Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To live in a council house?

173 replies

mrsruffallo · 19/06/2008 12:52

Many people who live in council houses got to work, raise their children well, and are quite normal.
A recent thread made me laugh about the misconceptions regarding council tenants. A poster actually described them as homes for the umemployable, or words to that effect.
I am in my thirties, a sahm, professional husband, no asbos, bright, healthy children.

Can I clear up any Daily Mail views for anyone?

OP posts:
bubblerock · 19/06/2008 15:09

We were really lucky, we waited for 6 months to get a nice 2 bed council flat in Cheltenham, we both worked and had step children every other weekend, no full time children at that stage. We were only there for 2 years, then bought a house. Most of our neighbours there worked. I don't know how the housing situation is now though, this was 10 years ago.

Tortington · 19/06/2008 15:32

councils should help with accessing private rented accomodation - but i am not sure tha they should act as a private letting agency in effect and the money that goes into the rented stock from its tenantsthen would have to go to subsidise another department that would deal wit the letting of private rented - nah

whats wrong with yo finding somewhere in the local press and asking the council if they can help you access that accomodation?

lou031205 · 19/06/2008 15:36

"mrsruffallo on Thu 19-Jun-08 14:29:52
I am actually quite cross that it has been demanded I explain myself on here?
For the snidey bunch to decide whether I was worthy or not?"

you started the thread. In this topic.

LittleMyDancing · 19/06/2008 15:36

Jammi if your mate puts his house in the local paper with 'Those on benefits welcome' I'm sure he'll be inundated with offers!

misdee · 19/06/2008 15:52

we also live in council housing. i cant see a point in the future atm where we would be able to buy. dh is currently doing a OU course for management and is hoping to get a good paying job att he end of it. i will be working part time to fit around his hours, and we will be paying the rent on this place and not be on HB forever. i am hoping to exchange my accessable bungalow for a standard 3 or 4 bedroom house.

Many of my neighbours dont work per se. I live on a warden assisted scheme, with the majority of tennants being elderly and retired, or carers for their disabled partners/children. Over the road is a HA housing estate built a few years ago. There are no private houses over there. The majority of those people do work, as i see them leave in the morning in their work clothes to head to town or the factories, and i know there are at least 4 childminders over there as well.

House prices here are ridiculous, we actually used to own a flat over the other side of town ,when we were both working for £54k/ we had to sell it due to rising debts and unable to afford it. we sold it and cleared our debts then went to private renting. Recently one of the flats in that block sold for close to £150k.

Unless there is a huge housing crash, then i cant see us being in a position to be able to buy for quite a while.

sitdownpleasegeorge · 19/06/2008 16:00

So summing up the various responses, it seems that council rents are generally considered to be lower than private let rents hence ScotsLassDownSouth's MIL was right about there being a tax payer subsidy even if she wrongly assumed it was 100% subsidised.

It also seems that once you obtain a council property through establishing a need at a certain point in time, according to the local council's allocation guidelines, you are not obliged to give it up once you are back on your feet financially. This would appear to partly explain the continued shortage of council property becoming available for other people going through a time of need. However much property is created, if there is no ongoing assessment of need, there will be a potentially expanding council housing stock quota in use by those no longer technically qualifying as in need. This is through no fault of the individuals occupying the properties, just an anomaly in the system - no long term ongoing assessment of need and reallocation of property.

There again, if rents were at full market rate and if the council operated in the manner of a "buy to let landlord" having a full market rent paying tenant in a council property would not be a problem as it would enable investment to be made in a further council house to be allocated on a needs basis thereby giving tenants some security as far as staying in what has become their home even if it is not their own house.

Lots to think about really, it must be a nightmare being in charge of council housing stock and allocation thereof.

misdee · 19/06/2008 16:04

my rent is £98 a week. not bad but is generally higher than standard council property. and no right to buy on it.

sitdownpleasegeorge · 19/06/2008 16:06

Mrsruffallo,

I asked out of ignorance of the system and you were kind enough to elaborate on your historic reason for acquiring a council tenancy.

I didn't "demand you explain yourself" to decide whether you "are worthy or not".

Its all about educating each other isn't it.

I admitted I was curious and worried about offending people by asking the question in the first place. See my post of 13.33

Upwind · 19/06/2008 16:10

Well said sitdownpleasegeorge

People like my friend are in a truly dreadful situation because they cannot have a permanent home. I could not live with myself if I was in charge of allocation.

