Would you buy an ex-council house?

[ViolentPanda]

What about if you couldn't afford not to?? That's the state for many long term tenants, it's actually cheaper for them to buy than rent.

I never thought I would do it but tbh if I had to start paying rent again I'd look at buying.

I'm disabled. HB pays part of my rent, so for me personally the "can't afford not to" doesn't really apply.

I can understand that people feel compelled to enter the property market, especially with the social housing market shrinking all the time. I'm fortunate enough that I can make the political decision not to buy my council housing while not having to worry too much about the financial side of things, between benefits and my ll-health pension (such as it is).

 

[Calva dosser]

I wouldn't exercise my "right to buy" because I know far too many people who depend on there being local authority social housing, and I'd feel like I was depriving one of them of somewhere to live, just to feather my own nest.
As it is, I'm happy to pay my rent and to vote against ALMO-isation.

I don't know what ALMO-isation is, But you have my best wishes. I suspect.

 

[twisted_angel]

I wouldn't exercise my "right to buy" because I know far too many people who depend on there being local authority social housing, and I'd feel like I was depriving one of them of somewhere to live, just to feather my own nest.
As it is, I'm happy to pay my rent and to vote against ALMO-isation.

But doesnt everyone want that bit of security?
Buying my house meant i could eventually move to a nicer area and i finally had a little financial security and something to leave my kids.
Its practically impossible for single parents to buy instead of rent... i didnt get any help with my rent as i was working full time but it was still a struggle meeting the rent needed and i knew i would struggle when it went up when the housing association took over....i would have had to move to something even smaller.

 

[ViolentPanda]

But doesnt everyone want that bit of security?

I think many people want "that bit of security", but I think that the number of people who actually need it are far less.

Buying my house meant i could eventually move to a nicer area and i finally had a little financial security and something to leave my kids.

Which is why I'd never have a go at someone else for doing something I wouldn't. We all have different motivations, and yours are good honest ones to do with family.

Its practically impossible for single parents to buy instead of rent... i didnt get any help with my rent as i was working full time but it was still a struggle meeting the rent needed and i knew i would struggle when it went up when the housing association took over....i would have had to move to something even smaller.

It's practically impossible for a couple on minimum wage to afford to buy, even "oop north", on the ordinary housing market.

Anyway, IMHO the biggest sinners aren't people who exercise their "right to buy", it's the evil bastards who legislated in the early 1980s that; a) councils couldn't use "right to buy" receipts to build new social housing, and b) disbarred councils from developing social housing full stop, instead entrusting the grossly inefficient "Housing Corporation" to see to it, with the result that year on year, social housing development hasn't even kept pace with fresh annual demand.

 

[snoogles]

I personally wouldn't buy a typical ex-council house as I think they're not particularly good investments - if there's a house-price slowdown or crash, I think they'd be the first to drop in value and would be very difficult to sell. That said, some council houses are lovely - just not the ones where I live (tower blocks and so on).

Apart from that I don't think right-to-buy is such a bad thing. It can bring a bit of a social mix to a council estate, and what's wrong with spreading the joys of home ownership to people who otherwise wouldn't have had the chance? Home owners tend to look after their homes well, and that can only be good for the estate overall. And it's not like as soon as they're sold, the price shoots up to match non-council housing; ex-council places always sell at a discount, thereby letting more first-time buyers into the market.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

.

 

[marty21]

I don't know what ALMO-isation is, But you have my best wishes. I suspect.

arms length management - it's a company set up by local authorities to manage the council housing stock - meaning the council is no longer responsible for day to day management, but is represented on the board of the company and retains ownership of the stock

 

[DownwardDog]

I wouldn't exercise my "right to buy" because I know far too many people who depend on there being local authority social housing, and I'd feel like I was depriving one of them of somewhere to live, just to feather my own nest.
As it is, I'm happy to pay my rent and to vote against ALMO-isation.

Over the long term (10+ years) it's financial suicide not to buy it. My parents refused to exercise their RTB in the 80s on political grounds. By now they would have about 150k+ of equity which could have helped give them a dignified and secure retirement. As it is they are completely shafted as they would like to move to a smaller bungalow but cannot.

 

[reubeness]

I've lived in my council house for twenty-five years - the council have never maintained it properly, in fact I had to take them to court to get essential repairs done which meant I had to move out for a year, live in a ghetto flat with rats, flooding etc.,
I have applied for the right to buy three times but the house is always out of reach financially even in 1985 when I was entitled to 60% discount, now the discount is reduced to £16,000 in London I have no chance of buying. I would buy it tomorrow if I could.
I've paid rent for 25 years, I have planted and maintained the garden, decorated the house and fought for repairs to stop it falling down, I've enlisted the help of English Heritage to deal with Lambeth council when their contractors have not kept up the Grade II listed building requirements.
Why shouldn't I be able to buy the house I've nurtured and paid for for over 25 years.