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.

I now don’t believe this OP is genuine. No council or HA would tell you to only bid on 4 beds when you have 3 children. Such entitled nonsense!

You're lucky the council are housing you based on 3 children who are actually adults. When I was on the council list and my DD turned 18, they kicked me off because she was no longer a child.

Maybe the 21 & 23 year old should find their own place?

As your DC are all adults, I’m not sure why you’re even being allowed to bid on a 3 bed property.
They need to find their own housing, maybe they could get rooms in a HMO?
‘What jobs do you all have?

Especially when all the DC are adults.

I still think you need to speak with Shelter but the fact your sons aren’t children at all may well change the advice you receive. I think most people here were under the impression your boys were children. I hope this gives you more options, both in the private and social sector, as your kids can contribute if they’re not in full time education.

You need to be careful as most local authorities would only offer one property under the homeless priority system (assuming you’re homeless if they have put you in temporary accommodation). If you decline the offer, they can discharge their legal duty and end the temporary accommodation agreement with very little notice. Also, all of your children are now adults, one working. If you were to re-apply, you would get no priority at all (unless your medical needs are high) and will remain on any list for many many years.

It seems unfair that they’re now offering a 3 bed after telling you you can only bid for 4 beds but I’d grab this offer quickly.

Perhaps your working eldest can rent a room elsewhere if his prospects are good?

Your kids are bloody adults love. Either they all work and contribute and you rent somewhere proper for you all, or take the council house and make do.
Thought they were kids the way you were bleating on.

@Crystal1970 just because someone you know said it doesn’t make it true. Might get a small double in there? Or a high sleeper. Can you go see it? Or get the dimensions?

Surely what matters is getting out of temp accommodation and having somewhere that you can make a home. My brothers shared a room for ages when we were younger.

It's been polite and restrained, bearing in mind how entitled and tone deaf the OP is coming across as

I'm interested - How do you know the size of the rooms if you haven't even been to see it ? Don't knock it back till you've seen it.
Someone "telling" you the third bedroom will only fit a single bed isn't a reliable source.
Any council houses I've been in with 3 bedrooms the rooms are all decent sized.

This is actually a really good point.

I work in Housing. You need to visit the property and see what you think before jumping to 'can I refuse it?' You also need to speak to your homeless case officer and run through the scenerios of what would happen if you were to refuse this offer.

Each council has their own allocations policy (I suggest you look up the one you come under) but ours has recently changed significantly and its likely yours may have done too which is why you were previously only able to bid for 4 beds and now you are advised you can live in a 3 bed.

Where I am a 3 bed (2 doubles & 1 box) is adequete for a family of 4 with 3 boys. They would be expected to share. It makes no difference about your eldest needing a desk etc as his choice of employment doesnt trump the allocations policy. If you were to refuse this offer you would not only be taken off the re-housing list but would also be given a few days to vacate your temporary accommodation as I assume this was gained through the council (regardless of who pays for it). You will then be completely on your own in terms of housing and would be expected to source your own and move into it within a week. But your council may be different so you need to check.

You need to think very carefully on what you want here as I would assume that a secure roof over your and your children's head is more important than waiting for a 4 bed property you will probably never be allocated.

Please talk to your case officer before you make any decisions whatsoever.

I think you need to accept it really.Many people dont have 4 bedroom homes! Most Councils have long waiting lists ,and wont mess about for long as they have so many families looking for homes .

ime I could only refuse 2 then I would have been booted off the list. Just take it op.

You are 4 adults, at least 2 on FT salary. You can afford quite a property even on private rent when you split it adequately.

Of course you can refuse the council's offer. You are free to fund your own accommodation elsewhere with no restrictions.

That's not true I earn a chunk less than that and I work far more about 60-65 hours on an average week. If you're salaried they often just expect it.

Refuse then wait another 4 years

Yes can you explain this a bit better? Many of us grew up in a box room.
my 6’4 husband lived in one until he went to uni and in the holidays.

get an ottoman bed that lifts up for all the storage ans wall storage too.

Oh I’ve just seen they are all literal adults lol. How are you even eligible that’s madness?? Take it while you’ve been offered a golden opportunity and then likely one of them will be moving out soon and you get a secure tenancy for life.

But if you work for the public sector, then you are not really paying tax as the money you earn is from tax paid by the private sector. You are just getting income from taxes paid by the private sector and then paying some of it back to the government. That is all.

What utter nonsense.

Why is it nonsense???

It is true.

If your eldest son works you should be able to afford an alternative property that meets your family’s needs?
Although it does sound like you’re entitled to a council property. Temporary in your situation could you get 3 single beds in the largest room and you have the middle room with as much storage required for your possessions and then then box room as your sons office / additionally storage?
Then you could swap or move when a more suitable property comes up.

Her DSons are ADULTS - 19, 21 and 23!!!

Surely they should be in their own places anyway?!?