Keeping a 3 bedroom council house when your children have grown up

[Iwishitwerewarmer]

Just pondering - what are everyone’s opinions on a single parent raising their children in a council house/housing association house and staying there once their children have moved out? Should they downsize into a one bed flat/smaller property or is it their right to remain in their home/neighbourhood?

Added extra - they have looked after the property well, have landscaped the garden, installed a new kitchen and generally added value to the property.

But the rent is cheaper and subsidised

I know. PP is saying they are paying it now 😆

I think some of the charities had earnings caps. The Peabody for example but that was years ago. I don't know what it is now.
My relative has a high earning partner (but he's frequently laid off the buildings). She won't live with him or give up her tenancy. She lives on a sink estate and accepts it. She is surrounded by weed and her 6 year old was targeted by a man taking photos last summer. However last year a relative offered a deposit on a shared ownership if she took a ft job. She declined.

Err yes we do
Why wouldn't we?

SH tenants pay rent, council tax, water rates,tax on their earnings, NI, VAT on some services and products. Just the same as everyone else.

I hope that clears that up.

Because it's not true. Whilst HA's are not subsidised on an annual basis and are just non-profit making, councils often give them land for free in return for nomination rights, and they get a high level of Homes England funding to make projects viable

Yes, but the property wouldn't be valued the same as a private flat, so you'd be paying a reduced rate.

My understanding is the pressure is put on tenants to right size due to the demand for family housing. The right of succession applies sometimes though as well ?

I don't think anyone should be in a bigger council house than needed....the waiting list is so bad and large families should not be squashed into small homes because older single people's/couples children have grown up and yet they are remaining in a home bigger than they need.Yes it is hard i'm sure giving up a long term home, but i think that has to really be part and parcel of living in a council house.

Many council house tenants have lifetime tenancies and cannot be forced out, this means that there are single, elderly people living in 2 and 3 bed properties, while familes of 4 are in tiny flats, or course it is not right, but it is the fault of poor planning by local authorites. Tenancies now have limited terms and are renewed or not, as circumstances change. My elderly mother has been offered some lovely 1 bed flats and cash by her local authority to downsize but sees no reason to do so.

My DM's council tax is the same as her neighbours who own their property.
My house is banded the same as the social housing in my road.

No it doesn't.

A council flat won't be valued as much as a private flat so the residents pay a lower rate.
A comparable private flat will have a higher rateable value so the residents will pay more.

Anyone in council property pays below market rates for rents and council tax because they are subsidised.
They also get all their repairs and maintenance done for free.

It is someone ,s just becsuss they dont own it doesnt make it less of s home and you can't just make up the rules
They are often given to a tenant for life or as long as they want it ,you might not like thst but that's the way it is.

I wouldn't shout too loud about that because the council can always re-band you.

They pay rent so the repairs are not for free.

Any tenant would get maintenance and repairs done for free ,because they dont own the property HTH.

Sorry what? Are people actually suggesting that people don't pay the full whack in council tax because it's a band A property? Council tax is regressive. A band H home might pay 3 times what I did but be worth ten times more

I am in band B, as are all the other houses in my road, apart from one band C at the end who has massive extensions.

I am not sure what you are implying I should be worried about.

My rent in a 3 bed is around £700pcm which is less than the average private rent 3 bed. My council tax is the same as every other 3 bed house in my area as are all my other bills. Yes the rent is slightly less than private but the quality of my house is pretty poor, the HA are awful at doing repairs and updating, many HA houses are damp and run down (not all). I have been waiting 2 years for a repair on the roof.

I feel lucky to have a HA house, I have lived here for 12 years but in that 12 years I have had hardly any repairs (despite asking). When my kids move out I will move to a smaller property, not because I feel I should have too but because I would rather live in a better quality one/two bed house.

it’s their home. Of course they should keep it.

Well thats just not true i am in the same band now as a social tenant as I was when I when i owned a property.

Yeah, I am confused.
Social housing is not given lower bands for council tax. That makes no sense.

I think you should do what's best for you op. Don't seek advice on morality from Mumsnet...that way madness lies.

I'm in band A I'm sure. Pretty sure my mum is in band B (she owns her house). The difference between band A and B in my area is 16 pounds a month