Do the council still give those voucher things for decorating when you move in?

andyarran

My first post here, long time lurker though.

I live in a Housing Association house and have never been on the dole in my life.

Social housing in a lot of areas are a basic requirement. I am from and currently live on the Isle of Arran where there is such a low availability of affordable homes its crazy. A lot of the houses here are 'holiday homes'. Places like this need social housing. It's not just a thing for the uneducated and work shy.

Young people growing up in a place like Arran where jobs are generally seasonal and most rather pathetically paid should be allowed to stay in the place they grew up. One can't compete with someone selling their £800k house and buying three here.

I find it disheartening that it's easy to slam people in social housing, as if by natural, they are scum bags who don't work and take from the state. One won't mention the fact that the cheaper private rents here generally are taken by the Polish people who come here and send a lot of their money back home. Easily done when you move 10 Polish people into a 2 bedroom house. No hope for a young person or couple not willing to live in such sqauler.

As for free paint, i think i might give the Housing Association a shout. Probably unlikely to get any as i look after this house for which i'm grateful for.

Probably totally off-topic

Scully38

Wee_Willy_Harris wrote: »

No. I think that ANY tenant should expect a home they are renting to be of a reasonable decorative standard as a minimum. HA/LA decoration vouchers are only given if/when they can be justified.

I think it's appalling. I own my house outright (through my parents death). I am on JSA after losing my government job and my house is badly in need of deoration and the toilet has been broken for 2 months. Do I get help? Not a single penny for help to fix the loo and they refuse to give me help even on a loan basis to fix the house so I am able to sell it for a decent price. But because I own my house I qualify for zip even though i've worked all my life. So why do they qualify and I don't? Just because its owned by someone else? That's called discrimination in my book!

Wee_Willy_Harris

Scully38 wrote: »

I think it's appalling. I own my house outright (through my parents death). I am on JSA after losing my government job and my house is badly in need of deoration and the toilet has been broken for 2 months. Do I get help? Not a single penny for help to fix the loo and they refuse to give me help even on a loan basis to fix the house so I am able to sell it for a decent price. But because I own my house I qualify for zip even though i've worked all my life. So why do they qualify and I don't? Just because its owned by someone else? That's called discrimination in my book!

It is your choice to live in such conditions. But you do have the luxury of choice, something many less fortunate than you do not.

Scully38

Wee_Willy_Harris wrote: »

It is your choice to live in such conditions. But you do have the luxury of choice, something many less fortunate than you do not.

Its my choice to live in this condition? What makes you say that? I am only able to take certain jobs because of my disability, and employers that make an assumption about me, so turn me down. SO whats my luxury? Selling my house because I have to? Being in debt upto my eyeballs to pay for urgent priorities? My point is, if I up and left my home, said I was homeless, i'd have everything paid for me, including painting and decorating apparently. So why do people choose to work? If i went into a council house, repairs, decorating, council tax, rent would be paid for. If you own your own house, you get to live with nothing and have nothing repaired/decorated because you've no money.

And !!!!!!!! in a bucket for two months is just so luxurious...

Wee_Willy_Harris

Scully38 wrote: »

Its my choice to live in this condition? What makes you say that? I am only able to take certain jobs because of my disability, and employers that make an assumption about me, so turn me down. SO whats my luxury? Selling my house because I have to? Being in debt upto my eyeballs to pay for urgent priorities? My point is, if I up and left my home, said I was homeless, i'd have everything paid for me, including painting and decorating apparently. So why do people choose to work? If i went into a council house, repairs, decorating, council tax, rent would be paid for. If you own your own house, you get to live with nothing and have nothing repaired/decorated because you've no money.

And !!!!!!!! in a bucket for two months is just so luxurious...

But that is YOUR choice. And you have that choice. You could sell the house, rent a property, apply to the council/HA. You'd have a few quid in the bank and someone else would be liable for routine repairs and maintenance. Many don't have that option, so lucky you.

BrettMorganxD

Wee_Willy_Harris wrote: »

But that is YOUR choice. And you have that choice. You could sell the house, rent a property, apply to the council/HA. You'd have a few quid in the bank and someone else would be liable for routine repairs and maintenance. Many don't have that option, so lucky you.

I guess there is plus and down sides to both owning and renting. Sent my application off today for the council. Didn't ask about decoration, I will see when offered a property

KateLiana27

To answer the original question - quick call to the relevant council will tell you one way or the other.

PinkKiwi

Credit-Crunched wrote: »

Why o why do i bother working

Alot of people (like myself and my partner) who live in housing association/council houses DO WORK!! When we moved into our house there was no ceiling in the living room just joists and the floorboards in the bedroom above! Some peoples situations leave them unable to privately rent or buy and without the luxury of moving into a ready made home. We spent alot of money getting this house good enough to live in only for the council to then come in to FINALLY do some jobs and totally ruined all our hard work. That was the only reason we got a measly amount of decorating vouchers but they were for wilkinsons and not homebase and b&q were we had originally bought all our wallpaper beforehand.

People who work need to stop being so bitter about where their tax is going! I hope when you're in a bad situation and need to rely on benefits, a council house, decorating vouchers whatever that you then understand what its like to be there!!

Wee_Willy_Harris

PinkKiwi wrote: »

People who work need to stop being so bitter about where their tax is going! I hope when you're in a bad situation and need to rely on benefits, a council house, decorating vouchers whatever that you then understand what its like to be there!!

Whilst I don't disagree with most of your post, I do think that painting social housing as the last resort is more than a little disingenuous. With security of tenure, affordable rents, right to buy/acquire etc, social housing is the next best thing to ownership and a very desirable alternative to renting privately. This is reflected in the demand for social housing.

Decorating vouchers are paid for by the HA from rental revenue, not from the taxpayer direct.

moremore

Credit-Crunched wrote: »

Why o why do i bother working

You work to pay your council tax to pay for their employees pensions...they do not give anything away that is for sure. Look at the way they are closing down pension’s day centres all over. My council is paying for parenting classes for mother and babies.

Why do people have children if they do not know how to look after them.

It is probably council employees that are selling vouchers on ebay..[FONT=&quot][/FONT]