is social housing a good or a bad thing?

[Dirtbagsmummy]

just wondered as keep seeing little comments about it???

It depends. I'd say if you can't get a mortgage then try to get social housing as it's a lot cheaper and more secure long term than renting privately. But, the down side is that getting them to do repairs, and repairs to a decent standard can be a nightmare, they will treat you like crap and you might end up surrounded by alcoholics, drug addicts, dealers and ex-prisoners. If you end up in a scheme there will probably be crime, asbo youths, boarded up houses and after dark it might be scary. I realise I sound like a daily mail reader, I am not! Just thinking of the worst

Some places actually give you "points" based on your circumstances and you can bid for the houses that come up, the most points getting priority. I'd say it's worth considering, there are still some pockets of decent social housing around.

ah mmsmum how are you feeling now btw? (its makemeskinny, i've name changed) thanks for the in depth answer!! So its shitholes you can stay in forever then?!!

sorry crossed posted!

The scenarios mmsmum outlined can be found outside social housing schemes too - frequently. Nice social housing areas are well worth being in. Landlord's have responsibilities too, so if they are not keeping to their side of the tenancy agreement they can be easier to deal with than some private landlords.

aww I'm fine thank you, I'm all chuffed someone has asked how I am I might even cry!

I suppose if were interested in social housing you could stick your name on a list and see what you are offered, if you don't like it you don't have to take it. I think the points system is right, so you need to make your current circumstances look bad lol

basically, over the past few weeks i've seen 4 or 5 negative comments in various different threads/topics. was wondering if i should be hiding the fact i'm in a HA place!

IME it is good. But I live in a small rural town. I couldn't afford private rents, and the tenancy is secure, so not only can I decorate the place as I like, but as long as I pay the rent I don't have to worry about being forced to move.

ha ha your more than welcome!!

Not all social homes are shitholes . I feel I'm very fortunate to be in social housing. As mmsmum says, the rent is very low (monthly rent is £400 for my 2 bed flat in central London); it's a secure tenancy so I will never have to worry about landlords not wanting to renew the lease; and if I have trouble with the rent, I know they won't use the underhand tricks to evict me like some private landlords would. I like the fact that I can change the internal decorations to my taste and there are no silly rules about not drilling holes etc.

Contrary to what mmsmum has said, the repairs service has always been prompt and covers a lot of things that a private landlord won't. Our estate is run by a residents' management association so all repairs and communal cleaning is managed by them. The communal areas are cleaned daily. The repairs are done by a specialist company, rather than the landlord's mate, who might not be fully qualified or have to abide by certain customer service standards (the repairmen have to give me a questionnaire for me to evaluate their service).

The council have a duty to update the housing and we got double glazing several years ago, with new bathrooms and kitchens coming this year. I don't have to worry about things like maintaining the building, boiler or central heating, although all the appliances are mine.

Our neighbours are lovely. There's a three-generation family with two young girls, a couple next door and another single mum. None of them are alcoholics, drug addicts, dealers or ex-prisoners . The area is pretty nice, close to a zone 1 tube and we have a lot of private flats on the same street which are selling for £££.

so going by hissymissy i'm going to go with its a good thing then..and just pray i dont get stuck with wankery neighbours!

I want to live where epiphanywild lives! A residents management association sounds like a brilliant idea and I'm glad it works. I know about the repairs from someone who's HA won't replace an internal door because she doesn't need one and won't replace a lock on an external door because she has another that works just fine. She is plagued by drafts and has a great big (at least 2" in diameter) hole in her front door from where the lock was. Dirtbagsmummy (love the name!) I hope you get neighbours like epiphanywild

Er my area is fine. And new estates have to make a per engage available to social housing, much to my brothers disgust!! It's all mixed in amongst his new build 4 bed luxury home!!! I did lol at him and his pre conceived ideas!!

Not so bad in my opinion, i live in social housing, housing provided by housing association, same rules apply as a tenant in a council house, so you can be chucked out for anything and its a secure tenancy. I live in a new build (14 month old) 2 bed house back and front garden, allocated parking in a quite rural village, rent about £315 per month.
My neighbours are good, all working families with kids etc, and even some older retired couples or disabled etc.
Repair service is great, they're here prompt and always with a customer satisfaction survey to fill in,

Thats no fair, i pay 510 for a 2 bed flat off HA and you get a house for 200 less!!!!

Mines just under £400 for a 3 bed house with garden, depends where you live

weee!

My council house is pretty good as well, in a cul de sac with a not bad garden, repairs are prompt as well, rent about £260 a month for 3 bed semi. Neighbours ok, families, elderly etc.
I still have the right to buy, but tbh, I like the security of if the boiler breaks down they will fix it etc.

I am most def living in the wrong place!!

We live along the block from 2 big old houses that used to be in privately rented bedsits and were very tatty.

They were bought by a housing association who gutted them, did them up and converted them to flats. They look much nicer from the outside now and are far better maintained. They also seem to have a lot less visits from the police now!

The family who live next door to these flats tell us the HA are a pleasure to have as neighbours.

Lots of decent people around here in social housing, I work, but no way could afford private let or a house on the open market.
I think if you stay away from big cities (in my limited experience) then its not too bad.

i live in a new build social housing estate in the middle of a well to area - so well to do that the residents association tried to get an injunction against the building of our estate.

I live in a 2 bed end of terrace house with a gorgeous front garden, huge back garden and monoblock driveway along the side of the house that has room for three cars on it.

I pay £320 a month in rent. Repairs are carried out quickly and to a very very high standard. Our housing association has a tenants action group (of which i am a member) and you can ask for a move or swap to other areas where they have housing estates.

I love my house and love that my two boys have a safe and secure area to play every day. All neighbours know each other and the children usually all play well together.

I love my council house. Its on a decent estate and they are great with repairs. I suppose it depends on the council. My grandmas with a council in a different borough and has to wait months for repairs to be done. My council offer introductory tenancies for 12 months. One wrong move and your out. After 12 months you get a secure tenancy if you have no arrears etc. We also have the bidding system but to be honest the lists are huge where i am.

My rents only £280 a month, must depend where in the country you are.