Anyone live on a new build estate with Social Housing?

AnnieO1234

The sh homes on our new build estate (2012-2014) are all rent to buy deals. They're apartments that are out of the way and don't cause any problems, partly as the rentals are much higher than local rental rates. Xxx

cells

Celifein wrote: »

I'm not looking for something that isn't there, I was trying to understand something that is there (i.e. your comment about problems with neighbours).

I lived in social housing for about 3 years when I was a child and we had no problems with neighbours, so I'm trying to understand why you thought they'd cause problems.

I am happy to take your bait

Most councils put in the most needy people into the social stock and these people generally do have more social problems than the average family. That does not just mean poor people but mentally ill and social difficult people too. Also the homes are rented so upkeep and pride in the estate will be lower.

You may cry discrimination but its the simple truth. I grew up in a council estate. The neighbors right across the road from us killed someone buried the body in epping forest and we heard about it when the police finally cough up with them and borded the house up wth metal shutters and had police stationed there for a while. Another neighbor seemed to have frequent brawls in the street (mostly with his own family).

My advice to the OP would be to make sure you are getting a sufficient discount relative to the private roads to make the higher risk worthwhile. and of course you will be selling at a similar discount down the road

PixelPound

AdrianC wrote: »

OK, that's a different question.

Social housing means they're owned by a housing association and rented out to those who qualify for them - usually, because they are lower income. They occupy part of the market segment that used to be occupied by council housing.

There can be a variety of different qualifications for it.. They may exclude people on housing benefit, so if the worry is you'll be living next to someone who will trash the neighbourhood, its highly unlikely. Usually you have to provide references etc and they can be much sort after.

Builders and estate agents don't like to highlight them because most buyers of new builds don't want to buy next door to any SH, as they worry it will effect resale values

[Deleted User]

Thanks for all the info, its something i will look into more with regards to the development, but for now my question has been answered.

Money_maker

Or it might be a new housing estate with a percentage of SH earmarked for 'trouble' families that they are shipping in from other large cities in the UK hundreds of miles away. Best to speak to local residents near the development.

[Deleted User]

Its worth asking more questions if you are brave enough. Some of these schemes do eliminate people who've caused any problems in the past (restricted lettings schemes), some don't. Some can be affordable lettings and charge a higher rent than social lettings (so someone could assume a better type of neighbour). But unfortunately its all down to chance. Anyone can be a problem neighbour and bring a whole street down, you just can't predict it.

A LL could buy one of the 'purchase' houses and let it out to nightmare tenants. You just don't know in advance.

I have lived on streets where there was just one problem family.., and it affects the whole street, whether in a council estate or a 'purchased' estate.

Jon_B_2

If you go onto your local authority planning portal and look at the planning application for your development, there will be a downloadable plan which should detail what type of social housing is being built.

Usually it is either shared ownership, social rent or both.

I've lived on a number of new build estates, indeed I do now. All you need to know is that it is obvious which are shared ownership and which are social rent. Clue, I'm content with shared ownership properties nearby.

System

The new build SH in my area is only given to existing tenants who have paid rent on time and never caused a problem.

lush_walrus

Your best bet would be to find out who the housing association is if you do not already know and speak to them about who goes on their list.

For example, a couple of housing associations take from the local council list, another I've worked with use it to relocate from their older schemes so they can redevelop those.

If they take from the local council list have a think about what is nearby. It could give you an idea of who may inhabit the properties, one of the London boroughs 1 bed list is only ex offenders as there is a prison that releases nearby and the priority is to get those out of temporary housing.

TheGardener

I live on an 1950's built estate of 2 and 3 bed semis (so this is not a new idea). Its a large mixed estate - with a mix of social (council) and private housing. Since RTB was introduced, about 40% of the social housing has been bought by the tenants. Its probably one of the most popular estates in the area and houses sell in days if they come on the market.
The best communities are mixed ones - too many of any demographic (single mums, elderly, out of work) make unbalanced communities that don't work well. Yes, the estate has a one or two problem families - but they don't live exclusively in the social housing stock. With social housing there is at least access to the Housing Officers who can intervene if tenants are a problem - you don't get that if the house if privately owned. I would say the biggest threat to our 'balanced' community is the BTL landlords who buy ex social housing and let to anyone without the checks and support the social housing tenants have.
There is no magic formula to protect you from bad neighbours - even those in high end properties/area come across those now and again.
The only problem I find with new build estates is that there is no settled 'community' and it can take a few years for the estate to have a community you can get a feel for when buying property.