Estate agent let slip that house next door will be social

Backofbeyond2 · 08-10-2020 11:36PM #1

Myself and my partner are looking at properties in a new development in Dublin. While talking to the agent the other day, he mentioned that one of the 10 percent social houses would be next to the one we have our eye on.

We'd share a wall, ours being the end of a terrace of 3 houses. One social house in between two privately owned.

The builder seems to be taking the pepper approach. A couple of social houses here and there throughout rather than one road or section.

It was also mentioned that the houses will be managed by a body (cluais or tuath I think) not the council. The implication was that these bodies take better care of social properties?

No worries about there being more than 10 percent social here, the houses are in big demand and most have sold. Including the one on the other side of the social house.

It's thrown my head in a spin. The house is basically exactly what we want and in budget and if it wasn't for this we'd be happy to proceed.

New account because I dont want to tie this to my other account which can be easily traced to my name. I'd rather people didn't know all about our housing plans.

Any thoughts? In a lot of cases you wouldn't know this in advance, and in most cases it works out totally fine. But just worried about rolling the dice.

Any advice or personal experience would be appreciated. We're first time buyers so it's all new.

cubatahavana · 08-10-2020 11:58PM

Backofbeyond2 wrote: »

Myself and my wife are looking at properties in a new development in Dublin. While talking to the agent the other day, he mentioned that one of the 10 percent social houses would be next to the one we have our eye on.

We'd share a wall, ours being the end of a terrace of 3 houses. One social house in between two privately owned.

The builder seems to be taking the pepper approach. A couple of social houses here and there throughout rather than one road or section.

It was also mentioned that the houses will be managed by a body (cluais or tuath I think) not the council. The implication was that these bodies take better care of social properties?

No worries about there being more than 10 percent social here, the houses are in big demand and most have sold. Including the one on the other side of the social house.

It's thrown my head in a spin. The house is basically exactly what we want and in budget and if it wasn't for this we'd be happy to proceed.

New account because I dont want to tie this to my other account which can be easily traced to my name. I'd rather people didn't know all about our housing plans.

Any thoughts? In a lot of cases you wouldn't know this in advance, and in most cases it works out totally fine. But just worried about rolling the dice.

Any advice or personal experience would be appreciated. We're first time buyers so it's all new.

It’s a tough decision. I would personally choose another end of terrace if available. Call me obnoxious if you wish, but I’d rather not share a wall with social housing if possible. Having said that, you don’t know who your neighbor will be. There are good and bad apples both in social housing and non social housing. If there are no other end of terrace houses that suit you available and you like everything else in the house and development, I’d say go for it. At the end of the day, you could buy in an established neighborhood and then your neighbor could rent to the council too. You never know. It’s not something that would put me 100% off. Don’t know if this answer is helpful at all.

There was a poster around here saying a couple of weeks ago that anyone buying in a new development must be an idiot. I think new developments offer incredible value as the houses are usually better built (at least to a better standard), they are warmer, they have some sort of ecological energy generation (a little bit towards saving the planet) and the layout is usually better.

Where is the development?

StupidLikeAFox · 09-10-2020 12:03AM

Backofbeyond2 wrote: »

Any thoughts? In a lot of cases you wouldn't know this in advance, and in most cases it works out totally fine. But just worried about rolling the dice.

You hit the nail on the head here. I would say it's slightly more likely to be fine - most people on the social housing list are fine and just want a place to live and build a life. I think the housing agency potentially acts as a second filter as well, but at the end of the day who knows?

The "pepper" approach is the correct one and hopefully leads to a well balanced estate. But again, there's no guarantees one way or the other and the there will always be an element of rolling the dice when buying in any new estate

ted1 · 09-10-2020 12:06AM

If it was me I’d start looking elsewhere.

Backofbeyond2 · 09-10-2020 12:16AM

Appreciate the answers. There's only one of the type we want left. Though there might be one other one falling through and coming available. I'm crossing my fingers and toes that that happens as it would put my mind at ease.

We just keep coming back to new builds. The help to buy is a great boost, and everything is new, energy efficient and finished to your taste from day 1. No skeletons or leaks hiding in the closet.

Hopefully this'll all be moot and another one comes available. We'll see how the next few days go!

Yellow_Fern · 09-10-2020 12:18AM

StupidLikeAFox wrote: »

You hit the nail on the head here. I would say it's slightly more likely to be fine - most people on the social housing list are fine and just want a place to live and build a life. I think the housing agency potentially acts as a second filter as well, but at the end of the day who knows?

The "pepper" approach is the correct one and hopefully leads to a well balanced estate. But again, there's no guarantees one way or the other and the there will always be an element of rolling the dice when buying in any new estate

You will be surprised to learn there isn't really much academic evidence that a pepper approach is superior. I can think of reasons why it might be inferior for the development of working class kids, although there is no data available on it.

twowheelsonly · 09-10-2020 12:38AM

IMO don't be worried about it and drive on.

