Do Councils / Housing Associations Buy Houses?

mimi1234

Hi all,

I was just having a conversation with my Mother and she was toying with the idea of moving into a bungalow.

I'm not sure this house would sell normally because of the reputation of the "things" that live next door. I'm hoping it will sell but if it doesn't, does anyone know if Councils or Housing Associations buy houses, and if so, would it be at a very low price? The house would be very desirable because it has 5/6 bedrooms (the master bedroom used to be 2 bedrooms but got made into 1) and I know many Council / Housing Association properties rarely have more than 3/4 bedrooms.

I'm going to start phoning around on Monday but just thought I would ask on here in case anyone knew.

Thanks in advance.

marksoton

mimi1234 wrote: »

Hi all,

I was just having a conversation with my Mother and she was toying with the idea of moving into a bungalow.

I'm not sure this house would sell normally because of the reputation of the "things" that live next door. I'm hoping it will sell but if it doesn't, does anyone know if Councils or Housing Associations buy houses, and if so, would it be at a very low price? The house would be very desirable because it has 5/6 bedrooms (the master bedroom used to be 2 bedrooms but got made into 1) and I know many Council / Housing Association properties rarely have more than 3/4 bedrooms.

I'm going to start phoning around on Monday but just thought I would ask on here in case anyone knew.

Thanks in advance.

Well any problems with the "things" would need to be declared...

And that would be regardless of purchaser....

HappyMJ

mimi1234 wrote: »

Hi all,

I was just having a conversation with my Mother and she was toying with the idea of moving into a bungalow.

I'm not sure this house would sell normally because of the reputation of the "things" that live next door. I'm hoping it will sell but if it doesn't, does anyone know if Councils or Housing Associations buy houses, and if so, would it be at a very low price? The house would be very desirable because it has 5/6 bedrooms (the master bedroom used to be 2 bedrooms but got made into 1) and I know many Council / Housing Association properties rarely have more than 3/4 bedrooms.

I'm going to start phoning around on Monday but just thought I would ask on here in case anyone knew.

Thanks in advance.

Generally not but if you're looking for a quick sale then how about sending the property to auction.

If your mother owns the house outright then how about letting it out and renting a bungalow with the money. She could move within the next few weeks. A 5/6 bed house should be able to fetch quite a reasonable amount each month and should give her a decent income.

The tenants might not mind the "neighbours" and if they don't they'll be there for at least 6 months before they can move out.

I would personally hold onto it until the "neighbours" move on. It might take a few years but it sounds like their presence is devaluing the property quite significantly. They'll move on at some point in the future and you can sell this for it's full value.

mimi1234

marksoton wrote: »

Well any problems with the "things" would need to be declared...

And that would be regardless of purchaser....

Would problems with the "things" need to be declared even if we have just patiently put up with it all for years and years? It's never been reported to the Police or the Council. Well I did indirectly speak to the Council, but according to them, slamming doors all day every day is normal and how dare I waste their time!

HappyMJ wrote: »

Generally not but if you're looking for a quick sale then how about sending the property to auction.

If your mother owns the house outright then how about letting it out and renting a bungalow with the money. She could move within the next few weeks. A 5/6 bed house should be able to fetch quite a reasonable amount each month and should give her a decent income.

The tenants might not mind the "neighbours" and if they don't they'll be there for at least 6 months before they can move out.

I would personally hold onto it until the "neighbours" move on. It might take a few years but it sounds like their presence is devaluing the property quite significantly. They'll move on at some point in the future and you can sell this for it's full value.

Thanks so much for your advice. I doubt very much that the "things" will move out. They have had it customized exactly how they want it. Enough spare bedrooms so when the whole extended family come round, there is enough space for them all to party for a weekend or two.

The renting out idea sounds wonderful to be honest and we have thought about it. We've been perfect neighbours (can't be anything else, all our doors are on the other side of the house, so if we slammed them incessantly, the neighbours on the other side would be affected and why bother them when they are doing nothing to harm us).

I had not thought about the auction idea. I will run it past Mother again.

Thanks for your help.

HappyMJ

mimi1234 wrote: »

Would problems with the "things" need to be declared even if we have just patiently put up with it all for years and years? It's never been reported to the Police or the Council. Well I did indirectly speak to the Council, but according to them, slamming doors all day every day is normal and how dare I waste their time!




Thanks so much for your advice. I doubt very much that the "things" will move out. They have had it customized exactly how they want it. Enough spare bedrooms so when the whole extended family come round, there is enough space for them all to party for a weekend or two.

