Council house debate

fabbman

I have been privately renting for 4 years now and just received a lecture form a family member about 'throwing my money down the drain' and need to vent my frustration somewhere.

Firstly this lecture came from a person who lived in a council house for 30 years and then bought it for 25k! Where are council houses for me & my partner? We enquired about obtainng one and were told that we are 'adequately' housed - of course we are we pay £700 a month for the Bl**dy privilege! :mad:

My argument in this was why was it the council's obligation to provide houses to the likes of him anyway, surely people should pay for the house they choose to live in and not say ' the council need to find me a house'

I think all council tenants should me made to apply for their homes every 5 years to see if more eligible people could benefit, after all some council tenants pay £70 a week with incomes of 30-40k per annum.

Sorry just had to rant!

Nosht

Probably the relative means that you should be paying a mortgage rather than renting.


N.

ILW

fabbman wrote: »

I have been privately renting for 4 years now and just received a lecture form a family member about 'throwing my money down the drain' and need to vent my frustration somewhere.

Firstly this lecture came from a person who lived in a council house for 30 years and then bought it for 25k! Where are council houses for me & my partner? We enquired about obtainng one and were told that we are 'adequately' housed - of course we are we pay £700 a month for the Bl**dy privilege! :mad:

My argument in this was why was it the council's obligation to provide houses to the likes of him anyway, surely people should pay for the house they choose to live in and not say ' the council need to find me a house'

I think all council tenants should me made to apply for their homes every 5 years to see if more eligible people could benefit, after all some council tenants pay £70 a week with incomes of 30-40k per annum.

Sorry just had to rant!

Get yourself a drink problem and knock out 3 or 4 sproggs and you will get a council place.

ladymarmalade1970

I know exactly what you mean and i think it's extremely unfair that council tenants are allowed to buy their housing at a reduced rate. Both my best mate and my sister can afford to have low paid work and live in houses that they only have because they made such massive profit on the council houses they brought at reduced rate and then sold.

xtcc

I lived in a council house for 20 years.

Down sides were... the neighbours and the stigma, I was ashamed and embarassed to admit we lived in a council house. Only because of other peoples ideas of what that meant.

Good points...It provided security for myself and my family. If we were out of work the rent was fully paid, through housing benefit.

We missed out on the massive discounts as Labour capped it when they took over. Then house prices increased and even with the £25,000 capped discount we couldn't afford it.

Now im in a totally different situation (marriage break up). My fiance and I pay £475pm to privately rent a 2 bed flat.My ex kept the 3 bed council house with 100ft back garden, in a better area and pays £390pm (if i remember right).

We have to ask permission to put a picture on a wall.

The council house you can treat as your own as long as you don't knock any walls down and have the option to buy with discount.

fabbman

Nosht wrote: »

Probably the relative means that you should be paying a mortgage rather than renting.


N.

Yes that's exaxtly what he meant, how does someone without a deposit or bank of mum & dad afford a 25% deposit on a house circa 200k??

My point is housing and society has changed, there is no longer affordable housing for everyday people.

poppysarah

fabbman wrote: »

My point is housing and society has changed, there is no longer affordable housing for everyday people.

Housing is now unaffordable?

A sad state of affairs.

Write to your MP about it (but check how many properties they own - mine owns loads)

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmregmem.htm

AdamMc90

Why are council houses offered at reduced rates? Surely, hard working people who pay their way should get the discounts when trying to get a decent home for themselves and their family?!

poppysarah

AdamMc90 wrote: »

Why are council houses offered at reduced rates? !

They're not.
Private housing is more expensive because private has to make a profit.

PasturesNew

Years ago I had a friend who was a single mother - and she was a bad one. She got her council flat because she had a baby. She used the flat to invite all and sundry to sit around and get drunk. She kept a dog under the stairs, with a door she'd removed just leaning against the stairs to keep him in, of course the dog'd jump out and !!!!!! all over the flat. She never cleaned up.

Eventually her lad was taken from her (fully justified for many other reasons I won't go into), yet she still kept the council place... and filled it with dogs/cats who poo'd everywhere. She was living the life of riley with her cheap rent.

fabbman

As much as it pains me to say it, my sister has a council house, and pays £90 a week!

She has a massive corner plot with 3 bedrooms and semi-detached, I would love to live in such a house for £90 a week, I pay £175! She always has money for take-away meals, going to the pub, cinema, bowling etc.....

I am a responsible spender by nature and can't afford everyday luxuries, just having a roof over our heads and food on the table is hard enough! She on the other hand does not even think of the repercussions of spending on junk food etc.... how come the irresponsible seem to get rewarded?