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Original poster

'Affordable housing'...what kind of people to expect?

123 replies

PussinJimmyChoos · 27/01/2010 20:47

DH and I are looking to move house. We quite like the idea of a new build and have been looking at plots etc

One thing we have noticed is that all of these new developments have a certain number of affordable housing houses

What DH and I don't want, is to invest our money in what would be our forever house and then find we have problem with the kind of tennants placed in the affordable housing - from what I have heard and seen on other developments, some of the tennants housed in affordable housing are not ideal neighbours and can be quite disruptive

Before I get jumped on, I am not being a snob. We work hard for our money and its a massive investment that we want to be sure is right for us

OP posts:
Georgimama · 27/01/2010 20:50

"'Affordable housing'...what kind of people to expect?"

Ones with horns, and third nipples. They'll steal your milk off the doorstep and try to eat your children, but as they are so visible to the naked eye with the horns and everything, you'll be able to avoid them.

HTH

GypsyMoth · 27/01/2010 20:52

you might have problems with the neighbours who are also investing their cash......pot luck with neighbours,tenants or otherwise!

what kind of people to expect? normal people with a few bad eggs thrown in i guess!! same as anywhere

GypsyMoth · 27/01/2010 20:53

tenants like me perhaps?? lone parent with five children,2 of which are teenagers and the other 3 are boys!

Original poster
PussinJimmyChoos · 27/01/2010 20:56

Its only because I heard that affordable housing gets offered to 'problem families' and I was trying to ascertain whether this is the case

OP posts:
GypsyMoth · 27/01/2010 20:59

urban myth,dont believe everything you hear!!

expatinscotland · 27/01/2010 21:00

i think if it's that much of a concern to you, i'd give a new build a swerve.

or find out if the affordable housing is to rent or to buy (shared ownership, for example).

a shared ownership person will, of course, have to have a mortgage and to get that will, by default, likely be in employment.

moomoomalarky · 27/01/2010 21:16

As most young people and FTB's can only afford 'affordable housing' these days I would say you will get all sorts on a new build estate!

Professional couples and young families are most likely to buy 'affordable housing'. Obviously the housing association rentals are more likely to be people who have been on the council housing waiting list.

GypsyMoth · 28/01/2010 00:10

Not what you hoped to hear I guess

ToccataAndFudge · 28/01/2010 00:13

PMSL Georgimama

FWIW - the only real "problem" neighbours we've had was on this street a year or so back - no a single council/HA house on the street - was some private (working) tenants in the house opposite - were a f*cking nightmare.

thesecondcoming · 28/01/2010 00:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GrendelsMum · 28/01/2010 08:46

I'd never heard of this idea that affordable housing would be inhabited by dubious people until about 2 weeks ago, when a friend of a friend said 'ooh, I couldn't live there as there are affordable homes'. I really was quite baffled. The members of my family who are in planning / building had never mentioned it, and nor did anyone in either our previous village, our current village, or the village nearby when it was suggested that affordable homes should be built. My sister who works in planning repeatedly said she would be very pleased to live in an affordable home if she had met the criteria.
In our current village, there was a proposal that affordable homes should be built about 50m away from us, and it was generally agreed that the concept of affordable homes in the village was a very good thing, but that the particular proposed location wasn't suitable. It certainly didn't bother me, except that I prefer fields to houses in general.

I don't know whether in some parts of the world you get a better class of affordable home owner , or whether it's an urban myth.

Or are you confusing affordable housing with something else?

GypsyMoth · 28/01/2010 09:23

whats the alternative to affordable homes?

over priced ones where your mortgage is taking majority of your income leaving you to kive off credit cards.....i'd sneer on THOSE people...the ones who think they are 'homeowners' (the bank owns it for majority of time) but more likely to be repossessed cos they've over stretched themselves to avoid people who live in affordable housing.

thesecondcoming · 28/01/2010 09:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GypsyMoth · 28/01/2010 10:00

where do you presently live op??

psychomum5 · 28/01/2010 10:11

every single building project that happens now, that is housing, has to by law include at least 30% 'affordable housing'. this is because of the government selling off so much of the social housing stock ( at the government).

you are being awfully presumptious to think that all affordable housing is going to be filled with dubious tenents.

you are indeed sounding like a snob!

aSilverLining · 28/01/2010 10:14
Hmm
titchy · 28/01/2010 10:42

If you don't want to live near some 'affordable housing' you'll have to avoid new-builds then. ALL new developments have to have a proportion set aside for affordable housing in order to get planning permission. In reality from my limited experience they tend to be sold to housing associations who then rent them out, usually on a part buy part rent basis. In order to qualify tenants have to jump through many hoops - my mum lives in one where you have to be over 55 (she is as middle class as middle class can be!).

You will be highly unlikely to be living next door to Frank Gallagher.

And yes you are being a snob!

Original poster
PussinJimmyChoos · 28/01/2010 14:21

In my defence, I know of someone renting on a new housing estate. There are some affordable houses across from her and she has said the tennants are from the council and a total pita.

Not far from these affordable houses are houses costing in the region of £350K...we both agree that if you have spent that much money, you shouldn't have to put up with PITA tennants.

I have no problem whatsoever with affordable housing, my concern is that in some cases housing associatations don't seem to be too bothered who they put in and when you have invested in a house, you don't want this sort of added stress

OP posts:
FuriousGeorge · 28/01/2010 14:32

Don't worry,the 'affordable' homes built in the village next to us are 'only' £255,00 for a 3 bed townhouse,so that put a stop to poor people buying them.It stopped everyone buying them in fact,a year later they are still empty.

Bramshott · 28/01/2010 14:52

"We both agree that if you have spent that much money, you shouldn't have to put up with PITA tennants"
I don't think it's possible to buy yourself immunity from bad neighbours?!?!

lou031205 · 28/01/2010 15:00

My good friend has just been allocated a beautiful 3 bed property in a new-build estate. Her husband is actually a regional bank manager, and they are HA tenants.

GothDetective · 28/01/2010 15:17

You will probably get plenty of nurses, coppers, office workers, sales assistant, etc. Ordianry people in ordinary jobs who don't earn a fortune.

GrendelsMum · 28/01/2010 15:29

Mind you, I do think that anyone who lives in a new build estate is a bit chavvy. The more expensive the house, the chavvier the person, in my experience. They're just Not Quite Our Sort, Darling.

GrendelsMum · 28/01/2010 15:31

Sorry, thought that outrageous sarcasm was going to be the only way to stop myself being extraordinarily rude.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 28/01/2010 15:34

'Affordable housing'...what kind of people to expect....

Charming.

Unfortunately, they don't seem to build 'affordable housing' in compounds to keep us 'affordable housing' dwellers safe from the likes of you.