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!

Market rate is set by demand isn't it ? Market rate where I live might be different from where you live so saying "Market rate" doesn't mean much. Do you know what the social housing rents are where you live?

Yet open market rent for a 3 bed house is much more than £700 these days, easily double in lots of areas

I’ve said the same. I’m not suggesting they get made homeless but a single adult in a 3 bed is wrong - when kids grown up and couple split up

should be made to downsize to a one bed so that another family can benifit from a 3 bed family home

but many will disagree. Saying it is their home

That’s what happens to private renters?

Yabu. Council housing isn't restricted to poor people. Don't resent the people who are in thise homes - resent the tories who legislated that councils aren't allowed to build as much council housing as is needed. Everyone deserves a stable and secure home. I would much rather have the council as default landlord for everyone who wants a home, and private landlords be much more rare.

It's a difficult one. After 20 years, those houses are their homes.

Yes they are probably better off now, but they will also be paying very close to market rent if they are no longer on benefits.

And as retirement approaches, the chances are they will want to downsize to reduce living costs and so swap to something smaller.

As someone who has always paid a mortgage, I don't resent them. We each do the best we can.

plus and minuses of all situations OP
we are in a road of about 1/4-1/3 council v owned

once our kids are out of here we are going to sell up and move the council tenants don’t have that choice

and choice is worth more than council rent to us

life is too short to be jealous

Yes it’s set by demand. So council tenants once in a non emergency position should be paying the market rate in their area in my opinion. A 2 tier rental system where some get a leg up and other do not is entirely wrong. My friend lives in a 3 bed property down the road for 450. Private would be 850-950.

There aren't enough smaller places for them to move to. This is the main problem. Not sure if still available, but there were incentives in place for people to downsize. As I mentioned though, nowhere to downsize to!

Ah, so only those who can guarantee a life of wealth, total job security and no future illness/disability should have kids? 🫠

Where all these one bed properties within a distance appropriate for their jobs.

But this happens all the time in the private rental market, without any good reason, and people just have to suck it up, so why should council house dwellers be any different?

We need rent controls like they have in other countries. The rental market has got completely out of hand.

I do understand what you mean, my SIL and her family live in a council house and are about to be rehoused to a 4 bed because they keep having kids. They could easily afford to go private, their household income is quite high.

What actually is the intention behind council houses? I didn’t grow up in the UK and were I’ve lived (Australia, NZ and USA) houses that are owned by the state are rented out below market rates for people who can not afford market rates and would otherwise be homeless. They are specifically for poor people and if the people get to the point of having above a certain asset threshold they no longer qualify and must move on for another needy family.

there is no talk of ‘but it’s there home’ with regards to living because everyone moves in relation to their ability and need. People who are in private reveal and those who own move if they can it afford it so no one thinks it’s odd for those in state owned houses to move.

how does it work in the UK?

The council's didn't build enough 1 bed places to make this tenable.
I think you'd find most reasonable people who's children had moved out would be fine with a 1 bed bungalow in the same area, not a one bed flat in a flamable tower block 50 miles from where they live but that's not an option for the majority so if they can pay the bedroom tax they stay.

Once you're in a council house you could become a millionaire and not be kicked out of it.

Of course there are! Plenty of overcrowded families. Councils just need to coordinate swaps of occupied homes.

So you are just irritated that your "friend" isn't struggling as much as you think they should?

Not really living the highife as my now mortgage free house will still need a new roof, new boiler, rewiring, new kitchen and bathroom at some point during my retirement which local authority renters won't have to pay for.

That’s the thing

lots of new properties being built for 2/3/4 beds

they need to build a few one bed places and think each new plot has to has a % of social housing in it

There's a lot of expense to owning a home aside from the mortgage. Something always needs to be repaired/replaced/updated.

Here we go again.

Yes and no!
If you have been in the house 10+ years yes
If you are moving in now 3 beds are £££ yes less than market rate, but only about 1/3 less.

@Helpmechooseausername one day you will be mortgage free they will always pay rent.

Ummm to a certain degree. When you need care they will take the house and sell it to provide that care. All children get nothing.

@Helpmechooseausername I totally agree!

I think the rent should be based on salary, so those earning more money that COULD afford to buy or rent privately should pay more, so that the extra money can be used to buy more housing stock.

(obviously rents should be regulated and limited, but they should also regulate and cap private rents too!)

I also know a couple who have a 2 bed council house (so not using excessive bedrooms, as they live there with their teenage son), but although they got the house when they had a very low income, they now earn around £90k between them, yet pay peanuts in rent and have a secure tenancy.

The system is also abused. A family in my village had a 3 bed social housing property, but kept demanding a 4 bedroom one. They have 5 kids, but two don't even live at home, yet every time the council told they they were visiting, they'd put mattresses in the dining room and say they were over-crowded. They then got a 4 bed on the new estate!