Offered council property in terrible area

Don't take it. Leave it to someone who will appreciate it.

Ooh bit harsh!

I don't even live in the UK, but agree with this.

You've been offered, I assume, a greatly reduced rental, turned one down already and now don't fancy this one.

What are you expecting, some new build in an exclusive area?

I'm sorry but you sound really ungrateful.

You take it because if you are removed from the list then what do you do? You really don't have much of a choice, do you? It probably won't be the last property you will ever live in, circumstances change, you can try to swap at a later date, all sorts of things happen. And please don't lie to the housing department to try to get better, if you are found oud you will be in a worse situation. I'm a retired local authority housing officer, so I do understand how the system works.

Take it, or you'll be bottom of the list.

I moved from a bedsit on a 'nice' very tiny council estate which was in fact fucking horrible as most of the residents were over 50s and they had somehow decided amongst themselves that this was an estate for that age group, so some of them REALLY had it in for me and the other young people (all two of them) living there.

So I ended up being moved after some pretty systematic bullying by my immediate neighbour across the hallway (in her 80s, churchgoer... the list is endless I will not bore you but it was sufficient for the council to move me!)...

I was offered no choice - a 2 bed detached house on the second worst estate in town. The 1st worst estate was literally next door (across the main road a 2 minute walk away) and had in that same month had a fatal shooting, drugs related (one dealer walked into anothers house and shot him dead where he sat in front of the tv).

I was not thrilled... but I was also deeply depressed and experiencing a mental breakdown.

It wasn't all happy clappy, for sure, there were some dodgy families nearby, some pretty violent things happened on the street on occasion, I did experience a fair bit of strangers banging on the door at 3am seeing a light on and either asking for the previous resident who appeared to have dealt weed, and just asking for a light/ciggy etc.

But within weeks the stuff directly affecting me calmed down, and this wasn't a place that 'had a dodgy reptuation a few years ago', this was a place that had a current dodgy reputation!

Within months, I was friends with next door, an irascible, crabby and often foul mouthed old lady who was housebound... and also brilliantly loyal, generous and kind. Then friends with a girl a few years younger than me who moved in next door but one.

At that point we were cooking for one another, pooling funds to buy food in bulk (all horribly poor!), taking the old bat to the supermarket (or going for her which was a heck of a lot faster), decorating our homes and sorting our gardens, minding one anothers dogs..

That may not be what you're after, but the point is I expected it to be fucking awful, and actually I made some friends there I still have to this day - the man who ran the corner shop opposite is still a friend more than 10 years after I moved 150 miles away. The lass next door but one... still one of my best friends... crabby old baggage died about six months after I left and I miss her still, she was in equal measure awful and fantastic.

To a large degree, these places are what you make them!

OP, you have two options to secure a 'desirable' property, in a 'desirable' area.

One, either self-fund to buy or rent in an area you consider to be 'desirable'.

Two, as suggested by @EddyF , just lie and cheat your way to a property you think is worthy of you. Of course, by doing so you'd be showing some incredibly 'undesirable' traits, particularly that of being willing to fuck over someone with genuine medical issues that genuinely requires a ground floor/low rise property to satisfy your own wants/sense of entitlement.

Alternatively, as most pp's have said - take the flat, make it secure, keep your head down and work really hard towards option one above. By working really hard towards improving your circumstances you'll be an inspiration to your son.

I’m in a housing association place. I moved in when my son was 8 months old.
The area is grotty but i’ve decorated the house how I like, it has good connections to get to work and most importantly I have a secure tenancy.
after the nightmare I had looking at private properties and them being tiny, run down, overpriced and them wanting a guarantor I was so relieved.

Home is what you make it and to be offered a council place is very lucky. If there’s a medical reason why you can’t take it then speak with then but otherwise take it.

I'm in the middle of a council estate, my place is actually HA. When I first moved in I had problems with one neighbour who decided I didn't need a bungalow as I was 'too young' she also accused me of being, "educated" apparently that is a fault.

I have had problems with noise in the summer and the council has dealt with it, the only problem being that the council office is closed at the weekend when the parties were happening. I did suggest the department have someone 'on call' but apparently that can't be done.

But most of my neighbours are fine, lovely people.

Lots of people have lived their whole lives on the estate. My next door neighbour to my right was brought up on the road that backs on to us, the lady opposite is one of the 'Windrush' generation with numerous family members who visit her daily and might come over to mine to stroke the cat.

Round the corner is a community centre where I did some shopping yesterday in the 'community shop', they had opened a 'sweet shop' in the garden and the garden was full of children with painted faces. There will be events all of the Easter week day holidays.

They also run a café, a warm space, cooking classes and have children's dance class one evening.

