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?

It's not meant to be temporary.
It's meant to be a secure home for people.

@perimenoanti what is my responsibility? What are you actually talking about. I'm quite content in my life thanks. I wasn't moaning. Don't be projecting onto me these are your own insecurities.

But if they no longer "qualify" where do they move to? Private renting is fewer and fewer now and very expensive!!

So, they don't move despite being told they need to. So the HA then has to pay a court fee to apply to court for possession (approx £400) which the Judge then says "well, I think we should adjourn this" because the tenant declares breach of EQA or human rights. That HA now needs to hire a barrister at a cost of anywhere from £1500 -£3000 an hour. Money which HAs (certainly now) dont have lots of and is paid for by other renters money, money which could be going on to repairs and building improvements. Back to court we go, the HA now paying a fortune for a solicitor because courts insist on the cases needing qualified legal representation not just a housing officer representing. We're now 9 months down the line (or likely more in somewhere like London) and the court probably sides with the resident.

This is why the previous attempt at these renewable tenancies wasn't viable. The rules and legislation is different to private landlords.

I totally agree with downsizing, however it’s not that easy with the council or HA’s - there are so few 1 bed properties that there just is no movement.

I live in a central London council estate. I am a leaseholder, which means I bought it at a market rate from someone who used a right to buy. It was the only way I could afford to live in this area and cost about 75% of a Victorian flat conversion on the same street, mostly because it's a lease, not a freehold and because many people think there's something wrong with living on an estate. That's the market for you.

My neighbours mostly have jobs and seem to me to be good people, though I don't know them well enough to know their personal financial circumstances. Who does know that about their neighbours.

A lot of ignorant and rather nasty people make assumptions about people living on these estates. They are fools.

Apparently we are more responsible for the children of single mothers in temp accomodation than ...........drum roll.................those childrens OWN FATHERS are. You see it on the threads about stepkids as well.

It is similar here tbh. It gives a poor impression.

As a HA employee, I would rather spend our income on bringing housing stock standards up, completing repairs, building more properties supporting the vulnerable, instead of funding legal actions to remove people who have done nothing wrong other than improve their prospects.

There’s your answer OP. At a time when many people are struggling, attitudes like this make people in less secure situations feel angry and resentful .

I live in social housing and I’m very grateful for it because I’d be homeless otherwise.
I have learning difficulties and work a minimum wage job, it’s not that easy to better yourself when what you’re doing is already your very best.
I would much rather be clever and have GCSE’s and a good career and choose a nice home and buy it and would happily swap my brain and life with anyone who is clever enough to get a better paid job and buy a house.

If people want to look down they can but they wouldn’t think any more of me if I lived on the street.

If your dc lives with you, it can be passed down through succession as well x

Which reminds me I was watching one of Daniel Hewitts reports on temp accomodation and he was interviewing a single mum with two kids who had had to turn down a property because ..............her EX VETOED IT. Yep because it would be too far for him to travel to see his kids. Why should he even get a say when he isnt providing a home for his kids and why the fuck is this mess the responsibility of people like me and @Littlemrsconfetti Im child free by choice FFS I didnt even want my own kids How the fuck am i responsible for the kids of strangers where not only will the father not provide a home but he is also dictating where his ex goes. And this is the responsibility of SH tenants who dont even know them. Mind blowing

Didn't read it all . If you have a 2 bed house and only 1 of you, do they not make you leave ? Or is this what the bedroom tax is for ?
But either way it would be very hard to make someone leave their home of maybe 10 or 20 years . It really isn't just bricks and mortar is it for most people , otherwise people wouldn't mind moving to any location with housing .

MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel · Today 19:14
But if they no longer "qualify" where do they move to? Private renting is fewer and fewer now and very expensive!

But housing is expensive for everyone! Why should low paid workers struggle to afford full market price property why others get it for free or discounted.

I would abolish social housing and implement large scale dormitory hostels for the most needy only. This would encourage everyone else to find their own accommodation.

That’s a good situation to be in but the way things are going at the minute, I wouldn’t be surprised if they made you take a one bed place at some point in the future.

Some of those low paid workers are in social housing including the ones who delivered your shit during the lockdowns

A friend of my Mum’s lives in a large HA house. She raised her 3 kids there on her own, and she’s a grandma now, kids long since moved out. When the kids were young she was very vocal about the need for housing for families, how social housing should prioritise families in need etc. She had a low income and was absolutely entitled to the support and security of her HA house. But for the past few decades she has lived there on her own, and has also inherited over half a million pounds. Strangely her beliefs about prioritising families in need seem to have changed, and she has never expressed any desire to downsize. Funny that.

No one should be "struggling" to afford housing, in an ideal world. But we dont live in an ideal world and there isn't enough SH to go round. But that doesn't mean we should punish those who were lucky enough to secure SH just because someone else didn't by telling them they have to leave their home when they have done nothing wrong but improve their prospects.

I'm actually shocked at your hostel idea. So those in need have to live in dormitories, the most vulnerable in society have no right to their own home? Really?? Might as well just bring back the work houses and be done with it OP.

That shouldn’t even be allowed. It should be means tested and a single person shouldn’t be occupying a 3/4 bed house. The system needs overhauled

How much is social housing reduced by compared to market rent? If for example, its 70% of market rent, wouldn't a 2 bed from a HA cost similar to a 1 bed private rental? So the person downsizing could then afford to private rent rather than needing a 1 bed HA property?

Why should some low paid workers get subsidised housing and other low paid workers pay full rate? Make it fairer for all low paid. Less division.

Yes....lets put society back 150 years.
Excellent idea.
(SARCASTIC)

Whatever you meant by 'its not my fault'. We are still responsible for handling things that happened to us but aren't our fault. But I don't think you really wanted to know what I meant. You became immature quite quickly.

Don't let MN guilt you into thinking that anybody is better than you because of a job or income. Poor health can strike any of us down and moreover it's not your responsibility the state of the economy. People's frustration seems to be lying with those living in SH. I certainly won't loose any sleep tonight.

And I work bloody hard to pay my rent! If social housing wasn't for life we'd end up homeless! Both work over 40 hours per week for MW, not entitled to any benefits. Terrible credit rating, can't afford to save for a house deposit. My young adult children are going to be living at home for a long time before they can afford to move out. Yet we should be forced out and made homeless to appease people who can afford to buy their own home? What?