a simple question?

Question

when was the last time you saw a council house estate built?

i reckon none of you will be able to say you have seen it if gordon wants to help people get houses here is an idea instead of being greedy and selling public land to large housing frims who cram as many houses as possible together for maximum profit how about they just build more council house where people can rent with the right to buy after 3 years! plus there should be certain rules such as the amount of time you have been in the country you cant have owned your own house within the last 3 years that will stop the rich and the unscrupulous landlords cashing in as usual! just a thought what are your opinions and if you dont like the question simply dont answer it!!!!!

braindead you certainly are course there is a question there how many of you have seen a council estate built open your eyes you moron!!!!

i agree with you last comment barbie they clearly dont work and the properties are shoe boxes its time for a change i think!

barbie dont you think its just spin for you to feel better about them?
jimmybond dont know what your talking about im in the uk if that was your question?

Answer 1

I don't think councils are ever going to build any more estates now. They seem more interested in selling off the existing stock of houses at ridiculously low prices.
In Aberdeen, the avarage cost of a 2 bedroom house in a reasonable area if between £140K & £200K approximately yet most council 2 bed properties are sold off for less than £40K. Almost all private house sales in recent months in this area have all made 30%+ over the asking prices.
In this area every spare piece of ground seems to have signs for a local builder. He seems to have a monopoly on all house building in this area. Aberdonains know who I mean.
There is no way that young people can get their foot on the bottom rung of the property ladder & they have to use rented accomodation. If the councils put up cheaper homes & stopped selling the stock they have it would benefit everyone.

Answer 2

Barbie is partly right.... Developers will build estates and sell a proportion of these to Housing Associations, the rest are sold privately or to companies that offer a Part Rent, Part Buy scheme....you can buy as little as 40% or as much as 60% depending on your ability to get a mortgage. You have to be on a housing register to be eligable for shared ownership, and be nominated by the council in most cases...which makes it a very unfair system as many people do not have enough points to be nominated.

Some developers build very high quality housing and others have a less than perfect standard, but that applies not only to social housing but to all new builds...so it's worth looking at who the developer is before you commit your money.

I disagree with housing stock being sold off...this is why there isn't enough social housing today, it's almost impossible for a young couple to get enough points to be offered a home...unless of course you are vunerable, just out of prison, on drugs, are pregnant or have a mental problem.

Answer 3

I live on a council estate, and few months ago they pulled some big old houses down around the corner and started building what we thought was a new council estate being so close to us and also match boxed sized houses. Turns out it's they are not for rent from council (who own the land they are being built on) but "affordable housing for school teachers".

You are right I haven't seen a council estate being built for a long time and agree with your comments.

Answer 4

I think it sounds like a great idea and it has made me wonder why indeed council houses have stopped being built - either its due to cost (councils don't want to be landlords and don't have the money to afford building them) or the perception that the UK shouldn't need this sort of 'working class' thing going on. I expect it was Margaret Thatcher's 80's that saw the end of council house building (she certainly introduced the right to buy) but I can't be 100% sure.

Answer 5

I have actually seen a council estate built in Hull it’s Bransholme Estate and was built in the 70’s/ 80’s. In addition, I lived in a council house for ten years and it definitely was not a shoebox my house was a very big two bed roomed house and had large front and back garden and I was not over looked. I do agree that council properties are not always great houses but I was lucky that mine was a well-built house on a lovely estate.

Answer 6

Jack....you are probably too young to remember this, but Margaret Thatcher started the rot. Right To Buy was a bloody disaster bcz unscrupulous kids bought their parents houses for a song, then charged their parents rent, then when the parents popped their clogs the kids sold for a MASSIVE profit.
I know.
I was there.
Nobody builds social housing any more. And God stopped making land to build on.... on the 6th day.

Answer 7

We have a lot of building for renting only going on where I live, these houses will never be sold, and nor should they be.

Answer 8

councils do not build anymore, housing associations do and they have to give over a proportion of their stock to people on LA housing registers as well as government key workers.

The idea behind this is to create an ;'integrated' society rather than dividing up those in social housing and those in privately owned accommodation . . .

edit

but these so called affordable shared ownership schemes are far from affordable for those they are aimed at, they are also very small and very poorly bulit (paper thin walls etc)

edit2

as a 'government keyworker' I am registered for housing as and when it becomes availible. I get this patronising magazine sent to me called home focus, detailing people's happy jolly stories about their lovely shared ownership flats!! Where are these people, I have NEVER met one.

This months mag is full of schemes that are a) nowhere near where I live in London so not at all practical for work, b) tiny, a rabbit would feel cramped, c) too expensive for me to afford on my salary!

Answer 9

I think you are telling the wrong people... i ampretty sure no-one in a government position is in here waiting for your views!
Get on the phone to your mp... good luck!

Answer 10

there is no such thing as a simple question, and this question proves that.