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Original poster

Does anyone live in a new build next to social housing?

84 replies

Fimbo · 19/08/2007 13:23

If you do please tell me its ok. We have recently exchanged on our new build and are waiting for completion. There is going to be 25 housing association homes on the development. Two are already up and occupied and so far one has a broken window (boarded up) and today there is a Tesco shopping trolley abandoned outside.

Eek (or am I being a snob!).

OP posts:
ShinyHappyPeopleGoingNuts · 19/08/2007 14:35

Still to barbamama: and once caught in disability trap, you are statistically more likely to be also stuck in the benefits trap and need social housing.

Sigh.

barbamama · 19/08/2007 14:36

Shinyhappypeople - I was on the residents committee so knew exactly which properties were for sale from specific developers and which were owned by specific housing trusts (and which did part-ownership schemes)- we had to keep an eye on the number of new properties built because the overall developer was trying to put more houses on the site than had originally been granted planning permission for so it was all logged as they were able to get round the planning issues by putting more social housing units and then selling them on to housing associations. Admitedly you could only tell which were privately rented out when the estate agent boards saying TO LET went up at the privately owned properties but that was pretty obvious. As I said, these units actually caused most of the problems. Not that all renters cause problems, we are currently renting and I don't park in my neighbours drive etc.

ShinyHappyPeopleGoingNuts · 19/08/2007 14:39

You should not use your experience of one housing estate to colour your judgement generally on social housing tenants.

Did you really think they all got free taxis services for their school runs?

LadyVictoriaOfCake · 19/08/2007 14:40

free taxis? blimey let me cash in on this! [sighs]

no seriously, when i actually owned a flat, we had a broken window for over a year as we just couldnt afford to get it fixed. so so terrible of me lowering the tone of gthe area like that.

ShinyHappyPeopleGoingNuts · 19/08/2007 14:42

Shame on you Misdee, you bloody scummmer

LadyVictoriaOfCake · 19/08/2007 14:45

i know was so so awful. but i didnt care, i had to pay the mortage first lol.

but i know that a broken window isnt PRIOITY to HA's as long as its secure. so its wont get fixed straight away. it took the council 5 weeks to fix my neighbours exterior pane of glass (double glazed) as it was secure so they werent concerned.

i did have to call the council out every couple of months at my old place as the front door lock was broken, and once at the new place where the front door handle completly fell off.

barbamama · 19/08/2007 14:45

I think I made it quite clear that in my experience it was a minority of people that caused problems and I don't see that I used the phrase ALL social housing tenants (or ALL at all - I don't make sweeping generalisations) anywhere in my posts. I also know that people meeting certain criteria excluding disabilities did receive free taxis - not that that is particularly important, and how you can know every policy of every local council seems unlikely to me. I can understand that you have a chip on your shoulder and feel that people that discuss these issues are looking down on you - that is exactly the point I was trying to make. It is a recipe for misunderstanding and tension but I can't think of a better solution - can you?

Original poster
Fimbo · 19/08/2007 14:46

Oh lordy a year of a boarded up window, my life is going to be hell you know, he will just go on and on and on. Thank goodness he is off to India.

OP posts:
nutcracker · 19/08/2007 14:47

Would you rather private home owners and social housing tennants were housed completely seperatly then Barbamama ??

LadyVictoriaOfCake · 19/08/2007 14:47

fimbo if they are HA theywill get it fixed before a YEAR, LOL. I OWNED THE FLAT SO COULDNT AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. oops, dd3 pressing keys sorry for caps.

nutcracker · 19/08/2007 14:48

One of my windows was broken when I moved in to my house, and that was after the HA had completed the refurb. Broken windows are no where near priority.

Original poster
Fimbo · 19/08/2007 14:49

Phew thanks Misdee!

Tbh, I would bite my arm off to live in one of them, as they are in a lovely village.

OP posts:
Original poster
Fimbo · 19/08/2007 14:51

I keep telling him to calm down. We don't know the how the window got broken. The developer is still building houses so anything could have happened. But my dh has put 2 & 2 together and come up with 5.

