I think the problem is still that so many of the councils are short of money - so are desperate to not only bring in income from houses, but not to have to maintain properties in desperate need of possibly even being rebuilt, let alone modernised. They invested all their money and lost it all.
DS's student rentals have been lovely, mainly because the landlords have employed estate agents to look after them, and they have three-monthly cleanliness checks, which DS also had at his last flat. I was there last week and it really isn't bad. they were even bought a tumble drier when they complained that they couldn't get clothes for five people dried in the winter.
Private rentals for however are a different matter. They vary hugely. We have often had to rent for a while, while selling our own houses in order to move for work. I was once shown over a house that was literally falling down, it looked as if the demolition people had been in and left the job halfway through. The estate agent looked at my face and said, Yes, well, it was worth a try!' He explained that it belonged to an extremely miserly old man who hoped that someone would come along and renovate it for him, then he would kick them out and put up the rent. Yet the rent wasn't even all that low!
I do have some sympathy with those wanting to buy their council houses. Especially the ones who have been there for years, have become attached to the house and have a good network of friends. But many of us have to leave a house we love. Life is like that.