The renting out idea sounds wonderful to be honest and we have thought about it. We've been perfect neighbours (can't be anything else, all our doors are on the other side of the house, so if we slammed them incessantly, the neighbours on the other side would be affected and why bother them when they are doing nothing to harm us).

I had not thought about the auction idea. I will run it past Mother again.

Thanks for your help.

Unfortunately slamming doors is acceptable. It's not very nice but it's acceptable domestic noise so there's nothing you can do about it. You can have a quiet word with them and offer to pay for auto closers which will close the doors quietly and if they try and force the door they'll come against a force which will prevent them from slamming.

If you've never reported it and just made a enquiry as to whether this could potentially be a complaint then you don't actually need to mention it on the property information form.

Partying on the weekends...even all weekend again is normal domestic noise that you don't need to mention on a PIF. People have parties...it's expected. You don't need to mention normal things that you might find extremely annoying.

££sc££

Unlikely to want a property that big anymore, bedroom size criteria, benefit cap.....

[Deleted User]

Unless a council/housing association were specifically looking for such a large house (most families won't need so many bedrooms) they might not be interested. Rare isn't always popular, particularly if there are problems next door.

An auction might be a good idea but with a reserve price. If it didn't go at the auction you still might find that an interested bidder might try an negotiate a price that would be acceptable both to your mother and the bidder.

xylophone

Perhaps someone would want it to let out as student rooms etc?

Pay_me

mimi1234 wrote: »

Well I did indirectly speak to the Council, but according to them, slamming doors all day every day is normal and how dare I waste their time!

Just to advise any noise can potentially be a Statutory Nuisance (s79 Environmental Protection Act 1990). The phrasing in the Act is along the line of noise emitted from a premises so as to be a nuisance or prejudicial to health.

Now forget prejudicial to health in this instance as it was always intended to require evidence above and beyond that required to be a nuisance.

The issue with noise in a nuisance sense is that it is subjective. However if it can be proven that the noise event is having an impact upon your reasonable enjoyment of your property i.e. there is an interference then technically the local authority Environmental Health Officer can serve a section 80 notice on 'In the opinion of' and on a 'Nuisance likely to ocur' if the door slamming is to continue. Obviously the Local Authroity will need to undertake a noise investigation to determine if the evidence exists to serve the notice etc. Statutory Nuisance is under a criminal legislation so evidence beyond reasonable doubt is required. Also, you cannot remain anonymous if a notice is served.

Now the limitation is determining when that door slamming is above and beyond what would reasonably be expected and crosses from every day living noise in to a nuisance. The other issue is that if you are hearing the noise due to building deficiencies i.e. building type or lack of sound insulation then again no action can be taken.

Unfortunately with nuisance legislation there is no absolute standard. Noise levels especially those above background when the events are occurring and not will be taken in to account, but also assessment of the degree and extent of disturbance, time of day, duration, frequency disturbance caused etc etc etc.

It is not technically correct to say that door slamming all day every day is normal and every day living noise. It is however more normal to hear doors opening and closing in certain property types and certain property age groups and unless the events are excessive then pursuing it under nuisance is not likely to succeed.

Also, any complaint of this nature will need to be declared when selling the house etc. So think before registering any complaint.

Sorry if the above makes no sense typed it on a 4 inch phone screen!!

davidmcn

Social landlords generally speaking don't have capital to go round buying random houses. If councils have a requirement to house an unusually large household they'd probably rent a house rather than be stuck owning one they don't need a few years later.

mimi1234

Thanks all for your responses.

HAPPYMJ - they are not normal and if we let on the door slamming was affecting us this much, they would do it even more. I think one of the stupid parents opened and slammed the same door about 10 times on the trot today. There is nothing wrong with him mentally or physically may I add.

Thanks for the advice re: auctions, student lets etc. There is a huge Tesco Extra not too far from me and I know a fair few employees rent in a mill conversion not too far from this house. So that could be an option. The mill conversion is very very expensive to rent and this would be a lot cheaper. It would be ideal for 4 to 6 friends living together.

PAY_ME: I work for the Council anyway and I thought they would have "sided with me" (is that even a thing these days), but no. I'm also part of a forum where people suffer nasty neighbours and they have all been given the same answer. Non stop door slamming is fine. Hmmm.

Anyway, I never did it officially. I specifically said it was just an enquiry and they said they could not do a thing. I mentioned hoovering at random times, like first thing in the morning or late at night, and he said "your soundproofing must be really bad, we can't help, sorry". LOL.


Anyway, I will look into the options. I hope Mother still wants to move as she keeps changing her mind. I know it's not fair on her to suffer like this but at the end of the day, it's her choice if she wants to move or not. But I really appreciate your advice all.