Family wants me to give up my social house and I'm not - wwyd?

[spicy2001]

I currently rent a three bedroom social housing property and I live on my own. Most of the rent is paid for by universal credit and I have to pay 25% bedroom tax which is very affordable to me which is for two rooms and a shortfall of £30.55p.

I did speak to a housing officer and they said I am legally allowed to occupy it, and as long as I pay the rent on time, tax and shortfall, then everything is fine. I don't feel guilty for occupying this three bedroom house, it's been my home since I was born.

Recently, I noticed that my family were talking a lot about me downsizing. I asked why are they talking about me downsizing? They said because I don't need this property and have to downsize.

I explained I'm legally allowed to stay here, this is my property and not yours. I get that I don't need this property but I'm staying here because I'm allowed too. I found out that they actually joined a site called "home swapper" and a site called "glass bob" my sibling set up an account using her email address to advertise my property. If I'm correct, I've never joined these so I don't know 100% but they're platforms where you can do mutual exchange and advertise your property.

I phoned my housing association and explained the situation, they've started an investigation and they are speaking to various departments to see if they can do it from the end to see if they can do anything as they approved it but they don't know if they can disapprove it.

The other day a tenant from another part of my cul-de-sac came round and told me she knows I'm downsizing and she has a friend whose currently living in a one bedroom flat with his wife and they've got a one year old daughter and another baby on the way. I explained to this person my family have been trying to get me to downsize to a one bedroom flat and I'm not actually looking to downsize so I won't swap with them but told her I do sympathize with their situation.

She told all my neighbours about her friend and now all the neighbours are peed off at me because I'm not downsizing. My family are also peed of that I'm not downsizing. As far as I'm concerned I don't care as I have the legal right to stay here for as long as I like or want.

I just wanted to know though what would you do if you was in my situation?

Do you have the option to buy the property in the future ?

You could get a lodger when you start your Uni course, that way you will have extra income can split the bills. A room each & a study. You would need to check with HA - maybe get another mature student .
You would possibly be in a better position to save and also be helping another single person- just a thought.

Your main concern is looking after yourself and keeping a secure roof over your head - private renting is not as good as a secure tenancy.

Good luck with uni .

Legal yes, moral no. But you don't care which says so much about who you are as a person. Carry on OP.

I can't believe anyone is suggesting you move because it is 'morally correct'. The twattery on this thread is breathtaking.

Stay put, OP. When we see laws against second homes, against anyone owning a home with more bedrooms than they have people, when housebuilding of affordable properties meets demand...then consider moving.

Until then, stay in your home.

I honestly can’t believe that your family have so little to do in their own lives, that they seem to be putting so much energy and effort into this. Why would they even care? It all sounds a bit batshit….

Stay where you are, and don't go into private renting ever! It's shit

They’re probably annoyed because you’re one person and you’re taking up a family sized home and have the rent paid for. I think they’ve taken it too far by signing you up to swap sites but it sounds like they have personal reasons. Do they live in inadequate housing themselves?
if I were in your situation I’d be swapping as I’ve been through housing issues myself and couldn’t sleep knowing my home was not only free but far to big for me when there are homeless kids out there.

This 100%.

Your family are unbelievable. Buy the house OP, that will really piss them off. 😂

Isn't it just? The idea thst anyone in the real world would sacrifice the home they love for the benefit of a family of strangers is beyond ridiculous. I doubt there's single person on here who's done anything of this magnitude solely for 'moral reasons' in their lives.

It really beggars belief how many posters think this girl is doing nothing wrong, this is social, subsidised housing - what does one person possibly even need three bedrooms for? Nobody is asking her to go into private rented, she has an offer to swap to a far more appropriate one bed flat! When there are families in need living in homes far too small for them? No good blaming the government here when people are this horribly individualistic. It's repugnant and I actually did grow up in social housing, lots of assumptions being made here. No doubt this is going to end up in the tabloids and turn even more people against those who actually need social housing and want to use it responsibly.

I'd be well pissed off with them OP

You're looking at it back to front. It's a fair rent, there's no mortgage being paid, there's no profit being made. It isn't a reduced rent. Nor is it free or bloody subsidised.

The problem isnt in SH at all.

@Oliotya

Most 21/22 year olds don't live in nice bungalows with nice gardens or driveways. That's not a realistic expectation. She's young, a student, no dependents. She absolutely should be able to stay with HA, but a flat is perfectly reasonable and appropriate for her circumstances. She may not legally have to leave, she bloody well should.

Yeah, she is not going to leave just because you want her to. You sound like one of the OP's family LMFAO!

@TiredandHungry19

It really beggars belief how many posters think this girl is doing nothing wrong, this is social, subsidised housing - what does one person possibly even need three bedrooms for? Nobody is asking her to go into private rented, she has an offer to swap to a far more appropriate one bed flat! When there are families in need living in homes far too small for them?

No good blaming the government here when people are this horribly individualistic. It's repugnant and I actually did grow up in social housing, lots of assumptions being made here. No doubt this is going to end up in the tabloids and turn even more people against those who actually need social housing and want to use it responsibly.

It's clear you are desperate for social housing, and cannot get it, but that doesn't give you the green light to be so horrible to her (and to everyone else occupying social housing with one or more spare bedrooms.) NO-ONE will give up their family home with 3 bedrooms, that they may need later on if they have children themselves, for a poxy 1 bed flat in a shitty block. As I said, social housing flats are often minging.

On the estate I live on, they sub let the rooms they have in their house, some are loaded.

Well yeah clearly she's not going to leave because I say so. But it's a public forum so I've expressed my opinion that I believe she shouldn't be given the choice.

OP, that's an idea.

It is not OPs fault the situation you are in.. neither does she owe you anything. It's just how the system works and she carried on the tenancy, which is allowed as it also stops a lot of children/spouses being kicked out on the streets should the naked tenant pass away. OP is totally entitled to stay in her HOME, your situation is not her fault

Your family have done the wrong thing but I think you should downsize to give another family a family sized home

I was in a housing association property, had nightmare neighbors and the HA suggested I move as that's easier than them dealing with the behaviour problems of the neighbour.
I did look at mutual exchanges and they were all horrific. There was not a single home in habitable condition.
My house was clean, nicely decorated, cared for and with a nicely maintained garden. There was absolutely no way I'd swap for a house missing internal doors, holes in walls and gardens filled with rubbish.
(Although from the alternative view who would want to move into my home knowing at some point the neighbours will get drunk and party till 3am smashing things!)

IF you decide to downsize, from the description of your home, you should be demanding a lot.
This isn't just having somewhere smaller but having somewhere the offers the same condition of your home, an understanding of neighbours, plus knowing if it alters the type of tenancy agreement you have.

Why is everyone falling for this crap - the OP is clearly a troll posting an entirely fictional but controversial 'situation'. The original post and all the 'updates' scream goady bollocks

There's lots of people under occupying properties and not just in social housing. Think of all those baby boomers in large three and four bedroom houses limiting available houses and driving up prices. Nobody is telling them to move out.

I was thinking that too after reading all their replies.

Totally not on what your family did, I'm sorry to hear they're treating you like that.

Also, it's the same with anything on here that comes from the government, pensions, bus passes, always people willing to say if you're taking anything from the government they should be allowed to scrutinise the so-called morality of it.

Clearly. Flushes all the twats out lovely though.

I don't think anything is going to top SH tenants being compared to Philip Schofield in future threads. That one is right up there.

@Oliotya I'm not desperate for social housing, can you even read? I said I grew up in it. Idiot.