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Original poster

To take a council house or continue saving for a mortgage?

28 replies

roseycheeks93 · 06/05/2019 11:25

Myself and my partner have been saving a house for going on a year, we're nearly there in terms of the deposit, but as a fall-back option we signed up to our local council and have been bidding on houses for the past couple of months. This past week we have been selected for a property but are unsure whether to accept or not, and just keep saving to buy our own house as planned.

The house itself is OK, decent size garden, no garage, on-street parking, 2 bedrooms (we're not parents at the moment) and is quite cheap. We also have the right to buy option after we've lived there for 3 years.

Just wondering if anyone has any advice or has been in a similar situation.

Kind regards,

RoseyCheeks :)

OP posts:
VidPid · 06/05/2019 11:29

I have two points of view on this one. Council housing is really difficult to get and someone else could be really in need whereas you have the means to buy a house so I don't think you should take it.
Saying that, if it's cheaper I suppose you could save for a mortgage quicker if you do take it.

MaudebeGonne · 06/05/2019 11:32

I would take it and live there while you save.once you have saved enough to buy a house you want, give the keys back to the council so another family can have the chance to live there.

78percentLindt · 06/05/2019 11:33

Why are these options mutually exclusive ? Why can't you take the council property, and continue to save. You might be able to save more quickly for a slightly bigger/better house and then the council have the property back for other tenants? My ILs lived in Council Housing while they saved for a deposit to buy a house. It worked for them.

BuzzPeakWankBobbly · 06/05/2019 11:35

but as a fall-back option we signed up to our local council

Do you mean you don't actually need a council house?

I know MN has this argument that council housing should be given to anyone who fancies it blah blah, but the reality is that social property is limited and if you don't actually need it because you can afford to buy or rent yourselves, I would think very long and hard before occupying a home that somebody genuinely does need.

FannyFeatures · 06/05/2019 11:36

Where are you living just now?

If it's an expensive private rental or in a less than ideal situation with friends/family I'd take the council house and continue saving until you can but your own home.

I wouldn't buy the council property though, the right to buy scheme has seriously diminished the stock available to those in need and personally, I think it should be completely abolished. That's an issue with the system rather than buyers though.

InTheHeatofLisbon · 06/05/2019 11:37

If you're only accepting the council property with a view to using right to buy please don't, as councils don't tend to replace housing stock sold off which means valuable social housing becomes even more depleted.

If you'd be able to use the council house to build up a bigger deposit to then buy another, go for it.

FannyFeatures · 06/05/2019 11:38

And I say the above as a social housing tenant who desperately needs a bigger property with no hope of ever being able to buy my own.

LarryGreysonsDoor · 06/05/2019 11:40

Move into the council house and continue to save.

I disagree with right-to-buy but it is an option for you. However I understand that you have to own it for 5 years before you can sell and ex council houses on council estates can be hard to sell.

VidPid · 06/05/2019 11:41

@InTheHeatofLisbon do they still do right to buy? I thought as of a few years ago, any new contracts meant you don't have right to buy anymore?

InTheHeatofLisbon · 06/05/2019 11:45

I'm in Scotland where right to buy was thankfully abolished. Not sure about the rest of the UK tbh.

I'm not a council tenant any more, but I'm very grateful that I was able to be when I needed it. I had the option of right to buy and chose not to. Because I figured it helped me out when I needed it, so it was only fair to leave it in the SH sector when I didn't.

FraggleRocking · 06/05/2019 11:46

I’m really confused! If you have disposable income going into savings for a deposit then I’m surprised you are eligible for council housing. Especially a 2 bedroom house with no children. It would be foolish not to take advantage I would think.

DerelictWreck · 06/05/2019 12:07

Council housing is for people who need it, not for those who fancy an easy time while they save thousands for their own home.

fecketyfeck21 · 06/05/2019 12:10

we are currently on the market [council estate] and had a lot of interest and several offers, but we are close to all amenities, schools, rail, airport, supermarkets, so they do sell depending where you are.

gamerchick · 06/05/2019 12:12

I’m really confused! If you have disposable income going into savings for a deposit then I’m surprised you are eligible for council housing

And what makes you eligible for council housing out of interest?

