Housing stigma

[Antiquedoll]

Has anyone else noticed an increase in bad attitude towards social housing from property owners? I hought the UK was progressive and believed innequality but it seems to me the division is growing?

Hmmm, I'm not sure that's accurate. I'd like to see the statistics on that as I work in ASB for a HA so deal with our residents being arrested for all sorts of issues and rarely is robbery/burglary on the doorstep especially with the proliferation of home cctv it'll be too easy to identify perps as the neighbour.

Usually our residents who are arrested for those kinds of crimes are robbing the local sainsbury. But, maybe your friend can provide statistics for their force, I would be interested to read it as I'm always looking for preventative projects my officers can work on and if this is an issue in one area we can target it.

But as a police officer, it is obvious he will be called to areas where there is crime? He will not be called to the many, many mixed tenure estates where this simply isn’t an issue.
Also, I’ve been burgled twice. Never lived anywhere near social housing. If it’s all people in social housing viewing neighbours as easy pickings, where did my burglars come from?

I've looked after people who have that attitude towards social housing while working in care homes, quite happy to expect care to be delivered and the people doing it earning less than they could afford to live on because it keeps taxes lower or self funders fees lower, yet when you need to live in social housing to be available to deliver that service, or need benefit top ups because you can't afford to live anywhere else, you're a failure and a leech on society.

And woe betide you as a failure are then living cheek by jowel with the great and the good, lest they have to look at you when you're not delivering a service they want or need.

The "mixed communities" thing was basically created thanks to right to buy.
What was built as a council estate became a mix of social tennants and home owners.
So why shouldn't new build estates be the same?
@JenniferBooth you might know if this is true. I'm sure I read somewhere that the reason not all the old council blocks of flats in the Elephant and Castle/Walworth (Aylesbury Estate?) area haven't yet been replaced is because the people who are still living in them OWN their flats and are refusing to move out because they aren't being offered enough money to purchase a replacement home.
They were obviously happy to live next door to social tennants. They wouldn't have bought their flats otherwise.

Schrodingers social housing tenant

Thank you x

Well its tough! Or they can spend more and move else where.

Crime is all over and always has been. It's never been exclusive to council houses! If you are going to steal or burgle houses. I'd say you would go for the "bought" houses.

Your post is extremely snobby and ill informed. Thank goodness you are the minority with this shallow view. Things have changed in 2025 due to the sky rockecting private rents you get all types of people mixing. I for one am glad!

And those in social housing also pay a much reduced rent to those in private housing - they also have the benefit of things being replaced for them when they go wrong such as a boiler breaking down, new kitchens etc. I will someday pay my mortgage but will be working past retirement age to do so. if I end up in a care home one day then my house will be sold to pay for it in any event.

What I resent is the attitude that the state will provide - there are plenty of people with far more than me and I don’t resent them because they work for it - that’s life , there’s no free handouts.

I do not begrudge those who need social housing at some point in their lives but it should be allocated upon need - there are people living in houses by me that are couples in 3 bed houses - that’s wrong ! They should vacate into something smaller and free up houses for families on the list.

People need to get out this mentality of the state will provide because the state cannot afford to keep providing!!

Not always. I moved from private housing to social housing at the start of this year and paid £50 less for a few months until the social housing rent went up by £50 so now I'm paying the exact same amount of rent I paid in private housing.

@Tumbleweed101 by your own admission it’s so much better to buy if you want to help your children and grandchildren one day….

You had four children, and from what you’ve written didn’t come from a particularly well off background. You and your parents and grandchildren have always lived in rented properties. Maybe if you had less you’d have more to give 🙄

Well frankly… Yes I do think it’s unfair that some are able to get hugely subsidised rent when they’ve “become super rich” or found a higher paying job.

I didn’t go to university, however I’ve worked hard all my life (not saying low income workers don’t) but I had to have two low income jobs (supermarket & bar work) to be able to own my home at 21.I was working 60 hours a week just to stay afloat and have some spends. I know how tough life can be. But I didn’t want to be exhausted for life, so I went back to education and now thankfully I am comfortable. I chose not to have children before I was financially stable. I very much doubt I’d be in the position I am now, if I’d had a couple of kids by 25, no degree/education and working 12 hours a week in a retail job.

Good things come to those that work hard, is what I was taught.

Its not always a fucking choice you know A friend of mine has just had his kitchen replaced but he was told he HAD to including the electrics because they didnt meet the new regs. You can always look up what the words regulations and LAW means. There have been threads on here where tenants have refused refurbs and then ppl like you come on and tell us not to be so ungrateful and to do as we are told. Its abusive. We cant win.

@JenniferBooth aren't kitchens and bathrooms replaced something like every 25 years and usually the most basic budget type available?
You don't get the "white goods" included. Isn't the "free" kitchen essentially some fitted cupboards and a sink?

Mine didn't even come with flooring, I had to pay to have all the rooms done myself which wasn't cheap.

Yep....no flooring.
I think many people don't realise that a council property is often just a shell with the basics of plumbing and electricity put in.

That’s how I feel - hard work and sacrifice provides its rewards. I am only just decorating my hallway which looks terrible after 15 years as I didn’t have the money. I had to make my choice. Why do people think because they aren’t super rich they are entitled to handouts?

Is that what this vitriol is really about? People overstretching themselves with mortgages so they cant afford to decorate then looking at SH tenants and thinking they have got my cookie. Plenty of SH tenants work hard. Where do you think the care workers who made sacrifices during the pandemic live? THATS hard work and sacrifice, not being unable to paint a hallway for a few years.

Exactly and they aren’t usually in the best of shapes unless it’s a new one.

ours was a bare shell, kitchen and bathroom are 25 years old with rotten cupboards that come off in your hands, rough casting falling off the outside walls and lots of plastering needing done. We do as much as we can ourselves to keep it nice but a lot of it is out of our hands

Rent subsidised by the tax payers who gets no help, how do you expect it to go, really.

My parents pay for their rent in their council house, and are tax payers.
Why is there no such stigma for people who are in private rentals and have their rent paid via benefit?

That's nothing. A friends daughter is in a 1 bed flat with her husband and two 8 year olds

Been there since kids were born

pretty sure there is 😂
for exactly the same reasons.

I think people banging on about being there for life don't help.

And in 15 years you couldn't afford a ot of paint for under £20 in the sale and maybe some reduced/ secondhand flooring and shoe cupboard? My hall cost me£15 to do. Everything else was free

Rent isn't subsidised by "tax payers" unless the tenant is entitled to benefits.
Benefits are also available to those in private rental or even (shock horror 😱) home owners