AIBU? Council repairs leaving my 86-year-old mum with nowhere suitable to live

Whatever the temporary accommodation is that’s been offered, it must be an improvement on where she was. Why do you think it’s unsuitable?

I would be extremely wary of doing anything which could be construed as ending her Council tenancy. If you private rent another property, even temporarily, you are surely demonstrating that she can adequately house herself and doesn't need Council assistance.

In my case i tried I live in a top floor flat and i was told that there is a wet patch on the bathroom ceiling of the flat underneath mine, So they needed access to both flats, This was in May. It was booked for 8 July Then they cancelled and rebooked for 16th July, They didnt turn up so it was booked again for 11th August, They came to do the job but the alcoholic in the flat underneath refused to answer his door. They spent an hour and a half here , he wouldnt answer his door they spent all that time trying to get him to do so. He was in because i could hear him moving around and flushing the loo.

They won't keep her in for that I don't suppose, not when the council have offered to house her elsewhere. It's incredibly expensive to keep people in hospital. She'll end up in a care home if her needs have changed.

If they've asked you to leave, I don't think they're repairing the old place for her . She'll be rehoused elsewhere. At 86 with issues and needing 24/7 care, a care home is likely.

Although she's in hospital right now -

Accept the temporary accommodation.
Appeal it's unsuitability.
Sort out what's happening with her furniture (the council will put it in a skip (and possibly bill her for that) when the notice period ends.
Get her a care assessment with social services if this hasn't already been done.
Get onto her social worker if it has been done and update them on the current situation.
Bid on permanent housing for her weekly (she can always turn it down if she gets offered one but ends up going into a care home instead).

What's wrong the temporary accommodation on offer OP?

Unfortunately, it is when it comes to temporary housing. You take what's offered or they discharge you from their care as voluntarily homeless. If it's unsuitable, you move in then argue about it's unsuitability.

take the temp accomodation

if you private rent your likely to be told to stay as you"can afford it"

Ok, then she's being rehoused as homeless then. This is probably for the best. 6 months after she moved back in there things would only be bad again.

Honestly, what did you expect? Once the property is void, there's no rush to repair it. They prioritise tenanted property for repairs. I expect they'll leave it empty forever now, until the block comes down. Or they'll patch it up and rent it to someone who they'll hope is less fussy.

If your mum doesn't accept the temporary accommodation, she'll be discharged from their duty to rehouse her under the homeless act. So she needs to choose. Take the councils offer of temporary accommodation and bid for permanent property again or move into the private rental you've been lucky enough to find (if it's still available).

The state of that house is shocking! Did the council really just ignore all that and refuse to do any repairs for decades? Appalling.
But all the more reason to take the temp accommodation and get it sorted if you possibly can!

It is true.

You're right about allowing access though and reporting repairs. OP doesn't say her mum didn't do this, I don't think? Just that the property is in a state.

I know it's hard to believe that social housing could be this lax on repairs (let's face it, it's illegal) but some LL really are. Either in general or with certain blocks that they know are beyond any real recovery, where they know any type of repair isn't going to last and is therefore a waste of money. They bank on the tenants being too frail, unwell, or of low intelligence - as well as too poor - to fight back.

It's an elderly woman were discussing with mental health needs. It's not a black and white situation.

just whatever Mum is entitled to from the state,

That's a single bed room with shared bathroom in a b&b, for temporary accommodation. Paid for in full by the housing benefit, regardless of the cost. If she's agoraphobic and never goes out it doesn't even matter what floor it's on, once she's in there.

If she wants to keep her furniture (if it can't stay in situ whilst repairs are done), she'll be expected to store it with a friend or relative, or pay for a storage unit and moving costs herself, just like anyone homeless would have to. If none of these are an option she'll have to pay council tip collection to come take it away and dispose of it (it won't be suitable for donating to charity if she's in a mouldy, rat infested home).

There'll be a grant available for bare essentials replacement furniture (of the cheapest-they-sell-in-Argos type) when she returns home. She'll need to apply to the discretionary assistance fund. It'll be a voucher, so if she wants better furniture she can put her own money towards it too. Or she can buy less items with the voucher and look for good quality second hand stuff, either from charity shop or privately on Facebook etc. Check out charities too. In my area there's a local one that'll drop to your doorstep (and no further) bare essentials of furniture and white goods, these are second hand donations, you don't get to pick and choose though. It's available to people on income related benefits moving into a new home (she'd probably qualify), for just an admin fee.

I'm afraid you're wanting the-moon-on-a-stick in this situation. They can and do move people from one type of temporary accommodation to another though, so her circumstances could improve within the 6 months. Depends if you're nice or not, frankly. And whether there's something more suitable available at all.

It is very rare tennants are billed for repairs OP. Yes they want notifying of repairs or damage and use their own teams of trades. Something smells off with your post ..Christ I would be taking all help offered to get her settled and comfortable back in her home if it is as bad as you say.

Assuming this is true (unlikely but I don't know the rules of every borough/HA) then it's still the responsibility of the tenant to notify the council and give them access for the works. Being a responsible tenant doesn't mean you have to do everything but it does mean you have to communicate and give access.

OP, you really need to say why the temporary housing she's been offered is unsuitable. How far you get with an appeal/your MP etc will depend on your reasons, and no one can offer decent advice without knowing the whole picture.

She is entitled to an alternative temporary housing that meets her needs and the council believes that have offered that. Additionally she would be entitled to whatever care package she is assessed as needing following a care act assessment. This might include a stay in a care home if her needs are really 24-7

Then you'd be wrong.

Even if you put a cricket ball through the window, they'd not want you doing your own repairs, they'd want you using their repair team and then they'd bill you/your insurance if you have it, for the cost.
Your toilet cracks due to old age, they replace it.
Thugs kick your door in, they repair or replace as necessary.
Blocked pipes, they send a plumber to sort it out.
Hell, they are even responsible for a dripping tap.

No repairs are tenants responsibility, even if they caused the damage.

I don't think we're going to get the honest story here. The little information doesn't make sense.

Maybe your mum can stay with you while she's waiting OP.

No one can help advise you until you say why she is rejecting the current temporary housing offer. Their duty to house her will end if she refuses that offer. She will need to have a good case as to why it is unsuitable. That’s where you need to direct your argument.

Is the issue that they've offered her over 65s housing and you aren't able to stay there?

It probably is. Hence the rats. Impossible to keep them out if the place is basically falling apart. If they know the place is beyond redemption they don't waste money trying to patch it up unless you shout really loudly and start the legal route, as OP has done.