OP do both, you'll probably have enough saved to buy quicker.

userxx · 06/05/2019 12:19

I'm shocked that you're eligible to be honest. I thought council housing was for people who couldn't afford to rent privately or buy.

I saved for years to get my deposit together and that was as a single person. You have two lots of savings going to the deposit, keep saving and leave the council house for someone who really needs it.

hsegfiugseskufh · 06/05/2019 12:24

Lol theres no eligibility criteria for council houses.

Round here you get banded. Band a is highest priority and so on. You work your way up the list and you bid. Generally the people with the highest priority will get it but can refuse and it will get offered to someone else.

So to me op must be near the top of the list, ie shes not getting offered it over people in more need than her.

We dont have a massive shortage of council houses here though so maybe its normal to me!

I would take it op you may want to buy it after 3 years!

Sirrah · 06/05/2019 12:30

Are you in an area with excess social housing? Because it's almost impossible for childless couples to get a house so quickly in most areas!

You know the area, you should judge whether you might be taking a home away from somebody who might need it more, when you will be in a position to buy in a few more months.

Please don't take the right to buy option, I understand the temptation, but I live in social housing and so many in the area are now privately owned, and there are very long waiting lists for family homes

Fairylea · 06/05/2019 12:32

I would move in but continue to save for my own house. Owning your own home brings a lot more choice and freedom than renting or living a council house ever does- it also comes with a lot of costs and hassle but I’d still pick home ownership any day if possible.

Torrennce · 06/05/2019 12:35

Why are you eligible for a 2 bedroom if it is just your partner and yourself?

HelpAFattieOutHere · 06/05/2019 12:35

Myself and my partner have been saving a house for going on a year, we're nearly there in terms of the deposit

If you've managed to save almost enough for a deposit in a year, you don't need social housing Hmm

Buglife · 06/05/2019 12:38

Interested to know the area because having worked for local government in my area there is such a shortage that I’ve seen mothers with 6 month old babies go into homeless shelters, and certainly a large chunk of savings would put you pretty far down the list.

Saying that a large majority of my family have always lived on a council estate that was in my mind what a council estate was designed for, quality, secure and affordable housing for lower income workers/families. So if you are on a low income and have to pay expensive private rent now, it would be a good idea. People shouldn’t have to be in a situation where they have to prove that they are utterly destitute to access council housing imo.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 06/05/2019 12:43

Don't most areas have banding now where the higher the band the higher up the list you are? Presumably the OP is either pretty high up the band or there is an excess of social housing (not unusual in some areas) for her to be offered one.

OP I'd take the council house and continue to save. And don't feel guilty about taking from people more needy, the council wouldnt offer you one if there were others with greater needs wanting this same house. You can save then move on once you're ready. I'm massively against right to buy so wouldn't go for that option though.

MissingInActionYouSay · 06/05/2019 13:17

All the people saying it's not right, not every area has a shortage of council houses and not all councils refuse to replace the stock that is sold through right to buy. That's not correct for every area.

Where I live my sister relocated back here and got a lovely 3 bed council house with only one toddler within 6 weeks of being on the list. I swapped from a 3 to a 5 and have a spare room since my daughter moved out. And I know of 3 flats on my mums estate that have been purchased by the council using funds from right to buy. Our area has also built 50 houses in the last 5 years and is building another 50 ish houses over the next year. There is plenty of housing if you will accept anything but it takes longer to get a place on a naice estate

washinglions · 06/05/2019 13:38

Take the council house.

Round here the criteria are so stringent you can't even get your name put down on the waiting list unless you fit into one of their specific high-need categories.

SaskiaRembrandt · 06/05/2019 13:56

To those people wondering why the OP is eligible for a council house, it's because most councils divide their housing stock up. Some, probably most, is reserved for people in urgent need, but they also have some properties for people who are not in urgent need, and anyone on the waiting list can apply for those.