Offered council house in a not very good area?

We couldn't decline at all unless it was a very, very good reason such as safety. We were on the highest band so it was pretty much take it or leave it if you decided to bid on a property because it meant you'd always be 1st or 2nd in line so almost guaranteed to get it if you put a bid in.

Isn’t council housing more secure than private? That would be a huge thing for me.

To those who say take it and then go for a swap if it really doesn't suit - who'd want to swap? Take it because you're ready to make a go of it.

Unless they go the tenancy before the Housing and Planning Act 2016, it's an Assured Shorthold - take a look at it. They're much more secure than standard private tenancies but not as bomb-proof as the old lifetime tenancies. I too am in the NW & the last person who'd had a lifetime tenancy on our estate died a couple of years ago - he was 98 & he & his wife were probably in their late 20s when they moved in.

Is this through social housing register- eg you’ve bidded on it through a choice based lettings service or an offer via matching register. Either way you need to check the refusal policy. See if you’ll be removed.

Is it an offer following a homelessness application. If so you must understand whether it’s a formal offer and they will discharge duty.

Proceed with caution.

I suppose op that we don't know your circumstances. For us we could decline 2 max..we never did as we were desperate and took the first that was offered and still so relieved! Will never take it for granted. You might need to share more details of your circs and the area to receive more balanced responses if that is what you want.

Also the same where I am. Will be a year in January since I moved in and will then move to secure tenancy.

Secure tenancies still offered where I am too.

Take it. Obviously. Worst case scenario you can use the low rent to save up and try to find somewhere nicer.

Not where we are….we get secure tenancies which are indefinite manning the tenant can remain in the house for the rest of their lifetime ….the tenancy converts to secure after 12 months….im NW

No such thing as a lifetime tenancy anymore, they went years ago, The best you'll get from a social LL now is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy after a probationary period which varies, round here it's 6 months. Some social LLs don't even provide that anymore, offering only ~5 year tenancies which are assumed to keep rolling over but then again might not.

From someone stuck in private rental.
take the house.

seriously. Take the house

been renting for 17 years privately. In that time;

rent has doubled.

one landlord put up rent by 40% with one months notice after our child did the settling in sessions for school so what choice did we have?

we had to move with 6 weeks notice (from start to finish)when one landlord sold.

we had to put up with viewings in another, which was soul destroying as people trudge though your home slagging it off.
Each move cost us £3000-£5000 in boxes, van rental, deposit, fees etc.

we’ve now been priced out the area, which means dd may not be able to stay on at school with her friends.

last move we were asked for a guarantor. We are in our 40’s!!!

my children have never had a decorated bedroom.
pets are a whole other can of worms.

take the house

Take it. Secure housing for the rest of your life. Help with the rent. Make it your own.

@Possiges there's a difference between whether someone could theoretically pay the rent, and whether they would meet the credit checks required for a private rental. Just the same as how many people who private rent find that they wouldn't be approved for a mortgage, even though they have paid rent without issue.

Criteria for council housing is (by far the biggest majority) being homeless for reasons that weren't your fault, and usually additional issues of overcrowding, low income, health needs for someone in the household, fleeing violence etc. Given that there are so many households who meet the criteria to get on the books, if the council have any chance of getting a private landlord to take you on, they will try and do that. That's getting harder for councils though as private landlords have plenty of people applying for properties who will have higher incomes, they don't need to work with the councils to get tenants.

@SquadGoals75 Strreetcheck is pretty good for stats and also has an option to look at Crime stats which are broken down into what type...ie antisocial behaviour,car theft etc

Once you have a SH tenancy you can do exchanges or go on the transfer list (after 6 months, if memory serves). While their repairs teams may not do the most aesthetically pleasing work, on the whole I've had much better repairs service from social LLs than when I was in private accom'. They tend to be a bit more pro-active about anti-social behaviour/ nuisance neighbours too.

If you need somewhere to live and declining this option takes you off the waiting list then I don’t think you’ve got any option.

Accept it and keep an open mind.

I hope it all works out for you

You say you wouldn't pass referencing for a private let, so what choice do you have?
Where are you living now?

Are you allowed to ask the Council whether there are problem neighbours? That would be the main issue for me.

Or submit a freedom of information request to the local police force to see how many reports of anti social behaviour on that street for the last year.

If no issues it sounds like a pretty decent offer.

If refusing this house means you are booted off the list, then it makes no sense to turn it down.
The rent might be the same as private renting, but you will have a secure tenancy and can do things like decorate and put pictures up... really make it a home. You can always swap later on down the line.

As to why a place may become vacant after so soon. My cousin left his council flat after a less than a year of living there as something traumatic happened to him and he wanted to move.

Depends on the area.

In my area, you have bands and if you apply for council housing, you'll be allocated a band depending on your needs. If you have low housing needs then you'll be on the lowest band.

The highest band includes those with high medical needs, care leavers etc.

The lowest band includes no local connection to the area, homeowners, those with housing debt etc.

Not now the RRB is becoming law.

Take the council house gurrrrl!

Take the house!! If you are at the top of the council waiting list then you must be in genuine need - why would you decline and take yourself out of the system?!