General Chat

Good or bad?

IT USED TO BE ONCE IN THEY COULDNT SHIFT YOU
EVEN IF LEFT AS ONE PERSON AND A FOUR BEDROOM HOUSE,
WHILE SOMONE DESPARATLY WOULD TAKE ONE BEDROOM FLAT WHO HAD FOUR KIDS

WE DONT HAVE COUNCIL HOUSES HERE NOW ONLY HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS,

HARDER TO GET ON THE WAITING LIST I HAVE BEEN
TOLD

It's very difficult really. I don't think it's fair to evict an elderly single person from the 4 bed house that they raised their children in, But Also families are in dire need of housing - I don't know the answer, Just that it's not always clear cut.

I dont think that they are going to Chuck any one out........what I believe is, that the plan is to make it easier for tenants to swap houses a lot easier than previously.......
for example a few years ago, one of my neighbours (who wanted a change of scenery)swapped with a USAAF guy in Thetford because "here" was closer to Alconbury,

Bob

Under our council, tenants are allowed to swop, providing they are not in arrears with their rent. Also, a tenancy can only be passed on only once, and that is to someone who is resident in the same property. EG. if man dies then the tenancy can be passed onto the wife. Similarly if it is vice versa. Also, if an elderly person dies, and there is an offspring living there, the tenancy can be passed on aswell to them
Julia in Derbyshire

Julia, sadly that doesnt always apply, I know of a 16 year old whose mother died.
HER older sister who is in a councilhouse, would like to take on the tenancy and live there also.(and surrender her own house)
but there are spanners being thrown into the works..... and the 16 year old is likely to be thrown out........into a flat, maybe...?

Bob

My neighbour whose in her 60's and lived in her 3 bedroom house for 30+ years was offered £1000 plus moving costs if she would move into a bungalow.

I think it ought to be brought in wriiten into the agreement,that if you are left alone and have tenancy of 3 /4 bedrom house then you must move into one more accommadating for their needs,so freeing up a much needed house for a family who is in need of moving from a 2 bed 3rd/5th story masionette with 4 children,
Its not right sentiment should take preference.a person on their own 2 bed is just right, with one spare room for visitor/s

It's neo-liberalism gone mad!

If a tenant doesn't have security of tenure, then it's a house, not a home.
Why should they bother doing anything to it?
Why bother doing anything to the garden?
Why spend any of your own money on it?

Maintenance bills will soar.

If they want to 'encourage' people to leave houses they've lived in for 20/30 years, then it should be right across the spectrum.
People who own their own houses shouldn't expect to automatically pass them on to their children without paying Capital gains tax - after all they don't 'belong' to the children - they (in most cases) never paid anything towards the house, and if they did, their name should be on the mortgage.

About 5 years ago, a development was built by a local, but well known and respected builder, in our town. This was a mixture of bungalows, and houses 3 and three storied, both detached and semi. These properties were a mixture of private houseing for sale, housing association and local council. They were close to many amenities, including town centre shops, buses, doctor's, a dispensing chemist, library, local cottage hospital and a park, all on the flat, whereas the town is approached by hills. Not one of the council's allocation, to my knowledge, was offered to existing tenants, but ' social ' cases. Here was an opportunity for the council, to thin out and reallocate it's housing stock.
Who wouldn't be tempted by a brand new bungalow or small semi, when your present house is too big. Especially if you have spent your time as a tenant, spending your own money on making the house ' as you would your own ', and spent a lifetime keeping your gardens, drives, paths and fencing, in tip top condition.
I do not know what the answer to the problem is, but this is what happened here, and possibly in other places to.
Julia in Derbyshire

i agree with kay and chris.
the council should never have sold off houses .but also i dont think its right a teenager be given a council house because she has a baby.we really need to start wisening up here.how many elderly still live in a 3 bed house when they dont need to.theres lots of nice flats one bed ones that are far more suited.

I wonder how old 'elderly' is - considering people will still be working at 70 soon! I also wonder why one bedroom flats are built. Is it a case that, once over a 'certain' age you won't want anyone staying with you? Children, grandchildren etc?
Why is it also assumed that an 'elderly' person would want a 'nice' flat? Many have pets and enjoy gardening.
I also agree that councils shouldn't have sold off houses - especially when the money accrued from their sale didn't go back into building more houses.

There's also the point that, if someone has lived in a council house for 20 - 30 years, they've probably paid half the value of the house in rent.