Offered council house in a not very good area?

If you're in temporary accommodation and you turn this option down you're likely to lose your current accommodation

You have an OH, and a partner from 10 years ago began stalking you to mean you 'fled DV' a year ago? This doesnt make sense

How can there be no job opportunities where you are, but an hour away the job opportunities would be 'endless' but you're an hour away?

My OH commutes 2 hours each way a day into London. No jobs directly where we live that he could access.

Take the property, wait for a year and look to exchange.

There are many reasons why people leave or are made to leave.

If you need a home, do not turn it down.

You keep talking about I and me as if you are just in this on your own, then suddenly several posts in and you have a partner. Presumably he lives with you as you have children together? What is his opinion about this move and the house?

You fled DV last year - how do you have an “OH” already?

😱😱😱
where about are you?

where I live you’re looking at £600+ also £1300+ for private rent for a 3 bed and we don’t get December rent free

But it is easy for your friends to say that as they arent in your position.

I live in London in an okay area (sort mixed with v expensive houses and then different types of social housing). Drug dealing is quite prevalent this day and age. As is homelessness and crime unfortunately.

Can you go and check it out at different times of the day and evening?

I agree. Sounds like an offer of PRS.

https://england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/legal/homelessness_applications/ending_duties/offers_of_accommodation_in_homeless_applications

get proper advice. If you refuse this they will probably end duty and also the your temp accommodation ( new build you are in) .

Do you work with any DA charities.

Absolutely right in being cautious. Obviously having a place where you are pretty much guaranteed somewhere where you’re not under threat of having to be moved on is a great pro. But the flip side is that you may be surrounded by anti social behaviour. If your friends are saying it’s not a great place to live then I would be reluctant to move there. It can be hell if you live somewhere where there’s constant noise and criminal behaviour. It seems some people on here are suggesting that social housing should be snapped up regardless. You’ve as much right to live in peace as anyone else.

Its sad that your lived ones think an hour away is too far. It's not that far at all, where i live you could drive for an hour and still be in the same city 🤣 however this is just my opinion.

Based on pros and cons you have given the pros for accepting far outweigh the cons. You could be waiting for years for another opportunity to come up to move to your chosen area. And if you hate the new house that much, it doesn't have to be forever! There will always be options later down the line if not with your LA or HA but maybe even private if you start working FT hours and can afford it. I see no reason not to take this.

Would this house and move make it likely that you could get full time work? If you got full time work, are your salary expectations such that you could expect to be able to afford a private rental in a decent area within a couple of years?

Is it safe for you to move back of you fled DV only a year ago? Are your children settled and attending school in your new location? It's a risk to move them again if there is a chance you may not stay there several years. I would be investigating the area, street and neighbours urgently tomorrow and really thinking through the implications of the move. A secure tenancy is worth a lot, but if you end up moving again because you hate the neighbours and area then it's a lot of disruption for your children.

Honestly ignore your friends and do what's best for you and your family which seems pretty clearly to take this property.

Like others I'm genuinely unsure why you're allowing friends such a large opinion, you need a house, you can't rent privately, you're in an area which is away from your family and support network and if you turn this house down there is no second chance?

As you have already said only work part time and would not be approved for a private rent , AND you will will get benefits to help pay the rent, I dont know why you would turn it down as you are being offered both a house and help to oay the rent ?’ Many would snap this up?

if you are worried then do a crime se search of area and spend tim e there at different times of the day .

our first house was an ex council house in a rough area -dirty nappies thrown in garden.
we moved - just as you could buy without the moving costs

its a grear position you are in

What happens and how attitudes change when you actually do LTB

Really? Seriously? Do you actually need somewhere to live? If so, accept it. You applied for CH, you waited on the list, you've been offered a property but ... it's ... (too hot? too cold? too big? too small?, too many streetlights? honestly, Goldilocks...)

This is Britain, millions of people live successfully in 'dodgy' areas. Frankly, most all of Britain is dodgy. I live in a bougie village but we are a hotspot for burglaries and the delivery drivers steal parcels like a reverse Father Christmas. It looks twee and posh here but I'd never leave my doors unlocked and my neighbours have webcams on their bike stores. In the nearby Cathedral city, ladies routinely have their bags snatched - I witnessed this at my own table in a restaurant!

Either you need CH - in which case, you'd be thrilled to accept the housing everyone else is subsidising for you OR make your own way.

Take and exchange as soon as you can

So OP am I understanding correctly that you are already in social housing in a different area?
In which case, no I wouldn't move to a rough area. But an hour isn't far away to me. But only you can decide what is more important.

I agree with this.

I would be more intentional about scheduling time with friends/family and remain in a nice/safe place for my children.

If your current housing is suitable, and your neighbours are nice etc. but the only issue is that you are far away from family and friends then I'd actually stick to where you are. It is hard to be isolated but could you try and combat that with things like more regular video calls, making plans to visit family for weekends, and making more friends near to where you are now?

It sounds like you're quite sure this home is very rough. Living with drug dealers nearby, antisocial behaviour, rubbish all over roads etc is just awful. In one home I felt anxious every time I went in or out because of how awful my neighbours were and that was before I had kids. If it was post-kids I'd have been a nervous wreck.

If there's nothing actually wrong with your current place, except location, I'd be reluctant to move.

Ex housing advisor here. You can't refuse without an extremely good reason (and a bad area isnt one of them).

Reading between the lines, you havent been offered a council house, you will have been offered a private rental through a council private landlord scheme which is slightly different. Take it otherwise they will discharge duty and you're on your own.

(**I am of course happy to be corrected if there is any other information to be shared)

OP is the offered property closer to your friends and family? I understand where you live is nicer, but how much value is that if you're feeling isolated?
I appreciate you have had people say they wouldn't live there, but do they realise how little choice you have? I remember my boomer parents helpfully telling me that they thought I was crazy to live in a terrace without a drive and only two bedrooms, how could I stand the noise and the lack of privacy- I was thrilled to be able to afford it, they were so out of touch with reality and when I tried to explain how expensive it was to rent or buy they just said I mustnt have shopped around for good deals.

But do your friends understand what effect a refusal will have? Do they realise that you will be removed from the waiting list and you will still have nowhere to live? You will be worse off if you refuse, not better off. To me, it seems really risky to refuse. You don’t need to live there forever but it sounds more suited to you than where you live now.