it meets your needs and when it doesn’t or you have empty bedrooms you move into somewhere more suitable thus freeing up a larger property for more families.
I know of several older single people in 3 bedroom houses that are now to big for them to manage independently and the gardens are neglected, surely this isn’t right while so many families are needing housing.

It will also go towards paying care home fees those in social housing won’t have to pay.

They also don’t have to pay for repairs etc.

They're not subsided, they are not for profit, it's not the same thing. Many councils actually do make profit from rents.

I wouldn't hate him.

I just think it's a bit pathetic that the peak of a 32 year olds ambition is to rent a Council House for the rest of his life. I sincerely hope none of my dc ever get to that position...genuinely no envy here.

However, agree that it's the system at fault. No one should be able to pass on/take over a council tenancy.

So the government should act unethically because banks and some private landlords do?
Should the government pay their workers badly and give them zero hours contracts because that's the standard some businesses set?
The rents on the market aren't some magic standard of "rightness" that councils should follow. In fact right now they're fucking insane. Just because you CAN get people to pay more for something doesn't make it the "right price." Doesn't mean council rents are "wrong."

This. I hate when people bang on about how council housing isn't free.... It's extremely extremely cheap and it's rare that the social rents charged are at market rate - they are often barely a fraction of what would be paid in the private sector.
Council tenants might pay rent but they aren't paying much.

What do you think about homeowners? Should they downsize and stop hoarding homes they don’t need. So young families can buy?

It’s totally valid to feel frustrated—especially when you’re working hard and struggling. But housing isn’t means-tested once someone’s in a council property, and that’s part of the wider issue: a shortage of social homes and no clear path for moving people on when their circumstances improve.

The system does need reform to be fairer and more responsive to current needs—but it’s not the tenants abusing it, it’s the policy that hasn’t caught up. Your feelings are understandable, but the real issue is the lack of affordable options for everyone.

That’s not what council housing was set up to be! It was meant to be decent homes, for a fair rent, with a secure tenancy. For working people! There just aren’t enough of them. Anyone who wants to rent a house from the council should be allowed to do so, and pay rent to them but people probably never get to the front of the waiting list. If we forget what it’s supposed to be we’re really in trouble. Right to buy caused this because the law prevented councils from building more new stock when they sold houses to tenants. That’s why there’s a huge shortage now. Show me a council house built in the 1980s.

Mmm
where did I say I was upset about the rent difference
I’m just pointing out the big differences in the cost of private / council / HA

I don’t care what the rent is and fair play to anyone who gets a decent council / HA place

as I said my nephew is on his nans tennancy now so when she dies he will be the main Tennant on a very nice house in an expensive city

I’m sure you’d have a different opinion if you were stuck on a waiting list for an eternity.

You can still get Housing Benefit if you rent privately , whether or not you're receiving other benefits . Its based on the market rate for your area and your wages .

Don’t think that argument holds because the NHS provides services free at the point of use for ALL. Council housing is not provided for all. Also, those that would be prevented from using the NHS would be the ones actually paying for it via taxes.

.

It’s just not-for-profit. If a tenant lives in their council home for 50 years, they more than pay back the cost of building it.

But you appear to be an advocate of profiting from people’s need to live somewhere.