Mumsnet Talk

We have just been told that we are being posted to Benson in Feb. We have a 5 year old girl and 12 year old boy. Because of his shift patterns (and up-coming training away from home, and postings to Bastion) we are going to have to get an au pair so that I can still work. I am told that we are only eligible for a 3 bed. Does this change if we need live in child care? Are there any 4 bed at Benson? How do I approach this and who do I talk to?

I am a nanny and my boss (military) got an extra bedroom because obviously I need one

I know you are def entitled if both parents are serving. If you are entitled and they have no 4 beds you will be offered a hiring

You get one even if 1 parent is serving - ex bosses of mine were military and sahm and they also got one

Mog - good for them and you.

I am betting they were commissioned officers though.

DH is not.

I wonder if the rules are the same

Potty - I am not serving. I work in civvy street in londinium

Current boss is not an officer - however is a LP
Ex boss was not an officer
Ex Ex boss was

Just thinking that it may be like when DH got MQ for him and his DD (fm first marriage before we were married) whereby he was entitled to apply and if surplus they will allocate but not fully entitled IYSWIM.

Seeing dramas as it's going up to a 4 bed and they are like gold dust.

Hope the bastards at DE are helpful, feel like doom and gloom merchant sorry off to FB to see if anyone knows for sure.

Best bet is to get hold of the JSP and find out what it says in black and White I'm not sure and I'm on mat leave but I thought it was only an entitlement when both serving and only an option if not.

But what I do know is some of my friends are amazing at getting all and I mean all they want fm DE and I am rubbish

Herbie - that's shite

Potty - I agree.

Some people seem to claim every last thing. I think I need to savvy up a bit, but not sure how.

Cheers Mog - you give me some hope

If DE was on a thread MN would say LEAVE THE BASTARD!!

<remembers £80 rent and decides to stay>

From responses on the group on facebook I will not get a house for months and can whistle for a 4th bedroom. So that is all good.

Norma here is a link to the right bit of JSP (I think). Sadly it looks like you both need to be service members....

On the upside my DB had a v v v nice MQ at benson 3 bed, new, huge rooms, nicely decorated, huge garden school was brilliant too.

Reading for shopping is fab.

Hope you find a solution.

Warwick close it was so look on map and ones in that area will be the swanky ones

Norma, when both serving then DE has to allocate enough rooms for an 'other' occupant ie nanny.

When only 1 serving you can apply for an extra bedroom, but they don't have to allocate, so if you know of an empty 4 bed, then go for it, but they are like rocking horse shite (except on my patch where there are 5 standing empty, go figure?)

worth making an application though, they can only say no.

(however your kids could share, so DE aren't exactly known to be sensible about these things and may just put that to you)

best of luck

Thank you all. Peradua, will read the jsp. Then I will get my best begging hat on.

Wish me luck.

Eve - I don't know of any 4 beds, not sure how I would

I was about to come on and say that I know 2 people recently were posted to benson and there were no quarters of any descrption, and they were allocated them somewhere else, but I'd be lying if I said where. One of them was a "single" mum who lived with her child and the child's father, and she was allowed to stay here until one became availiable as she couldn't drive and it was going to be complicated with childcare etc.

The other couple ended up living where they'd been allocated.

You knwo what DE ...oops sorry, they changed their name in the hope we would all think it was a different organisation they were delaing with DIO make the rules up as they go along. Where I am now there are 4 x 4 beds. Only one of them is occupied by a family with 4 children.

Also, have remebered when we lived at an RAF base in Scotland, there was a couple, he was RAF she wasn't. They had 2 children and were allocated a 4 bed house as they claimed that she was agoraphobic and bedridde and they needed a 4th bedroom for a live in au pair for the children.

She worked full time and they had no au pair anywhere near the place .

I am not sure I can pull off agoraphobic or bedridden, but I spose I could give it a shot Saltire

Hope everything is OK with you

OK - so the 15 working days were up on Thursday. DH called and they said, can you call back in a couple of weeks.

Erm, he is starting his new posting mid Feb.

He said what about SSFA, as they don't have anything for us in the 15 days, and was told they won't consider that as they could just offer us a house at Wycombe. Does it not matter that Wycombe is more than 10 miles from Benson?

I am completely confused, even having read the JSP.

I have managed my expectations, and know that we will only get a 3 bed. But now it seems they don't even have a house to offer us! How long can this go on with no offer of a house?

And if they offer us Wycombe can we say no as it is 20 miles away? Infact, it is no closer than where we are now!

Thanks in advance for answering my numpty questions