Can I just make something clear about Housing Association and Council Homes

[nametaken]

I am amazed at the ignorant perceptions that some people have about HA houses.

1. HA houses ARE NOT SUBSIDISED. The reason they are cheaper than privately rented homes is because HAs are charities who plough all of the profits back into their housing programs.

1. Private rents are more because the greedy money grabbing bastards who own them want to line their fat pockets. THEY DO NOT COST MORE BECAUSE THEY ARE BETTER QUALITY THAN HA HOMES.

1. HA and Council houses are not specifically for people on benefits. Anyone can have one you just have to get on the list.

1. Some people in this country ARE on benefits and those people live in a huge varity of places, including HA, Council, and private rentals.

1. There are some people on benefits who actually own their own homes.

Can those of you who sneer at people who don't own the home they live in please please tell us why you think your better than them, coz I'm genuinely puzzled by this.

As you were.

A brilliant post!!!

We've recently moved into our HA house after 3 years on the list.

We actually pay more rent now than we did in our privately rented flat. But it means DH can go out easily as there are no stairs for him. So he can pop out to the shop or take DS1 out. Also our old flat had dreadful damp that was making DS1 ill and the landlord didn't care. But here we spotted a bit of damp and they came to fix it straight away.

Well said OPer!!
Some people are so stuck up about social housing, as if it's the scum of the earth that live there
I've lived in social housing all of my life, always paid for either by my mum or myself when I was old enough. I've always liked where I live and have never had any problems. Some "friends" are far from impressed when they see where I live but I don't care, I have a lovely warm home and I'm not worried when the Bank of England change their base rate.
Merry Christmas

Can I ask Nametaken, what started your rant?

Have you been away recently Nezzi !!!!!!

What started me off was a couple of nasty threads recently posted on MN about HA houses, that's all. I never encountered this attitude before I came on MN but now I'm thinking people really think horrible things but keep them well hidden in RL.

i couldn't give a fuck if people sneer at me, i live in the house of my dreams[and manys] from the ha.
it is very lovely and only £300 a month

i think i actually have the best ha house in the uk.

Just because other things are also subsidised (no argument from me there) doesn't make the point that HAs are subsidised any less valid.

Ok a non Wikipedia source for you...

National Housing Federation

The 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review announcements are now expected in October 2007, following the conclusion of departmental negotiation with Treasury.

A cross-sector submission, in partnership with CIH and Shelter, called on the Government to deliver 70,000 new affordable homes per year. This will need £3.9 billion of subsidy per year, compared to a current programme of approximately £1.95 billion per year. We believe that 50,000 should be rented and 20,000 low cost home ownership homes.

NEZZI - this

Well said Nametaken!

I grew up in council housing, the house we lived in was transferred to HA. The whole estate I lived in has been knocked down and rebuilt - they were prefab housing, we had to have false ceilings put in the central hall and kitchen as there were huge cracks developing, making the upper floor unsafe!
Mum (Dad left when I was 12) still lives in her new HA house (well she moved in 15 years ago, so not new now!) It is lovely and she has kept it in immaculate condition. She pays full rent now and has done for 10 years when she switched from part time to full time work and came completely off benefits.

That only says that 70,00 new homes are needed. It doesn't say that the government have just paid for 70,000 homes to be built. Haven't read the link though.

I've not been on here for a couple of days but I think I've just found the nasty thread!
Have I got time to read all 540 posts and make the tea???? MN really does get in the way of christmas
People in RL are much more discreet than on MN. Thankfully most of my friends have lived in social housing at some point in their lives and they have no issues with it at all. Social housing is a wonderful thing and we should be proud that it exists. Can you imagine if it didn't!!
I'm off to read nasty post

Nezzi, it's worth sticking to the huge thread. It does get very funny indeed towards the end.

When/if those homes are built though it will LOWER the cost of private rental & reduced market price of houses because their will be LESS DEMAND to rent privately & buy at full market value therefore it benefits everyone.

Rentals & market prices are high because demand outstripps supply.

Read the bit I quoted...

"current programme of approximately £1.95 billion per year"

I wonder if that as much as thatcher the government stole took out of social housing in the 80's when they sold of all those homes and never reinvested to provide enough housing for people in this country.

The government caused this housing problem and they need to help solve it, they are actually only putting back in what they took out! They are not subsidising individuals they are trying to solve the lack of housing in this country.

I live in a row of 5 large terraced houses built in 1908.Next door is up for sale at £250k.Next door but one rent at £180 per week.Ours is HA we pay £60 per week.
There's not a day goes by that i don't think how lucky i am to live here.In a nice area with a fantastic school for my girls .I love my house and don't give a shit if anyone does look down on me for it being HA.Most people don't even know unless i tell them anyway.

Is the rent for HA/council housing pegged to the income level of the tenant?

no it is on the house.
then you have service charge, ours is a bout £15 a week, but we do have a through the floor lift and the cooker.

I have to say that all the prices people have quoted (that I've seen) seem to suggest that HA are indeed cheaper. That was my experience too when we lived in HA. That was the only thing we could afford at the time. Surely this is a good thing. Isn't that the whole point of affordable housing, that it is indeed affordable? Maybe it does vary in different places and it isn't cheaper in some areas?

Squatchette you sound very lucky with your home. If I were you I'd be hanging on to it too. The place we had was really horrible unfortunately although that had more to do with the alcoholic, psychotic neighbour than the flat itself, which was adequate.

No the rent/mortgage isn't pegged to the income. If you have shared ownerships that is part rent part mortgage and you need to apply for housing benefit they ignore the fact you are paying the mortgage!!!!

If you are renting from anywhere you may get housing benefit which is pegged to your income but that is the same regardless of who the landlord is.

Thanks 2shoes

our rent is not cheap, £60 a month service charges are not cheap

nametaken, i am glad you have said what you did in your op. i have been getting rather annoyed at some of the posts on mn recently as well.
however, ccan i just add, that not all landlords are greedy money grabbing bastards who are interested in lining there wallets.

I think a lot of privately owned leasehold properties pay a lot more than £60/month for service charges tbh. I can remember looking at fairly small flats with service charges that amounted to £2k a year or thereabouts and that was a good few years ago now. Obviously I can't comment on your rent since I don't know what you pay. Figures like £250 or £300 per month or £60 per week (for a large house) seem pretty cheap to me though. I don't live in a particularly expensive part of the country but a quick look on Rightmove and the cheapest rental is £282pcm which is for a room in a house.

I love my council house and even if my salary doubled tommorow I wouldnt move and buy (prob still wouldnt be enough anyway , I think of myself as extremely lucky to have a council tenancy as you have good rights and they keep the house in a reasonable state of repair.
If I were unfortunate enough to lose my job, then hb would cover the rent.
I do really feel for those in mortgaged property especially if they lose there jobs, tis a bad time, thats why I don't understand why people are STILL looking down their noses.
I have owned houses in the past and honestly prefer a secure tenancy.

squatchette your house does sound nice, but noone in the land has a nicer ha house than i!