Apartment blocks and social housing

[Fazzmole]

I am looking at apartments that are in large old blocks. The common areas look fine by in large. What I am concerned about is the other occupiers who may well be tenants as opposed to owners. Has anyone experienced any issues from being in an apartment building that has socially housed tenants? How do you make a judgement or find out? Will the syndic minutes help?

[Val_2]

LOL - my son's last flat was in a big modern block with built in drug dealers.He used to get the drug squad raid his flat at least every three months and with dogs as did all the other tenants/owners but no one grassed. In fact the "dealers" helped him load his car up when he moved and thanked him for keeping quiet. I'm afraid to find out who owns or who rents isn't that easy and there are very strict data protection rules here that often require intervention of a judge to find out even for a work reference.

[idun]

I'm not sure what you mean by social housing either. My instant reaction was HLM which is for people on low incomes, council housing in the UK?

We rented in quite a large building, we took over the flat from the people who owned it as they had had a house built and most of the other people owned, but we did not. If we had had a low income, then we would have got some sort of help towards our rent.

Remember many people in France rent, and many people are on low incomes and get APL which is help towards their rent.

Even on our little estate, where we had a house built, the bungalow next door was rented out to people on low income. They were belgian and lovely neighbours.

[Val_2]

Yes no stigma in France for renting properties at all, even HLM which many many families do via associations with fancy names. The real socially assisted tenants will often have the rent paid direct by the CAF to the landlord so it does get paid.

[Russethouse]

Idun, What used to be 'Council' housing is now usually  (at least round here) 'housing association'

[idun]

In France it was OPAC, and I think they exist  all over France. They build  and run the HLM type housing.

[NormanH]

I don't know any appartment blocks with a mix of 'social' and private ownership.

Usually HLMs own all the block.

There may be blocks with a mixture of privately rented and privately owned  appartments, and in some areas HLMs own individual houses in a area alongside private houses

In larger towns 20% of housing is supposed to be social, but there are many places which are dragging their feet on this.

[Gardengirl]

I also haven't come across mixed apartment blocks with social and private tenants.

I don't know the numbers, but our small town seems quite well-supplied with HLMs. There are several close to our apartment block, not particularly old, but several were re-roofed last year, and a brand new one was built recently; quite a pleasant design, with parking underneath and outside, some for disabled residents. There seems to be a mix of residents, from fairly young singles to a few families with children and some older couples.

 

[idun]

I'm not sure what the OP means by 'social' housing. So many people get benefits for their housing in France, or is it the HLM people they mean.

Hence I feel a little lost and confused.by that term.

[pachapapa]

Perhaps something like Courchevel! Hideous like a polish mining camp.

http://livecam.courchevel.com/

[idun]

LOL, One of my favourite domain skiable is Courchevel 1850. I have never noticed the buildings, the pistes are lovely though.

[pachapapa]

[quote user="idun"]LOL, One of my favourite domain skiable is Courchevel 1850. I have never noticed the buildings, the pistes are lovely though.[/quote]

Just tried it again on full screen...looks MUCH worse.[:-))]

[idun]

I have visited lots of ski ressorts in summer in France and 95% of them look terrible, really awful. And yet a  lovely coating of snow and they are transformed.  I would thoroughly recommend Courchevel 1850 in winter, beautiful well maintained slopes as we wouldn't want all the rich and famous to hurt themselves.  I don't  know anyone who could afford to stay there, it is way to expensive and rumour has it it is russian owned now, but that is how rumours go. We used to go up for the day, as that way it was affordable.

Where as in the Austrian Tyrol many villages look great summer and winter.

[pachapapa]

Not a snow person but as a tour guide took a party of american tourists round europe in summer. Up to Zermatt from Visp on the noddy cog railway; quite a pretty place but expensive; some beautiful scenery with the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa.