Would you live in a housing estate made only for middle class people?

[Melvinaa]

/afforded only by those with professional salaries?

I’ve always lived in areas where poor and rich live cheek by jowl. But I’m considering move to a housing estate which is designed/afforded only by professional people. So the overall demographics are going to be very middle class because rents range from £2000-£5000

Hell no, I wouldn't live there. I'm a 'professional', but the kind of person who would choose this is exactly the sort of person I don't want as a neighbour.

In theory, they do.

In practice, what happens is, the developer says 'we'll build 16 out of 40 affordable' homes, council says 'beezer!', developer starts building, then goes back to the council further down the line and says 'the economy has changed, things are far more expensive now, we can only afford to build 2 / zero affordable homes now in order to make a profit our shareholders will accept.

The council has two choices. No new homes. Or new homes for the wealthy.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m001rkn5/britains-housing-crisis-what-went-wrong

(I might have exaggerated a bit - that programme should set it straight)

Would I pass the background check?! I went to a private school, good job, but single parent, child that lives at home at a good university. If they'd have us, I'd move 😅

This scenario reminds me of that episode of broken mirror with Bryce Howard. So good.

These professions don’t make people nice or good neighbours. I know plenty of medical and legal people through uni and work who are people I wouldn’t want to live anywhere near.

Presumably the checks don’t include anyone they may choose to live with or have spending a lot of time at their property.

Where I live though, it is very working class. Small terraced houses not new but not period, 80s, privately owned. Lots of vans. Loads of screeching kids, loads of neighbours who stand outside their gate talking and staring at people who walk past, you wouldn't see that in a more middle class area. A few times, I have been tempted to say "can I help you". My accent sets me apart a bit here. They all ignore me. They can't pigeon hole me. So they ignore me, but are all yapping over their wall at each other.

Sounds weird - is that even legal? I thought developers had to build a % of affordable or social housing to even get planning permission, especially in London. Is it something like Nine Elms? I live in London and the Nine Elms development has become a laughing stock, half of the apartments are empty and the service charges are so stupidly high to run all the facilities (like the sky pool) that loads of people moved out. There’s no sense of community in developments like that, it’s too forced and building a plush lounge with a pool table doesn’t mean anyone actually talks to each other. I wouldn’t like it personally, I’d also assume everyone was a judgy poser with some nasty opinions about poor people.

I wouldn't live on an estate at all

Loadamoney does not = middle class.

Loadsamoney can sometimes mean no class whatsoever.

Let’s keep up with the Jones

I thought that staring at people walking past was an active pastime for the middle classes - just done from behind curtains!

There are no screeching kids or screeching adults on my estate. Very multigenerational, including people living a few doors away from their parents or grandparents. Everyone polite and friendly. I live on a council estate - although mainly ex-council now.

Luckily none of my neighbours seem to think they are better than others - as you obviously do.

Intrigued to know where this is…

is it Highgate or similar?
can’t think of anywhere else that has what is essentially gated living on private roads

The thought of having to pass a background check regarding my profession to see if I’m ’the right sort’ is awful.

I’d not want to live there on those grounds alone.

I live in quite a ‘posh’ area now and I find people are vastly more concerned about crime etc than when I lived in a dodgy area with loads of problems. Which is strange, IMO, as it’s so safe.

£2k isn’t a high rent for London IMO.

Four mates in a house share could be renting a house for £4k a month.

Part of me thinks this just stinks but also part of me thinks - doesn't this just happen in the open market?

As I have gone up the property ladder, you buy / rent places you can afford.

I love the house and community I live in. It was a pricey house - everyone on the street is white collar professional (various sectors) or a retired professional. No background checks but I guess we could all afford to live here. Also lucky to have lovely neighbours who all look out for each other but not too nosey.

What happens if these perfect residents lose their jobs or do something nefarious that ends in punishment or worse? Is the family escorted off the development with pitchforks?

My plumber pays £2k in rent for his house. Would you feel at ease living near him?

Background check:

1. Do you buy naice ham Y/N?
2. Are your DC in "indies"
3. Waitrose or Morrisons?
4. Who Gives A Crap to wipe your arse or just supermarket own brand?
5. Brioche or white sliced for elevenses?
6. Quinoa or chips for tea?
7. Boden or Nike?

Stealth boast surely?

The trouble is (for op, anyway), non professionals can earn enough to buy in affluent neighbourhoods.
She seems to imagine that living amongst lawyers, doctors, dentists, etc. will guarantee the neighbours will be delightful.
I can only imagine she hasn't yet experienced it...

I doubt this tbh. The average trade salary is now £10k higher than the average graduate salary so there are a lot of well off people who aren't 'professionals'.

I can't see them turning away a self employed plumber making £70k.

Yes I would

You guys still distinguishing between working and middle classes?

Aren't we mostly "working people"? Vs aristos and very wealthy folks who live purely off assets.

I’ve only just found out about Poundbury, (Prince) King Charles’s toy town built on Duke of Cornwall land outside Dorchester, his pastiche of a Regency village.

It’s still being built, but it came about after his “carbuncle on the face of a beloved friend” speech.
Of course he brought in large construction firms to do the work but he has the last say on everything (including silly rules like all windows must be wooden framed).

I don’t know about social housing provision but apparently MC people can’t get enough of it and are paying scandalous prices to live or rent there.
HMO applications would be shot down in seconds…