Buying a flat freeholder is the council

user1977

tacpot12 said:

My experience with the council tenants in the block are that they generally stay for a long time, and are generally nice people. However, he might get unlucky with the next tenant that moves in, but if the one that is there currently is nice, then that's the most he can hope for. 

So, a bit like any other sort of neighbour?

sourpuss2021

user1977 said:

tacpot12 said:

My experience with the council tenants in the block are that they generally stay for a long time, and are generally nice people. However, he might get unlucky with the next tenant that moves in, but if the one that is there currently is nice, then that's the most he can hope for. 

So, a bit like any other sort of neighbour?

Council flats are more likely to be given to families, not to young professionals/ students.    I think the rent is less than half that of a private rental too.  

So yes while it’s true that private and council tenants (and owners!) may equally turn out to be antisocial, it’s a fact that council tenants will stay resident for much longer than private tenants.  

Martico

I'd agree on second look that the layout might get frustrating given the daily traipse from kitchen to reception room to eat, but if you think that wouldn't be an issue then great.
Radiator in reception looks quite minimal as well (something you could resolve of course) - maybe check how cosy it feels on another viewing. Perhaps the photos don't show all

Martico

And also, wow. I left London in 2010, those prices

gwynlas

Might not be any issues with current tenant but in time he might be living above a family which is not ideal in a flat. Any maintenance work is likely to be put out to tender and therefor dearer than standard repairs. Depending when conversion took placee acoustic insulation might not be up to current standards.

EssexHebridean

gwynlas said:

Might not be any issues with current tenant but in time he might be living above a family which is not ideal in a flat. Any maintenance work is likely to be put out to tender and therefor dearer than standard repairs. Depending when conversion took placee acoustic insulation might not be up to current standards.

Family with young children below = less of an issue than family with young children above though, potentially. 

theartfullodger

ahfat41 said:

My son just viewed a flat he likes, the freeholder is the council so my guess it is an ex council flat. This was not disclosed to him, he also said that the downstairs flat is tenanted by the council. ..

Oh the shame of having council tenants as neighbours?  In my experience council tenants and ex-council estates or blocks are much friendlier, decent and pleasant to live in.

And almost none of the plague of the smug middle-classes banging on about house prices all the time.

Best wishes to all.

MobileSaver

EssexHebridean said:

I don’t think someone’s choice of living arrangements has any bearing on how they should be perceived

I respect your opinion but I couldn't disagree more if I tried; in my opinion social housing should never be a choice, it should be there as a last resort for those who have no choice.

For example, while I think it was a council house rather than social housing, do you agree that the union leaders earning £100k+ a year should still be able to choose to live in tax-payer subsidised housing as I certainly don't.

EssexHebridean said:

if someone is perfectly happy living in social housing, I don’t think they should be looked down on and considered to be in need of “betterment”. 

People should want to better themselves for their own benefit, not because of what someone else thinks.

The problem with making social housing the same as private housing is that there's no incentive for those who can to work harder or longer if they're just going to end up paying more for the same thing.The knock-on effect of this is that you end up with people who could "better themselves" and move on to a private rental or purchase instead taking up limited social housing stock, to the detriment of other less fortunate people who don't have such choices. To me that's just plain wrong.