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

dhokes
dhokes Posts: 308 Forumite
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in House buying, renting & selling
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?
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Comments

  • Owain_Moneysaver
    Owain_Moneysaver Posts: 11,357 Forumite
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    It depends a lot on who the social landlord is and what their letting policies are (and that can change)

    Councils are at least vaguely accountable through councillors; housing associations can be a law unto themselves.

    Also the size of house - 1 or 2 bedrooms may not be so bad, if its 3+ bedrooms then you'll get a family and they may start out as young children but they might not be so appealing when they turn into teenagers.
    A kind word lasts a minute, a skelped erse is sair for a day.
  • dhokes
    dhokes Posts: 308 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Penitent wrote: »
    Oh, it's awful. Couches on every lawn, roving gangs of kids on dirtbikes...I really don't know how a civilised person is expected to bear it.

    (But my real answer is: neighbours in social housing can be good or bad, just like the other kinds of neighbours.)

    Indeed and therefore I'm hoping to read more about people's experiences.

    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.
  • Jon_B_2
    Jon_B_2 Posts: 832 Forumite
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    The fact you are thinking about it means any future buyer when you decide to sell will think the same...
  • Marktheshark
    Marktheshark Posts: 5,841 Forumite
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    If it has RTB, it will soon be in the hands of greedy private landlords.

    What about those in "social housing" have you considered how DEBT FREE people feel about living next door to DEBTORS ?
    I do Contracts, all day every day.
  • Pixie5740
    Pixie5740 Posts: 14,515 Forumite
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    edited 21 March 2017 at 7:21AM
    What behaviour? Kicking a football in the street?

    I bought a flat years ago in an area that was a mix of owner-occupiers, shared ownership, private rentals and social housing. It was fine. Lots of community projects like starting a rose garden in the area and refurbishing old bicycles. I only moved because I got a job over 200 miles away.

    However, it was an established estate/area so I had a feel for it before purchasing and I knew a couple of people who also had bought flats there before I bought mine.
  • Tigsteroonie
    Tigsteroonie Posts: 24,954 Forumite
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    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?

    Can you afford to buy a house that isn't next door to social housing, and are there such houses available?

    I wouldn't have chosen to live in an ex-Council house with neighbours who are tenants of the housing association, but it's what we could afford. It's not really an issue, we had worse with owner-occupier neighbours at the last house we rented.
    :heartpuls Mrs Marleyboy :heartpuls

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  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596 Forumite
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    dhokes wrote: »
    outside, on the street, there was a child playing with a football.

    Not sure what this has to do with the tenure of the housing?
  • JP1978
    JP1978 Posts: 527 Forumite
    My only thoughts are that the ones we have seen have tended to have not so much parking space - so the road will be used - this could have a knock on effect on where you will be hoping to park.

    You can have good and bad in any area, HA, LA or private. We looked at new builds on an adj scheme that has some affordable housing at the start of the scheme. We have just heard a friend has moved into them and she cant believe how quiet it is, which I must admit is not what I expected!
  • rosyw
    rosyw Posts: 519 Forumite
    PPI Party Pooper
    dhokes wrote: »
    outside, on the street, there was a child playing with a football.

    Good grief! Children actually PLAYING and OUTSIDE IN THE STREET no less!

    Whatever next!????


    I suggest you go & find a nice VERY isolated property - as far away from other people as possible!
  • theartfullodger
    theartfullodger Posts: 14,584 Forumite
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    State owned council houses eh? Well, the state also owns Buck House:

    Stone me, whatever happened to good old British attitudes of decent, fair-play & tolerance.
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