To move from housing association to private rented?

I rent privately and would never recommend it over a secure tenancy with an HA.
My rent is currently 80% of my full time monthly salary.
My home can be sold at any time by my landlord and I will get just 8 weeks to uproot my life and pay all the cost of finding somewhere else which will be smaller and even more expensive to rent, for it to possibly happen all over again and again.
I cannot settle, it is not a secure way to live and I have absolutely no way out of this situation,like thousands of other people at the moment. Try to find a way of making the current situation work and keep your lifetime tenancy.

I wonder if the housing association would be sympathetic to moving you, given the circumstances? Worth asking, unless you have already.

I would think it's better than private renting, even if both were the same price. There are a lot of awful landlords.

No I would not do this. You’ll never get another housing association place again. Was the attack reported to the police? If so I would contact them and ask for a crime number, then contact housing association and ask for a transfer, you will get more points for this. Also if you receiving any counselling or etc for trauma mention this to them

DONT DO IT.
I know someone that did do it and it was bad started well nice home and all.
But 1 year later land lord wanted to sell.
She went to housing but they would not help her as she gave up her home her self.
Housing put her in a b&b she got another PR home but rent got too much she had to find a new home again.
She spent 7 years trying to get back into a HA home.
She was on 3 different bidding sites at the time.
And always worried that she may have to move again.
It was getting too expensive and alot of landlords stopped taking HB.
Finally after 7 long years and bidding for 4 she got a call about a home it was a flat but it was hers a home forever.
She said if she was to ever move again it would be a swap only but i doubt she would move again.
7 years of private lets and b&bs last place was a hostel for 6 months she was so happy to have a second floor flat she still lives there today.

Keep your housing association house. Private rental is nothing but stress and anxiety, and you'll regret moving over to it.

You need the peace of mind now.

This in spades. There is massive insecurity in private renting and the behaviour of SOME landlords is atrocious - you could get one who turns up and insists to be let in or just lets themself in (as DD’s has done), invading your privacy, ignoring repairs, no maintenance done, dictating that you can’t even put a picture up on the wall, trying to retain the deposit for nonsensical ‘damages’, putting rent up with little notice, having to leave at the landlords whim, etc. You never know what kind of LL you’re going to get until you’re in!

I assume the HA pretty much leaves you alone, carries out essential maintenance and repairs, you can make your home your own and they can’t just kick you out for no reason? If you can’t work for whatever reason housing benefit will cover most of your rent? Will it cover private rented?

Agree the extra you’d spend on rent would be better put to making you feel safer where you are - through therapy or tech, while you see if you can move into another HA property.

Is the extra bedroom due to you having another child or just wanting more space? If it’s not for sleeping in, have you considered a free standing garden studio room type of thing (if you have a garden)?

I'm so sorry you had a horrible time in your home.

I had a tricky ex stalker situation and can relate to feeling jumpy in your own home.

The police may be able to do a security assessment on your home, extra locks, flagged number, etc.

Victim support may be able to provide some help to help you process what has happened.

As a private renting single mum, may I say private rent is a nightmare.

Additionally, now that your child is school age - you'll not want to be at the risk of landlord selling up and having to move house / potentially area and change schools/friends/support.

I also feel there is certain prejudice from private landlords towards renting to single parents. I've been looking to move for years and had no joy.

See what options you have within HA / homeswapper and take it from there?

Take care x

I wouldn't I'd go on the list for a 3 bed or ask for an exchange in your area.

Do not give up your HA tenancy

Wait till you can move to another HA

You're actually safer where you are because safety measures have been put in place by the police

Call the Samaritans to talk through your fears they're very good to talk to about all sorts of things

Never ever leave a HA for private rented. You could be there 6 months and get a s21 served and be evicted. Try and get a HA swap, there are loads of Facebook groups for it.

Not in a million years would I give up that HA tenancy! Look at a transfer or exchange yes but no way would I swap a secure tenancy for the unpredictability of private rent. I had a similar experience, really nasty aggravated burglary and our HA moved us but it still took a long time and some therapy to get over, agree with PP's that you will take your anxiety with you. I would use the extra rent money for therapy in your shoes, EMDR works really well for PTSD

Have you contacted the Housing Association and explained your situation?
They may have another empty property that you could move into and your new build could be offered to someone else.
I wouldn’t advise you to move from a secured tenancy into a private rented property. So many landlords are either selling or increasing the rents as their investment mortgage interest rates increase.

I wouldn't. I think you'd be swapping one anxiety for another. The one you're living with now will diminish with time and work but the anxiety over a difficult rental market and home insecurity wouldn't.

Don't ever move from HA to private. I'm sorry you've had a rough time, you'd be better off getting some therapy and trying to move on, in time like you say.

I was going to suggest the same.

Unless your income in very secure then no way would I move from HA to private renting. It's so expensive not only the rent hikes but having to move at short notice at frequent intervals these days. Do you really need the third bedroom? Can you get help for your issues in other ways?

Look at swapping. The private rental market is a bit insane. One of my friends just had their rent on a tiny 2 bed flat go up by £1000 a month.

Could you consider spending some of the money that you would use for higher rent to pay for counselling- the private rented sector is really insecure and you could take the anxiety and worry with you

I would request a transfer due to the incident, you can sometimes get a swop as well but why do you "need" a spare room? I wouldn't give up a secure tenancy, I'd wait to swop and work out an alternative plan for whatever you want a spare bedroom for.

Obviously if you can afford it it's your choice but £300 a month you could save for a deposit for shared ownership for instance

You're mad!

What about swapping? you be mad to give up a secure HA tenancy.

I grew up in a HA property, my parents are now looking to downsize in retirement and will be swapping. Low rent etc, they are secure.

I think you would be absolutely mad to give up a secure tenancy for private renting. Honestly I would sell my granny to have that security!

What you should do if you haven't already is talk about whether you can move on the grounds of feeling at risk physically and also the emotional toll living in that property is having on you.

You will need evidence and it won't be easy but I think that's where to start.

The private rental sector is an absolute shitshow at the moment and not great at the best of times. Do you really need another bedroom, presumably the HA don't think you are overcrowded?

Never give up a secure tenancy, you will never get back on the council list should it not work out. Home swaps are a solid option if your property is desirable enough.

I'm very sorry for what happened & how you're feeling xx

BUT

I think you'd be mad to give up HA & rent privately. There's absolutely NO security in PR, no guarantee the rent won't go up (my mate is pissed off his HA rent is going up, but it's only a fraction of what the PR's are going up by!!) but for ME it would be the fact you won't be made homeless with HA.

I (well the bank & I) own my place. It's very small & not ideal, but knowing no one can tell me to leave & make me homeless is worth the world to me. HA is is much the same.

i don't know all the ins & Outs of the HA system, but can't you look at swaps? What else can you do to feel more secure there & get help for your trauma.

moving to PR just brings insecurity & id think you'd be daft to give up HA housing security!!

I would not give up the security of a HA tenancy to move into private rented and risk having to keep moving and paying higher rent increases.
Why do you need a third bedroom?