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Council housing list......

21 replies

Zephyrcat · 04/01/2005 18:55

How do I get on it? We are very close to losing our home and my Mum had a huge go at me yeaterday for not having put my name on the list years ago and said that they are more obligated to help you if you are on the list than not. She said you can do it online as her friend does it but I dont know where to start!!

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hunkermunker · 04/01/2005 18:57

Which local authority do you live in? Do they have a website? I'll check mine and see if they do this kind of thing online - but I would imagine there'll definitely be contact numbers on your council's website.

Sorry to hear you're having probs hun.

Freckle · 04/01/2005 19:00

Get down there and put your name on the list. That way, you have more chance of being offered a house if you are evicted than being put in B&B accommodation.

Why are you likely to lose your home?

If you have young children, you will be classed as vulnerable and therefore be fairly high priority.

hunkermunker · 04/01/2005 19:00

My council's website (Hillingdon) has lots of info on it, including contact details for council housing, but I can't find anything about putting your name on a list online in my brief look.

Zephyrcat · 04/01/2005 19:03

Thanks guys. I'm just having a scan around our council site. Our house is rented and dp has had a nightmare with work and money and we couldn't pay the rent for the second time this month so the landlord isn't too amused!!!

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coppertop · 04/01/2005 19:07

The council usually gives you a long form to fill in. You might be able to do this from a local housing office or they may expect you to go the main office.

Our local council keeps details of its housing stock on its website to save offering people houses/flats that they will reject (meaning the property stays emptier for longer).

JudgeFlounce · 04/01/2005 20:30

Message deleted

Gwenick · 04/01/2005 20:32

Also - get your HV (if any of your children are under 5) to write a letter to go in with your application detailing the need for one - more likely to help you get further up the list.

Zephyrcat · 04/01/2005 20:34

thanks everyone as always you're all stars!!!
Have emailed the local council for an application form ...... fingers crossed we wont need it!

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SeaShells · 04/01/2005 20:34

I recently applied for council housing, I just went onto the website and requested a form which they sent out, I filled it out and after a couple of weeks I got a letter back telling me what 'points' I had and how likely I am to be offered a house (not very likely!!!). Now I'll just wait and see.

Zephyrcat · 04/01/2005 20:36

How come you were not very likely? Does it count on things like if they think you can afford to rent etc? I'm gettingpissed off with being told I cant get any help because we should all be able to live off of dp's income!!!

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SeaShells · 04/01/2005 20:39

Yeah you get different points awarded for different circumstances, things like boy and girl sharing a room xpoints, various health issues xpoints, property in disrepair xpoints and so on. The more urgent you need to get a new house the more points you seem to get, we are not in a very bad situation 'aparently!' so our points are way below the average of people who have been offered properties in the last year.

SeaShells · 04/01/2005 20:43

There is also a scheme where I live where instead of points, they put you into 3 different bands depending on your need for housing, gold,silver and bronze, then you apply for housing association houses which are advertised on the website or in the local paper, which seems a better scheme, don't know if they do this in other areas though.

Nutcracker · 04/01/2005 22:29

Zephyrcat - Sorry to hear you are in this situation.
Yes you can definatly apply to go ont the council waiting list BUT as at the mo you are adequetly housed, you stand vitually no chance of them offering you anything.

You will have to provide proof that you cannot afford to pay the rent for the house you are in now and proof of your arearrs.
They then will probably put you on the list but at the bottom.
If the worst comes to the worst, the you would actually be better if the landord tried to evict you because you could use this to gain alot of points and be placed higher up the list.
If it got to the point that you were to be made homeless, then you would be placed at the top of the list but this maynot be as good as it sounds.
You would then be classed as an emergency and have priority points.
A condition of having these points is that you get one offer and you HAVE to accept it unless you can prove that the property is entirely unsuitable for your needs.
If you refuse and they think the property was suitable then your priority points are removed and you end up back where you started.

What area are you in by the way ??

Obviously the councils policies vary from place to place but generally unless you are desperate you won't get a thing, and even if you are, you will have to accept whats offered.

Nutcracker · 04/01/2005 22:32

Those schemes that you mention Seashells are so much better, everywhere should have them.

Zephyrcat · 04/01/2005 22:33

we're in Ludgershall which comes under Kennet council in Wiltshire. DP is earning nothing at the moment as he is working in a comission based job and has a lot of debt. The landlord has said that unless we have £1000 by the end of this month then they will start proceedings to get us evicted

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bonkerz · 04/01/2005 22:36

i dont mean to be rude but when i was homeless with a 10 week old baby i was told i wouldnt be entitled to a council house straight away as i had made myself homeless! If you do not pay your rent then (and i know this isnt fair) but you are intentionally making yourself homeless! My situation was that my exp chucked us out on the street, it was his house not mine but because i refused to fight to stay in the house then i had made myself homeless! I ended up renting a property untill a house came up 18 months later!

Zephyrcat · 04/01/2005 22:40

Dont worry bonkerz we knew that would be a big problem. But if we can prove that we cannot physically pay the rent is that still the case?

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Nutcracker · 04/01/2005 22:47

The prob is that the council will try and put you off, make it seem impossible for you to get anything decent.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to ring the CAB and ask them about it.

I don't want to tell you something that is incorrect.

Whatever you do, whoever you speak to , get their name and keep a log of what they say as they like to change it.

bonkerz · 04/01/2005 22:51

i dont know about your situation and wouldnt like to say but if you cant afford a rented house then a Housing association or council are gonna think twice about letting you one of their properties! Its all wrong cos if oyu claimed benefits and didnt work and they knew they would get the money through housing benefit they wouldnt hesitate! The only thing i was offered was a half way refuse place! It sounds awful but if yoiu and dp separated for abit you would be more likely to get a house quicker if you were a single non working parent!

Nutcracker · 04/01/2005 22:54

Is there any chance of you living with you mom for a bit. It would give you more points if you were overcrowded and if your mom gave you a letter saying you had to move out by a certain date.

Zephyrcat · 04/01/2005 22:56

Yeah I told dp that if we were splitting up I could get me and the kids rehomed easier bless him!! It's so unfair. I tried to cllaim some benefit a while ago and was told I'm not entitled to anything because I live with someone who works - so obviously because I have a partner I am no longer a person in my own right lol It's all backwards if you ask me!!

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