Refusing a council house offer

[Crystal1970]

Hi, I have been in temporary housing for 4 years now during that time I was allowed to bid on 4 bed houses and advised when asked I wasn’t allowed to bid on 3 bed ones, the council have now visited and said we have found a suitable property for you it is a 3 bed house 🤔 one bedroom being a box room, I have 3 sons who are not small kids now I don’t mind 2 sharing a room but someone i know has said all you will get in the box room is a single bed . Now can I refuse this as jot being suitable I think it was under section 8 so if I refused they wouldn’t help me anymore.

Call the Shelter Advice line and they will be able to look at you local authority’s housing policy and provide advice tailored to that. In many places, you would risk losing your housing priority by refusing adequate accommodation.

I think generally if you are expecting someone -ie the tax payer- to house you, you need to accept what is offered
What you are expecting is better than many of those tax payers can afford for their own children! Shockingly entitled imo

This seems absolutely fine to me. Lots of teens/pre teens are in box rooms, esp boys, who in my experience really couldn't care less. They use the floor as a wardrobe anyway, but you can put a high sleeper in and clother rail underneath etc. Or an ikea bed with drawers.

I think if you refuse you may not get offered again. Practically it might not be ideal but you could make it work.
But it’s odd they told you to only bid for a 4 bed and have now offered a 3 bed. I’d suggest going to a citizens advice bureau/law centre/university law clinic to get some free legal advice just to be sure about the extent of their legal duty.

If you refuse this, I think you'll go back to the bottom of the list. They have offered you suitable accommodation and that is all they're required to do. I can't believe you would turn down a house when you are living in temporary accommodation. I assume you don't mean that you're currently living in a "bed & breakfast" set up, otherwise you'd bite the council's hand off for this offer. My son had a "box room" until he was 19 years old and that was my own private, mortgaged home. Suit yourself, but you'll end up waiting years more - or with nothing at all.

3 bedrooms is completely fine for 1 parent and three kids!! Kids sharing is entirely normal as is having one in a small room.

I’d actually be quite annoyed if tax payers money is being spent ensuring that same sex kids don’t have to share a room or (the horror!) sleep in a bunk bed.

I would take it OP, then look for a swap in tbe future. This house has to be far better than staying in temporary housing, surely? And yes, you may need to get a sofa bed for the lounge. You can't be picky under these circumstances.

How big is the biggest bedroom?

I'd be tempted to put all three in the same room and then make the box room a study area, I don't think you mentioned their ages but at some point they will be studying for exams.

To the OP, I can understand your frustration of waiting 4 years and counting for a 4 bed home, and being offered a 3 bed instead- that you was initially refused to bid for. It seems as if it was a mistake from the offset, that has only now been noticed.

From my understanding you're allowed up to 2 refusals (don't quote me on this- the rules may have changed), however you have to have a very good reason for the refusal. Bedroom size is not one of them.

Realistically there are just no houses available- unless you move further out.

I would take the house being offered, get some stability and make a plan from there- with the option to swap. Bearing in mind at some point- even if you swap and get a larger home- you'll eventually have to pay bedroom tax or children 21 years and over are expected to contribute towards the rent shortfall.

Get creative with storage, minimise and declutter. You'll be surprised how you just get on with it. Plus you're not even sure of how small/big the bedrooms are yet.

Stability for yourself and your children has to triumph over bedroom size. Hopefully you get through somewhere.

Have you viewed it yet? A box room may be perfectly adequate for one and the other two share a larger one. Not sure why you were told you would be eligible for 4. How old are your dc now?

I do agree with speaking to Shelter England who should be able to help you with your local housing rules. As a PP said, in some areas you only get offered one and if you reject it, your temporary accommodation ends and you’re removed from the list.

And as I mentioned, here you’d be expected to accept a house even if was 60 miles away, which some people do.

Why would you turn it down? You are lucky to be offered a 3 bedroomed house and are not in a position to be so choosy.

I don't totally get the issue.

You have 2 normal sized bedrooms and a smaller one.

Surely either you take the smaller room, or one son does and the other 2 share. What's the issue there?

This, wonder if could get legal advice speak with citizens advice/shelter against my lender re the mortgage provider as they won't give me enough money for exactly what I want for a house....?

Seems rather entitled to turn down a perfectly good tax payer funded house after being in temp housing - you have 3 boys - there is such a thing as bunk beds - you could take the box room and split the 2 larger rooms between the children

I wouldn’t say it’s unusual for 4 people to have a 3 bed house. Expecting your sons to each have their own room is expecting a lot. Take the property- don’t give yourself the largest room- problem solved.

I shared a box room with my sister until I moved out to uni at 20. Bunk beds, desk and a tall chest of drawers. Wardrobe over the bulk head.
Yes you had to walk sideways to get to the window but what was our alternative?
One person can easily go in a box room.

Take the house.

And why don't you take the box room if it's too small for your 'not small kids'?

Very good point!!

Two doubles. Biggest one to the two kids to share. You take the smaller double. Box room - one kid.

I bet you that if you ask them they will all be arguing for the box as it’s a private room. So pull a straw for the winner.

Clothes stored under beds.

When all I could afford was a one bedroom flat as a single parent- my child had the bedroom and I had a sofa bed in the living room. Take the box room for yourself. As others have said, beggars can’t be choosers and you are expecting the state and tax payers to fund your living space.

Could you put the 3 boys in a bedroom together ( bunk beds + a single bed) and have the box room as a store / study or walk in wardrobe for them?

Another option would be, In the box room you could put one of those bunk bed type things where there is a bed at higher level and there is a desk / sofa / storage underneath?

Agree, why should they all get rooms for themselves when kids around the country who aren’t in council houses are sharing rooms with their siblings!!

Anyway, in 4bed houses there is usually a box room so who is in that at the moment

Op, I honestly don’t mean to be rude but I think you come across as very entitled and ungrateful .
It is a luxury for many children ( whether private or in social housing ) to have their own room
.The house that you are thinking about refusing would be a God send to people with even more dc
I am interested to know what type of temporary accommodation you are currently living in