Advice needed regarding affordable housing/social housing

Wrecket

Hi All.


So, I'll start from the beginning.



Myself and my partner bought a new build home back in March this year. In the sales pitch we were told that a number of the homes around us will be AH (affordable housing), which of course we weren't bothered about. AH is basically the same as buying the house outright in terms of respect for the property.



At the time I sought clarification on the term AH, and the difference between AH and SH (Social housing). the developer confirmed AH and SH were totally different things, and that in our specific road there will be no SH, only AH.



Since moving in, six of the AH homes have been sold to another developer, who in turn has turned these into SH. One of the new "residents" since moving in has slashed 7 car tyres, had the police called on him for threatening to throw a manhole cover through a window, and has been a general nuisance from the get go.


Is there anything we can do? Is there a case of miss-selling here? We were specifically told that there would be no SH in our immediate vicinity. Yes I am aware that developers are obligated to provide a certain number of SH homes per development, that's why we asked the plans and locations to ensure we wouldn't be buying in the midst of a council estate. Also, our developer would surely have known the intent of the other developer as the terms of sale would have to have been adjusted to allow for SH.



I'd also like to state that I have no issue with council tenants (save for the one guy that's causing all the issues.) Though having said that, I do have an issue with the fact that the location of the SH homes appear to be affecting the value of my own home.


Is there anything we can do?

PasturesNew

If you have nothing in writing (chances are you don't at all), then he probably wasn't even lying at the time - it's just things changed. They do.

There's nothing you can do about it except lobby, as a group/estate to ensure that "undesirables" are not housed there. You lobby the owner, mob-handed. Face-to-face, as a group, hand over a signed letter saying "No. Stop it".

For now, all you can do is ensure that everything your nuisance does is reported, everything..... hoping they'll end up in jail, then forfeit their tenancy and not return. If they're there with a partner/family, that's less likely.

If it's a private landlord, you can cross your fingers and pray they don't pay the rent and get evicted in time.

Davesnave

What sales staff tell you isn't to be taken as fact, no matter whether it's double glazing or a whole house. What always matters are the statements given in writing which form part of the contract.

Even the most honest sales people aren't necessarily party to changes the builder has decided to make when they give you information, which is only as good as the last thing they were told.

[Deleted User]

6 SH houses is not 'in the middle of a council estate' although of course, it only take one to make living on the estate a nightmare.

A council, with a shortage of social housing can buy new build properties if they are the right price. As the properties were bought by someone else, and then sold to the council, I don't think you can blame the initial developer.

This person will have a social housing tenancy and normally it will be a probationary tenancy for a year. Normally if anyone makes a complaint, and then there are repeated complaints about someone in a probationary tenancy, there will be warnings given to the tenant, I know my council are quite stringent about following such things up.

I'd get everyone together, with a list of the police call outs and write a letter of complaint to the council. Get as many as you can to sign it. Get your MP or councillor involved as well.

sammyjammy

Contact the Social Housing provider and make complaints. Chances are this is a limited tenancy with a probation period.