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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think I should be able to have a council house?

383 replies

frustratedmumof3 · 22/10/2008 20:18

Ho hum - must stop my addiction to MN as will not have time from next week so my cunning plan is to piss off as many people as possible so I will be frightened to come on here .

So, my local council are building lots of lovely new council or housing association (don't care what they are) homes in my area with brand spanking new kitchens, bathrooms, lovely new carpets etc, etc and I am thinking why should the so-called vulnerable members of society (who are most probably going to wreck the places) be higher on the housing list than us.

We rent privately (since we sold our house 2 years ago as could not afford the mortgage) and I don't see that we will ever be able to afford another house. We pay well over a grand for a 3 bed (3DCs) and have the insecurity of potentially having to move every 6 months at the owners whim which is the worst thing (have already moved 3 times since started renting).

It really makes me mad that quite a few of DCs friends have council houses where they pay only 350 per month and probably earn similar wages to us (the ones that work that is). What makes them deserve one more than us? I know damn well that we will not get one of the new homes as there are about 5000 people in the queue before us and they will probably go to single parents, immigrants and and generally useless members of society who do not work and have no intention of doing so. We pay our taxes and would appreciate any help we were given (as we need it now) but will get sweet FA. Makes me want to scream!! This thread may be unusual as I am not dissing council house tenants as I desperately want to be one (in a new build anyway).

OP posts:
FAQ · 23/10/2008 00:04

Tink - get off the thread - want babytink to stay in there a lot longer yet - so reading threads like this ain't gonna help

BTW glad to see your home

sb6699 · 23/10/2008 00:06

FAQ - I don't know if this is always the case, but I have found that when going through an agent, the landlord usually sticks to the agents rules whereas a landlord who acts for himself (as mine is atm) is willing to bend in order to find a "good" tennant. Just thought I'd mention it.

Off to bed now, hope things work out well for you both with housing and degree.

FAQ · 23/10/2008 00:11

thanks sb - I still have a few months (at the very least) to sort something so I'm sure something will come up.

TinkerBellesMum · 23/10/2008 00:19

lol FAQ! I've got my legs firmly pressed together (not allowed to cross them because I'm a clotting risk). I've had to ring up the HA and tell them I'm not going to be able to work for awhile so threads like this just help to satisfy my need to be involved.

sb, the reason some people won't accept HB is because it would void their insurance. As much as a landlord might want to be supportive and let to people they think would be good tenants, they still have to appease their insurance company and follow their rules because they wouldn't want to void their insurance.

FAQ · 23/10/2008 00:26

ok - I'll let you off then

Twelvelegs · 23/10/2008 09:43

Wasn't she differentiating between single parents, immigrants and useless members of society?

Janos · 23/10/2008 10:12

Whether you are working has nothing to do with getting a council flat.

I've always worked and it didn't stop me getting one.

TinkerbellesMumis right, there is so much ignorance and prejudice surrounding this issue.

"OP didn't put her point of view across in the most diplomatic of ways but it was precisely for the reasons she explained in her post, and you all fell for it."

Yes, fancy people taking offence at being described as 'useless members of society'. Terribly oversensitive.

StewieGriffinsMom · 23/10/2008 11:19

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FAQ · 23/10/2008 11:32

yeah there is that option - I'm not sure what I really want to do long term - i have done care assistant work - but didn't really enjoy it and after i left when i went on Maternity leave with DS3 vowed I would never go back to it. However despite many hours of agonising, looking through courses and different career paths I kept getting drawn back to the Health and Social care one.

Final jolt to do it was when a friend pointed out that that working in Health or Social sector doesn't have to mean doing the type of work I was doing previously (or doing it just at a higher level) - there are loads of options which are related to it.

I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens/where I am in 2yrs time (when DS3 will be starting nursery) it easy to look at short term, but planning further ahead much harder - who knows I may have met a millionaire and be able do whatever I feel like doing

StewieGriffinsMom · 23/10/2008 11:35

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FAQ · 23/10/2008 11:42

that's true - and with the "social" side of things all sorts of options there.

StewieGriffinsMom · 23/10/2008 11:45

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FAQ · 23/10/2008 11:46

see things like this level 2 course sounds fantastic - will definitely be one of the courses I consdier once I've done my level one.

StewieGriffinsMom · 23/10/2008 11:51

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FAQ · 23/10/2008 11:58

I haven't studied since I left school - was going to - had an unconditional offer at Edinburgh but deferred for a year - half way through my gap year realised the course wasn't for me and stayed abroad - then ended up getting married......and here I am almost 10yrs since I met my exH - single mum of 3 living on benefits, wondering how long before I become homeless and what to do with the rest of my life [frown]

anniemac · 23/10/2008 12:00

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anniemac · 23/10/2008 12:15

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Tortington · 23/10/2008 12:18

its not a matter of turfing someone out after they earn a certain amount
what we should be asking for is more housing
if people were turfed out - you would have created ghettos of poor people

mixed schemes and estates are better - this we all know which is why no large estates are built anymore.

if a person come into more money becuase of a great career - you can bet your arse - london not included - that unless they have a screwed up credit rating -they wont want to stay any way.

anniemac · 23/10/2008 12:21

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anniemac · 23/10/2008 12:22

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EnchantedWithEdwardCullen · 23/10/2008 12:23

If you REALLY needed a council house you wouldn not give a SHIT whether it is new build or not, carpeted or not, new kitchen or not.

I waited 4 years for my council house and that was quick!!

I lived with my mum because we couldn't afford private rent ... never mind £1000 PM!

I cried when I got my council house, it was filthy .... the kitchen was about 30 years old, it was caked in smoke residue, the wallpaper was from the 70's, every room was like something from a stephen king novel...i SAW THE PREVIOUS TENANT BEING BROUGHT OUT IN A BODY BAG

but when I say I cried, it was with happiness... because my family finally had a home.

So no, you DO NOT deserve a council house. You have a home that you can afford.

And why the hell would you want to live next door to the likes of 'single mums' and 'immigrants' anyways

Fuck off.

anniemac · 23/10/2008 12:24

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expatinscotland · 23/10/2008 12:25

enchanted!

was it death by natural causes?!

EnchantedWithEdwardCullen · 23/10/2008 12:27

Yea he was an old man,

we lived round the corner and happened to see him being brought out, few weeks later we got a letter offering us the house...

when we went his dinner was still on the table in the kitchen

Tortington · 23/10/2008 12:27

sack the housing officer who made that appt - jesus

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