I'm trolled for ‘complaining about' my council home when I had ‘everything handed to me' & they paid £35k deposit for it

The Sun

06-05-2025

A WOMAN has shown off the spacious council home she has moved into with her husband and two sons - but not everything was to her liking.
Mrs Sanders, who posts under @mrssanders24, gave a tour around the modern-looking property and said one aspect wasn't to her taste.
2
In a clip which has gone viral with 97,000 views, the mum shared: 'Come with me to view my council house for the first time.
'I'm not too keen on the open plan, but it's okay because I can build a prop wall once I have waited the 12 months for the house to settle.'
As part of the video, she panned around the ground floor, which included a living/dining room attached to an open plan kitchen.
Also downstairs was a toilet and a room under the stairs that she thought would be a great 'gaming room' for her husband.
While she insisted she was grateful for the home, some people have taken issue with her criticising the layout.
One person wrote: 'Stop complaining about the house. I wish I had a place to call my own.'
Another added: 'Give it to someone who will actually appreciate it seriously.'
And a third pointed out they had saved £35,000 for a deposit for the same set-up.
Mrs Sanders hit back at the comments, saying: 'Saying I don't like open plan Is not complaining, it's an opinion.'
She also joked that she had previously liked open plan but her opinion had changed after living in one with two young children for six years, adding "it's bloody murder!"
Council Lounge Makeover with B&Q buy
She also clarified how they got the home and why they have to wait 12 months before adding a prop wall, saying: 'This is rented via housing association so the deposit is only a month's rent upfront.
'Due to it being a newly built house you have to wait 12 months for the plaster to 'settle' before you can wallpaper or paint so you can see if you get any cracks etc in the walls/ceilings.'
The mum-of-two also reiterated how much they appreciate the house despite the open plan layout, saying: 'We are extremely grateful to have a place to call home and we cannot wait to build memories and make this a home!
'We have spent so long fighting to have a safe place to call home for our children.
'We cannot wait to decorate and make it a home.'
2
Mrs Saunders showed viewers around the large garden and the spacious two bedrooms upstairs in the clip.
Panning on the outside space, she added: 'My kids and dog finally have a garden to call their own and play in.
'Our side entrance to the garden and house is absolutely huge.
'We are lucky that our garden isn't too overlooked, as most new build properties have really overlooked gardens.'
Rules on transforming your council house
According to Gov, the kind of improvements you can make to your council property depends on the type of tenancy you have.
Introductory tenants are usually limited to minor improvements like redecorating inside.
If you're a secure tenant, you have the right to carry out improvements to your property. These include:
installing a new bathroom or kitchen
building an extension
putting up a garden shed or greenhouse
installing a new gas fire or fireplace
cavity wall insulation
redecorating the outside of a house
fitting an aerial or satellite dish
You might need your council's written permission for work you do. Contact your council if you're not sure.
She also loved the bedrooms upstairs, and said: 'The boys' room—it's so big compared to their previous box room in the old flat.
'Our bedroom is also really big and has a built-in wardrobe.'
While some people weren't happy with her criticising the open plan layout, others were pleased for her.
One said: 'Congratulations please how do you apply for a council housing please.
'A second added: 'I love open plan.'