The vast majority of people are just people who want to get on with their lives and try to better themselves. I'm sure that as a buyer yourself you can appreciate the hoops you have to jump through and the difficulties in getting a mortgage in the first place. A huge amount of people in social housing are people that just can't afford a mortgage. They might just be young (as a lot of housing association tenants seem to be) or be in lower paid jobs.

On top of any of that you have the safety net that these type of tenants are easier to manage than your regular corporation or council tenants. It's much easier for you to make a complaint to the housing association and they will act on it. These tenants also tend to be on a contract and it's not a 'house for life' in most cases although some may be offered the opportunity to buy at a later stage. Knowing that you will be thrown out for acting the maggot is usually incentive enough not to act the maggot.

For all you know right now the people buying the third house could be the biggest scumbags you've ever come across. They could be massive drug dealers or just out and out despicable people. Or they could be fantastic. Same applies to your next door neighbour. It's just the chance you take on a new development and in 99% of cases everything will work out fine.

sparkle109 · 09-10-2020 12:41AM

It’s a difficult one to call. Where is the development? Is it a large development? Size dependent you could change house and be in the same situation. Either way, it’s a very important purchase so all pros and potential cons need weighed

StupidLikeAFox wrote: »

You hit the nail on the head here. I would say it's slightly more likely to be fine - most people on the social housing list are fine and just want a place to live and build a life. I think the housing agency potentially acts as a second filter as well, but at the end of the day who knows?

The "pepper" approach is the correct one and hopefully leads to a well balanced estate. But again, there's no guarantees one way or the other and the there will always be an element of rolling the dice when buying in any new estate

Idbatterim · 09-10-2020 12:44AM

Putting them in a mid terrace, lol ! Few k cheaper to buy for council but wreck both sides head....

They should be in their own area of estate. The free housing is way more than they should he getting for a start...

jetfiremuck · 09-10-2020 12:56AM

You do know that once the house is social house it stays that way for ever. If and when you decide to move youll run into the same issue you have now. Believe me when I tell you that you have no control over antisocial/ tenant behaviour in all its shapes and forms. My sister was into a new estate, that got build out and finished. Social picked up a few in the estate. Was ok for the first few years, then a crowd moved in next door with an Alsation dog in a back yard the size of a stamp. Dog barked day and night as in day and night.meetings with tenants no difference...she gave up......it broke her...she moved.

Wanderer78 · 09-10-2020 07:34AM

jetfiremuck wrote:

You do know that once the house is social house it stays that way for ever. If and when you decide to move youll run into the same issue you have now. Believe me when I tell you that you have no control over antisocial/ tenant behaviour in all its shapes and forms. My sister was into a new estate, that got build out and finished. Social picked up a few in the estate. Was ok for the first few years, then a crowd moved in next door with an Alsation dog in a back yard the size of a stamp. Dog barked day and night as in day and night.meetings with tenants no difference...she gave up......it broke her...she moved.

This social housing thing is a mess, I'm surrounded by social houses, and you couldn't live next to some of them, it would have detrimental effects to your well being, and when people are putting down that kinna money.....

AlphaDelta1 · 09-10-2020 07:38AM

We live beside a social house and they are great neighbours.

Wanderer78 · 09-10-2020 07:40AM

AlphaDelta1 wrote:

We live beside a social house and they are great neighbours.

Some can be great, but some can truly be a disaster, it's a big risk when purchasing

AlphaDelta1 · 09-10-2020 08:41AM

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Some can be great, but some can truly be a disaster, it's a big risk when purchasing

Yeah but you get that anywhere.

AngryLips · 09-10-2020 09:09AM

Cluid are very fast at dealing with problem tenants, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

Mickeroo · 09-10-2020 09:12AM

If it's in an estate you could get arsehole neighbours regardless of their social status tbh, you're rolling the dice either way. Personally if I really wanted the house I wouldn't give it a second thought.

AngryLips · 09-10-2020 09:24AM

Mickeroo wrote: »

If it's in an estate you could get arsehole neighbours regardless of their social status tbh, you're rolling the dice either way. Personally if I really wanted the house I wouldn't give it a second thought.

And if it's Cluid housing then you can be sure that those nightmare neighbours will be moved on within six months.

_Brian · 09-10-2020 09:28AM

It’s all risk and how much your willing to take on.

There’s a risk you’ll end up with a total nightmare next door to the extent that it will seriously devalue your property and make your life a nightmare.

If your ok with that risk then work away.

It wouldn’t be for me.

Bannasidhe · 09-10-2020 09:30AM

AngryLips wrote: »

And if it's Cluid housing then you can be sure that those nightmare neighbours will be moved on within six months.

Yup. Good friend of mine has lived in a Cluid appt block for over 15 years. They have always been strict on tenants keeping to the terms and conditions and troublemakers are quickly dealt with.

Idbatterim · 09-10-2020 09:31AM

This statement of " you can get good and bad neighbours regardless of social class " true. But the chances are far higher they will be bad if they get social housing. Because to rent or putchase privately, youll usually have your **** together ...

GarIT · 09-10-2020 09:32AM

If there are any issues there is no hope in hell that cluid will respond to any issues or complaints. You'll be on your own if there are any issues.

I've had nothing but nightmares dealing with cluid and their tenants.

boombang · 09-10-2020 09:41AM

AlphaDelta1 wrote: »

Yeah but you get that anywhere.

Plenty of unpleasant private owned/rented occupiers of course, but pretty sure the odds are worse with social.

Smouse156 · 09-10-2020 09:42AM

A social scumbag managed to rent the house beside my parents when the owner went off to join the priesthood back in 2011. The priest was a kind although naive person and gave them the place for very little rent. They never paid, pilled up the rubbish inside the house and totally wrecked the place.

The social scumbag was an aggressive moody clown that never said anything nice to anybody. The wife was nice but she was kept quiet by the scumbag. In the end, the priests brother gave them two days notice to quit or he was going to come back with a group and forcefully remove them. They were never going to leave if asked politely.

The sad thing is I know a few people that live in social housing and they are decent genuine people. However, the one fella that ever lived beside us was a disaster. After that I’d be very careful where I buy if there is social involved.

MarkR · 09-10-2020 09:49AM

You can get an awful neighbour who buys the house. I don't think social should be a big factor. Suppose I grew up in social housing, so a coloured opinion!

If you want no neighbour issues, you're going to have to go detached.

09-10-2020 09:55AM

Your concern is understandable, but I've had 2 sets of really bad neighbours in my life, the last one so bad it forced me to move. Neither were social housing. Noisy, inconsiderate, antisocial people come from all walks of life.

Wanderer78 · 09-10-2020 10:08AM

AlphaDelta1 wrote: »

Yeah but you get that anywhere.

absolutely, but its still not a solution, id be driven demented living next to some of my neighbours, some are beyond dysfunctional, theyve been much worse than normal throughout covid, i feel for folks putting down their hard earned cash, only to put up with that crap

cheif kaiser · 09-10-2020 10:11AM

I live in a 1940s property in what was once a council estate but the vast majority of houses are now privately owned. Some years back, the council snapped up a few private houses and let them as social housing, 2 of them being right next door to me and 1 directly across the road.

Next door was given to an older couple with older children and at first I didn't much take to them but they were quiet enough so no bother really.
The house 2 doors up and the one across the road were both let to families and to be honest, the first year of them moving in was dreadful. We actually nicknamed them the Dingles such was the state of their gardens and the screaming out the windows at the kids. However, after the first year, they seemed to realise that this was not the way the vast majority lived and they started to calm down. Within 2 years, they were out doing there gardens, painting their walls and speaking to the neighbors in a friendly manner and basically behaving like everyone around them.

My point being, I think people change to suit their surroundings. They may have been raised somewhere where everyone screamed out the windows and they were just doing what everyone else did. Now they are sandwiched between people who look after their houses and behave, they are doing the same.

With one social house dotted here and there, I think you'll find they will blend in the majority and are unlikely to want to stand out, cause trouble and risk losing a house that they are probably delighted to get.

Caranica · 09-10-2020 10:12AM

At least with social housing there's someone you can go to if there's a problem and can escalate it to public reps too.

I've lived beside nightmare owners and private tenants and they're a lot harder to deal with. Also there's no guarantee that a private owner/investor won't rent to the local authority so you'd end up with social housing next door anyway.

Personally I'd go ahead, you never have any control over who lives next door. If that's something that bothers you then estate living isn't for you.

sbsquarepants · 09-10-2020 10:25AM

It is the luck of the draw - you can get great or terrible neighbours no matter where you live, but no matter what anyone will tell you - you are a lot more likely to get bad neighbours in social housing. It stand to reason if you are paying for the place yourself you will generally take better care of it.

Pkiernan · 09-10-2020 10:29AM

Your taking a gamble on a multi hundred thousand euro purchase.

Remember too that under the guise of Covid,many of our far left politicians are calling again for complete eviction bans.
No way will any public authority be evicting anyone.

You should be minimising risk here.

09-10-2020 10:33AM

Your chances of getting burdened with gurriers are slim.

Crack on with the purchase.

No point thinking "What if?" twenty years from now.

Estate agent let slip that house next door will be social

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