Affordable / social housing - avoid or a does it just have a bad reputation?

Elfbert

I live in a shared ownership flat. On our development there's 7 blocks, 2 of which have a mix of Mayor's Covenant (don't really know what that is, tbh, but it counts as social), below-market-rent flats and SO.

Out of the entire estate there's one guy who likes to party loudly (he's an owner occupier) and a whole bunch of complaints about people parking like idiots. That's out of 500 odd flats.

We have a great resident's association, FB group, sub-groups for all sorts of clubs and things, it's very friendly. We've even adopted the stretch of canal that it our boundary and we go out litter-picking and tidying the area - local residents who've been here for years are now joining in with that, too, which is great.

The kids play outdoors - usually cricket, or riding bikes - it's great that they have space to. So it definitely wouldn't put me off. We're all just trying to live our lives, and all paying a whole lot of money to do so. No one wants to break their lease terms. (we're in London - even social housing doesn't come cheap.)

Bonniepurple

We used to be social housing (shared ownership). The street was mixed, and TBH the worst places were the buy to lets. I knew who else was shared ownership as we chatted about it. I was happy there, but we had the chance to upsize and grabbed it.

Some places are rough. Some places are nice. Some places are settled, where properties change hands once in a blue moon. Some places have new residents every 6 months. Get over it!

dk5294

I currently live in a ground floor flat owned by the council. My upstairs neighbour owns his flat.

My bathroom ceiling has collapsed twice because he refuses to fix his toilet / bath leaks, despite being billed by the council for damage.

He jumps around so much, parts of my newly plastered ceiling have cracked.

I have recording devices in my house, placed there by environmental health as the volume of noise coming from his property has seriously affected my mental health, my children don't get to sleep a full night and my marriage is I'm tatters through stress. I'm waiting on a court date at present to see if anything can be done, but that can take up to but not exceeding 26 weeks.


So no, buying a house away from social housing isn't going to guarantee good neighbours.

The_Logans

dhokes wrote: »

I viewed a house on the development that I'm interested in and outside, on the street, there was a child playing with a football. I didn't really pay much attention to it but now I've just found all the planning application papers online, I've found out the house is social housing. I'm not saying that's 'bad' but it's just made me think about whether I really want to live next to such behaviour.

Seriously?? Do children of parents with a mortgage not play football?

Money_saving_maniac

dhokes wrote: »

I'm looking at purchasing a new build on a development site and there's a house available next to some social housing. Should I be concerned or not? What are other people's experiences living next to affordable/social housing?

You can get bad neighbours anywhere .... if it is shared ownership it's probably fine, if it is housing association it's pot luck, if it's council, quite possibly dire. Council tenants, especially in large cities, really are a huge lucky draw.

Bearing in mind though that you are paying extra to have a new build...I wouldn't. But you'll struggle to find a new build that does not have some social housing attached as it's the price the developers have to pay.

Newbie78

Good to see a lot of people showing that social housing isn't all bad


OP I suggest that if it worries you so much so that you have to seek advice on these forums then maybe a house with no neighbours may suit better

Money_saving_maniac

Newbie78 wrote: »

Good to see a lot of people showing that social housing isn't all bad


OP I suggest that if it worries you so much so that you have to seek advice on these forums then maybe a house with no neighbours may suit better

It's not all good either, doubtless we would all prefer to live where there are no neighbours but the budget doesn't stretch.

However the risk of paying out hundreds of thousands of pounds to have screeching kids bouncing their balls off your windows or teenagers scratching your car is not a rewarding thought.

Therefore I do not blame the OP for questioning himself.

System

Money_saving_maniac wrote: »

It's not all good either, doubtless we would all prefer to live where there are no neighbours but the budget doesn't stretch.

However the risk of paying out hundreds of thousands of pounds to have screeching kids bouncing their balls off your windows or teenagers scratching your car is not a rewarding thought.

Therefore I do not blame the OP for questioning himself.

My mum lived next door to a private rental for years. Several families in a row moved in, each with screaming kids and no respect for other people's property. As has been said already, you can get good and bad neighbours anywhere, social housing or not.

Davesnave

Money_saving_maniac wrote: »

.... doubtless we would all prefer to live where there are no neighbours but the budget doesn't stretch.

In rural areas, it's quite easy to buy an averagely-priced property with no close neighbours.

It probably won't be in a convenient place, though, and as a rule, people choose convenience over privacy.

Other things are also missing, such as street lights, pavements and that comfy feeling that others are not far away.....all of which scares quite a few individuals. Neighbourhood Watch is carried out here with binoculars.

But if anyone thinks being distant from neighbours means no disputes, think again!:rotfl:

walwyn1978

To sum up, some people are lovely, some people are nasty. Some people live in social housing, some don't. Avoiding 'social housing' will not automatically exclude the nasty people.

I hope wherever you eventually buy your neighbours are lovely!