OP posts:
LadyVictoriaOfCake · 19/08/2007 14:52

tell him he is a snob

Original poster
Fimbo · 19/08/2007 14:56

I have -lol . Just as well he doesn't know about the shopping trolley (which I have reported to the shop so hopefully will be gone by the time he gets back)

OP posts:
ShinyHappyPeopleGoingNuts · 19/08/2007 14:57

Sorry.. sorry... the urge to ask is bursting out of me but it is aimed at your DH not you Fimbo.... does he not have any real problems to concern himself over? Surely he does! Surely! A broken window in someone else's hosue on the same negihbourhood really can't be that much of a big deal to anyone can it? Can it? I wouldn't barely notice it.. and I live on a nice estate surrounded by a lot of private AND social housing...

Original poster
Fimbo · 19/08/2007 15:06

Yep thats the point though Shiny, something like a broken window that wouldn't really upset anyone else really is a big deal to him. I told him he needs to calm down or he will give himself a coronary living there. He has "ishoos" as well about people parking on the pavement and not putting them in their garages. (some of the houses are townhouses with open garages).

OP posts:
Aimsmum · 19/08/2007 15:13

Message withdrawn

contentiouscat · 19/08/2007 15:22

Fimbo - I dont think you are being a snob at all, you have invested a hell of a lot of money by buying your home, only fair that you dont want it devalued if your neighbours/ha dont maintain the other properties.

On of my friends lives in a ha property and has a constant battle with her DH when she wants to do any work on it...he thinks its a waste of money as it doesnt "belong" to them, even though they intend to live there 20 years or more.

KerryMumbledore · 19/08/2007 15:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 19/08/2007 15:35

I live on a new development in a pokey 2 up 2 down terrace owned by a housing association we are next to private owned homes and rows and rows of private rented homes.
Infact there are more homes which are rented out to students/groups of young people than there are families and these houses were built to rent out, you can see that by the standard of the house and the fact they have 3 parking bays and no garden!

When we moved in to our house 3 years ago things were quiet on most levels. The only problem we had was from the 'show house' representative who seemed to have a grudge on 'the council house tenants' (how ignorant). We recieved no end of letters from the housing association with complaints of 'children playing outside' and 'wheelie bins looking ugly'!!
We had communal recycling wheelie bins installed from our local Council and these were removed by the rep at the show house as they 'look ugly'.
The best letter I recieved was asking us to keep our 14 month old child inside and not to cause trouble in the street!
I am a very proud person and do not believe that whether you rent or buy makes you any different in how tidy your garden is or how clean you are!
You can guarantee where ever you live there will be one family/house which will 'let the street down'.

chocolatemummy · 19/08/2007 15:36

I dont want to get into an argument on here but i do come accross this a lot with my work and find that the intergration thing about 'mixed communiies and not estates' is not really working it causes moe division and conflict i think

mumfor1standfinaltime · 19/08/2007 15:44

'Mixed communities' lol! Is there a new race then?

Hi, my name is mumfor1standfinaltime I am infact 'a h/a renter' and not 'a buyer'. Oh the shame

Of course all people who rent a h/a house are either unemployed, stupid, single parents, scroungers, can't afford a car and leaving shopping trolleys outside, own a caravan with no wheels...

Or they could just be a couple with one child, both work, have a car, keep the house tidy and clean as they have respect for others and are infact priced out of the housing market..?
You decide!

chocolatemummy · 19/08/2007 15:51

its not my statement, I read it on a housing policy publication, think it was something like " Building cooperative communities, not estates" or something like that and went opn to talk about putting homeowners alongside tennats to promote awareness and harmony amongts traditionally marginalsided groups.

BUT I think on brand new estates the fact that people have to spend a fortune to buy a new house on one and then next door is HA is whatever you say causing alot of resentment

chocolatemummy · 19/08/2007 15:53

sorry about shite typing lol

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