Before the subsidy debate starts again people might like to read here or here An indirect subsidy is still a subsidy.

ScotsLassDownSouth · 19/06/2008 16:12

On no, Sitdownplease - my mother in law is never right . . .

Mummyandi · 19/06/2008 16:28

I spent part of my life growing up in a council house and sometimes didn't like the stigma attached to it. Both my brother and myself did well though.
DH and I bought an ex-council flat 2 years ago, and it is not my dream place to live. People do have an attitude about where we live, thinking it makes us not as good as them. We bought what we could afford, and are though of as posh in our street as DH was privately educated.
Also part of the problem with housing stock is you have older people living in large council houses that they needed when they had kids at home. I guess its not fair for the councils to make people move from their home just because it is too big for them, but it would solve some of the problems

sitdownpleasegeorge · 19/06/2008 16:41

ScotsLassDownSouth

She was grossly wrong on the level of subsidy but it is a fact well known, obviously only to those of MIL status, that a DIL's place is to be always wrong and in need of correction.

Original poster
mrsruffallo · 19/06/2008 16:51

Look at what I started my thread about Lou.
It wasn't would you like to know how I got my property?
Sitdown please- i was momentarily annoyed by the thread descending into a 'who is worthy'discussion.
I must admit I am probably a little over snesitive revealing details on MN as they are ofetn used against you!
I think it is intersting that some posters see it as a problem if working people have council homes yet complain that they are inhabited solely by the unemployed

OP posts:
Original poster
mrsruffallo · 19/06/2008 16:52

Anyway, thanks to the lovely council tenants who answered this , you've rather made my point that some wonderful pepole are council tenants

OP posts:
thedevilyouknow · 19/06/2008 16:55

YANBU - however I do feel that people should have their situation re-examined every few years, in order to move on the few piss taking bastards there are on some estates.

What I mean is, some families genuinely cannot afford to buy their own houses and should be offered council porperties, but sometimes they have kids that grow up, everyone is living in the same house, all earning a packet between them and living the life of luxury. Or if children have gone and the house is too large, they should be downsized to make room for other families.

When this is compared to single mums or people in desperate situations, who have to live in B7B because their is no housing available, its all a bit selfish.

They were helped when they need it, now move over and let others get the help they need.

Now whats the chance this thread really kicks off!

PS. I am neither a council tenant or a single mum in need of it, so a fair and unbiased post methinks.

Janos · 19/06/2008 17:01

You are welcome mrsruffalo

I am INCREDIBLLY disappointed that no-one has asked me to explain how I got my property, especially as I offered!

forevercleaning · 19/06/2008 17:21

go on then janos, how did you get yours?

Janos · 19/06/2008 17:28

Ah well I got evicted from my flat, son therefore had to staying with ex partner, who didn't want me there and therefore I was homeless for 6 months.

Because of this I was made a high priority, but it was a pretty grim few months.

I had no savings and no money to secure a private let.

Janos · 19/06/2008 17:31

To explain further, previous flat was a private rental 6 month tenancy, could have been extended but client did not want single mum with boisterous little boy I think, plus I was having money problems.

I think they felt I was too much trouble (and I probably was from their point of view) so I was evicted.

Janos · 19/06/2008 17:31

Aargh, by client I mean Landlord. Oh dear! Really should preview.

me23 · 19/06/2008 17:32

I've lived in council housing my whole life. parents were on a low income. I now live in a 1 bedroom council flat with my partner and child. we are on low incomes at the moment. will be moving to a very small 2 bedroom soon as have done a mutual exchange. my friends are not so 'lucky' one of them lived in a hostel for 3 year with her son, frequent robberies etc.. she is now in a 1 bedroom flat and has 3 kids so it isn't that easy to get a nice big flat!

I saw the other thread that was mentioned on here it was sickening snobbery! many people have so many misconceptions about the working classess and the system. Think they would prefer workhouses to be brought back!

forevercleaning · 19/06/2008 17:36

what other thread me23? cant find it

me23 · 19/06/2008 17:37

it may have been deleted, it was under relationships called wanting another baby.

forevercleaning · 19/06/2008 17:40

ok ta will see if i can find it

Bronze · 19/06/2008 17:43

I live in an ex council house on a road where there is a real mix. Some definitely need the help that is given and a subsidised place to stay. Others are very much taking the piss.
I like the idea of reassessing people now and then. I think it would help those in real need of housing.