I would say take the flat and seek out the good people around. Take your toddler to the local toddler group, use the local shops, local whatever there is, it would be a library, community centre, park or what ever.

I honestly believe there are more good people than bad in the world and you get a mix everywhere,

My area has a reputation from when there was a block of flats with drug dealing and a dodgy pub
That was 25 years ago the pub has gone and the flats have been knocked down and it's a new build estate. Still had the same reputation! There's a few issues with kids but I've been here 17 years and feel safe

@Nicecow I agree !
Some people would kill to get a place to live. A lot don't have a parent to live with or turn up their nose to a home for their family. If your on the council list be grateful, or stay with parents and save up to move on your own. It isn't ideal for you, but for most on the council list it's chance of a family and a new life

Exactly. What do you really expect? Just live with your mum if you don't like it, or pay for your own place. Anti-social behaviour is not ok, but if it's generally being 'undesirable' then what do you really expect.

These posters would want to have a look at themselves.

ShannonMcFarland · Yesterday 22:30
Well yeah, it's a council house. They aren't designed to be des res's - they're for people who can't or won't pay for anything nicer.

pinkdelight · Yesterday 23:32
You sound pretty deprived yourself to be fair. If you weren't, you'd be able to house yourself in a more desirable area. But as that's not the case, this is what your get, and it honestly doesn't sound so bad if the flat and the surrounding area is nice. You might find people make snap judgements about how undesirable you are as a single mum, but you'd hope to be given more of a chance and not assume old reputations never changed.

ungrateful and entitled

The people saying they would prefer a top floor flat trust me you are very much in the minority. After houses gff are the most sought after properties and get the most bids each week. Most people will wait for a gf and the waiting times are longer for gf properties. Top floor flats are not in demand and don’t get anywhere near as many bids as gf properties which are in higher demand. Same for swapping the vast majority of people want houses or gf flats.

Take the flat. All areas have their more colourful inhabitants. Just make sure you have decent security locks fitted, and enjoy your new home. You may come to love it.

Stay a year and then look for a swap that will get you into an area with a suitable school for your dc.

I had the opposite issue, grotty run down council house but in a nice area, albeit not on had put as a preference. I took it as it is crazy not too, and i was on the list for over double as long as you have suggested. Council housing offers a security for as long as you need it. I cant see myself ever in a position to buy again ( i lost my owned home when my marriage ended) and now by the time i can save a deposit by myself once the kids have grown up as i have nothing left to save at the minute, ill be too old for a mortgage. I would do a swap for a smaller place eventually, but i know have a secure home for life.

When your relying on the council to house you, I don't think you can afford to be picky. Take it and do what you can to improve your situation

*top

Back to school!

"Grateful 🙄 CHAGS...

Some of us are CHAGS

Council Housed And Greatful.

A 16 year old was murdered up the road by a 14 year old last week. Nothing to do with housing. Just heartbreaking.

I do feel so lucky. Most of my neighbours are lovely. The council also provide MH support faster than my gp. There is so much support that comes with council housing.

You'd be daft not to take it OP. Also, when I was too of the bidding list there were a lot of social housing new builds that I was hoping to get. However, I'm glad I didn't as they are separate housing authorities, more expensive and less stability or support.

The ground floor is about the worst floor to be on in a council neighbourhood by the way @ShouldITakeIt My friend had death threats, attempted break ins while he was asleep, etc etc. Eventually he got an emergency move through the police.

He's on the first floor of somewhere now and it's far more peaceful and secure.

I'm on the second floor at my place and the distance from any aggro makes me feel very safe. It's like living in a turret. The 15th floor would take a bit of getting used to though. I was in temporary housing on one of the upper floors for a while, and though the view of town was lovely, I didn't want to go near the window. 😂

Hi @ShouldITakeIt , I think maybe you phrased it 'undesirables' 'undesirable area' in a way that made some people take what you were saying the wrong way.

I understand what you mean.

It's not snobbery and being judgemental, it's serious.

I live in an area where I went down to the corner shop and outside was a young man bleeding to death on the ground from a drive by shooting. A few things have happened like that and it is genuinely quite a dangerous inner city area.

From what you say, things in the area you're looking at aren't quite that bad?

For me @ShouldITakeIt , it'd depend how ok you are with living in your mum's lounge, as if you get bumped off the list and you feel you can't private rent, that's it for the forseeable future, isn't it?

So unless you want to live in your mum's lounge permanently, or are hoping to meet someone you could move in with (going into any relationship with that at the back of your mind would make you quite vulnerable) then you'll have to take the place.

There are upsides to my area like I can walk into the city centre. And the flat itself is quite big.

Fucking hell! 🤦🏽‍♀️

No

Bit true though, innit.