Offered council house in a not very good area?

You either can afford private renting or you can't. Am sure the private rental will be much higher.
If you refuse the house,you will be off waiting list.
I dont know why you are asking as you dont have an option really!

People don’t generally save longer than 2 years where I live in NW ….the average starter home 3 bed semi on a private estate is around 180 to 220 k depending on how ‘together’ it is …….most young people stay local and buy in their 20s …..my DD bought at 25 ….she already had 2 children….very similar for her friends and rest of young people in our family

I don’t know ! You just pay 48 weeks rent a year🤷‍♀️

Take it, you might not get another offer.

I had to take the offer I was made or i would be off the list and they had no obligation to home me. My house was an ex grow house that was an absolute shit show to move into. They gave me a 'decorating pack' that consisted of 2.5l of white gloss. 10l of white emulsion and 15l of coloured paint. 3 bed house with 25 foot living room. 11 miles away from my daughters work and she isn't allowed to drive!!! I sucked it up and made the best of a crappy situation

Or the cleaners who clean their houses.

Or the nursery workers that look after the children of those who tend to have higher salaries.

Like the key workers certain hypocrites were clapping for

Many people never have high salaries, and for lots of different reasons.

Maybe try patience. Many people don't have high salaries in their twenties. Things take time.

First step is not to have children until you can afford them. WAIT.

I will tell the NHS worker who lives two doors away from my friend on another estate that shes not decent ppl by pointing her to this thread Should go down well eh. 😐

Buying your own home is out of reach for a lot of people now.
How are you meant to save when half (or even more than) your monthly take home goes on rent?
Oh, I know. Cut down on the Costas and avocado toast 🙄

I agree. Sick of these people who aren't prepared to pay the market rate and waste money whilst decent people save. The system is flawed and will collapse. Karma awaits.

Everyone should pay the same rate.

Her rent will be topped up either way. Council or private.

Given the state of the economy, secure social rental is probably worth every penny. Apart from Windsor and Richmond everywhere is 'a bit rough' these days.... (i'm in a grotty bit of South London myself... ) chicken bones and deliveroo muggers skooters everwhere....

OP already said her rent will be topped up. How long do you think people save to buy their own property...definitely longer than two years.

Personally I would take it. We have been waiting to be rehoused by the council for nearly 3 years as our home is no longer meeting our disabled sons needs. And our neighbour is a serious anti social nightmare. We have lived in our council house for nearly 20 years and was great when the kids were wee but we’ve outgrown it. A home is what you make it even if it’s in a bad area.

If there's no chance of renting privately and you'll be taken you off the housing list if you refuse, could you try it for say a year to see what it's like to live there? If it's awful you could make plans to move elsewhere before the children are school age, I don't remember whether you said where you were living now - is it in temporary accommodation? If it is you don't have much to lose - at least you'd have somewhere to call home while you plan your next steps. Good luck!

Here's a great example of a poster who doesn't actually know very much about the housing system but loves a good benefits bash.

Many, many social housing tenants pay their own rent either partially or fully. People who are homeless are also entitled to dignity and suitable housing so are indeed allowed to be 'picky' (if you class being worried about raising your children in a dangerous area as 'picky') - this is actually important as it is part of people not just taking tenancies on but actually sustaining them which is more cost effective in the long term for housing providers which enables the building of more social housing.

'Only' two years waiting on suitable housing - how utterly, tragically comical. 2 years in unsuitable housing, housing that's unsafe or housing you can't afford is a VERY long time.

"Now the tax payer has to pay for your benefits to afford that council house" you don't know if the op is in full or partial receipt of benefits - at that cost op will also likely need to contribute towards her own rent.

'Sort yourself out, if you can make it on your own then do so!" If op takes on a private rental she will be entitled to the exact same amount of benefits for housing costs. So this will make zero difference to the tax payer. HAs are essentially businesses. They use rent paid to purchase/ build/repair. This is not automatically taken from benefits and use of a HA property does not necessarily affect the tax payer in any way. Op will only be getting the benefits she is entitled to.

I'm not sure you should be picky if it's a council property and you are getting UC to help with rent. I would understand being fussy if you were private and paying the whole amount ...

That's the thing with Council Housing, it's for people who really need it, not for those who want a subsidised rent in a 'nice' area🙄.
If you turn it down you ought to go to the bottom of the list tbh.
if you can afford a private rent in an area you approve of-then just go for it.

Take it. You'll get security of tenure. Then after a couple of years you can apply to transfer to a different area.

My house is social housing not council (so same security and more affordable, just not the council) it's 790 for a 3 bed house per month, but private for the same sized house would be around 1900-2100 per month

Now I understand why taxes are going to. Hope everyone who is in need of accommodation isn't as picky as you. If you have the money to rent privately do that and allow those in need to get the house. Only two years on the waiting list and you get offered a council house! Now the tax payer has to pay for your benefits to afford that council house...the one you don't really want!
Sort yourself out, if you can make it on your own then do so!

Good luck!
Let us know how it goes 🤞🤞🤞 xx