I’ve been offered a housing association flat, don’t know what to do?

[RosieRoo4]

I’m in a bit of a dilemma so I will get straight to the point, disabled DS (quite severely disabled, he receives higher rate DLA and mobility) and I are currently living in a privately rented 2 bed house with very expensive electric heating, rent is £875.00 a month of which I receive £680.00 in housing benefit, I make the rest up myself.

I have been bidding on social housing properties since March, I received a phone call yesterday from a housing association offering me a flat in a city about 12 miles away from where I live now. I jumped in the car and drove into the city to have a look at the outside, it’s on quite a notorious estate, first impressions were not good, yes there was an overturned shopping trolley in the communial garden and various other things that make up a typical deprived area.

The flat is vacant so I looked through the windows, it’s been gutted, no flooring etc. The flat is nice enough, I liked what I could see, the front door looks very secure.

The huge communal recycling bins were overflowing with beer cans and bottles. A few of the other flats don’t look desirable, blankets and towels used as curtains etc.

I really don’t know what to do.

Should I accept because of the cheaper rent (£402.00) and the fact that it’s half a mile away from my DS’s special needs school? I currently have to get him up at 5.45am to have him ready for school transport at 7.15am, he often isn’t home until 4.30pm, it’s a very long day for him.
I’m concerned about him being ridiculed by the other children on the estate, he would be oblivious but it would cut me like a knife. I have until Monday to decide, if I accept then it would be sign up Monday and move ASAP. My current letting agent has spoken to my landlord and he is willing to let me out of my tenancy 2 months early without penalties.

All my family and friends live in the small town where I currently live, I grew up here, everybody knows my DS, he’s safe here. I know nobody in the city.
I really don’t know what to do. It would mean moving literally days before Christmas to a flat with no flooring, I have little furniture because my house was let to me furnished and I have been there for years.

I honestly didn’t think I would be offered anywhere as we are adequately housed, I bidded on the flat several months ago which means quite a few people have viewed and refused before it was offered to me.

Mumsnetters, what would you do?

I wouldn’t move. Your support network of family and friends is worth too much.

Can you say where as there may be some MNers who know the estate and area well or give a rough estimate of where it is. Can you get help with flooring and furniture too?

I wouldn't.

Have you priced up floor coverings plus furniture plus removals? Can you afford it? What about white goods?

What happens of you dong accept this one? Can you carry on bidding?

Can you imagine yourself being happy there? I suppose thats the biggest question.

It sounds to me as if it would be incredibly isolating for you. Cheaper rent is obviously always good, but are you really struggling to make ends meet as things are?
If you did move, what kind of timescale would you be working on to make things liveable for you and your DS? Could you buy the basics straightaway?

A shorter commute would be nicer for your son, but I think if the move would make you miserable, that wouldn’t be in his best interests, unless you are really really struggling financially, and you friends and family can be relied upon to stay close.

It’s a difficult one OP, can definitely understand why you would be reluctant, can you find out from the housing officer if you could refuse especially with the concerns around safety etc if you would then be able to bid on other properties? You might be eligible for a grant from your local authority for flooring etc & sometimes the council do give you vouchers towards cost of decorating.
If it’s a one time only offer, then that makes the decision much harder I suppose then it comes down to how secure your present tenancy is versus secure tenancy with the council.
I wish you well.

I don’t think I would, to be honest. You’ll be saving £195 in rent, but probably be paying out at least that much per month getting up to standard.

Regarding the expensive heating - have you looked into grants etc? I am no expert, but I think there are grants & allowances available for vulnerable people (your son would be classed as vulnerable) on a very low income.

If you are happy-ish where you are & not in danger of eviction, I would say no on the grounds that it’s too far. I think you can say no up to 3 times (someone will correct me if I’m wrong).

It’s an estate in a beautiful historic city in the south east of England. I have enough put by to buy some second hand furniture, my parents would help me with flooring so that wouldn’t be too much of a problem, we would only be living uncomfortably until the new year when I could arrange carpets to be fitted, I very much doubt I could arrange that at such short notice next week and have it fitted before Christmas.
My support network where I live now is fantastic, my DS is so well known in the town, I like him having that familiarity with people outside of the family as he’s quite withdrawn as a rule.
I was worried that I was being snobby.
I will mull it over until the weekend, maybe take a drive there Friday evening to see what it’s like after dark.

Good idea to have a couple of drive bys at different times, sometimes appearances can be a lot worse than the reality, not always though I must admit, I would also have a chat with housing officer to find out if it’s one time only offer, or if you can bid on further properties if you turn this one down.

Wow, thanks for all the replies!

I can refuse this property and continue bidding as I’m allowed to refuse 3 properties as a PP said.

Removals wouldn’t be a problem as I have a friend with a large van and DP and a few of his friends would help move. I have white goods on my own, I don’t have beds, bedroom furniture or a sofa (my house was let furnished as access to the property is too narrow to move furniture in easily)
I am not in financial difficulty as I’m quite careful with money, I don’t have enough to buy new goods but could easily furnish with second hand.

I must admit it’s the thought of cheaper rent and a shorter commute for DS that has drawn me.

Regarding the electric heating at my current property, I’m using roughly £40.00-£50.00 a week. I applied for the warm home discount with my supplier and I believe the discount applies on the winter bill which means £140.00 will be knocked off.

I’m not in any danger of eviction at all. My landlord seems to be one of the better ones out there.

To be blunt it sounds terrible. A poor area is fine, but a "notorious" one is different and I don't think being near the children's school would make up for being afraid in your own home.

Personally I wouldn’t move- I can’t imagine how hard the long commute is for you both but a support system and nice area is worth it’s weight in gold. Refuse

I'd refuse it as the next two are unlikely to be worse are they? Even if they are just as bad it gives you time to think if you're happy to move in there.

I'd stay.

Maybe the lower rent is swaying you TOO much?

Refuse. Dont bid on any more flats, go for houses or you will be stuck. Get the best you can which gives you currency to exchange in future, after a year x

Is it really notorious though? I mean I live in SE England a lot of my (highly qualified etc) friends live on “bad“ estates in ex council houses because the price of housing is so high. So you may find there are a few troublesome neighbours buy plenty of lovely people too?

Unless you are really struggling financially I would refuse. Feeling secure and having a good support network is worth an awful lot.

The estate is known in the town where I currently live as ‘rough’.

The thought of being able to take DS to school is so appealing, I don’t have much interaction with his school as he’s on transport, I use a daily home/school diary to keep in contact with his teacher and TA.
I’m talking to my DM and DF about it at the moment, I’m going to drive them there tomorrow and see what their first impressions are. My DP said not to accept it.

I could accept it and see it as a step on the housing association ladder assuming anybody would want to exchange with me in a years time which would be unlikely, also I would have wasted money carpeting and decorating the place.

I really don’t think the opportunity would arise again as housing is scarce and there are far needier families than us needing a home. I think I may have been last on the bidding list.

NeverTwerkNaked - I’m definitely not snobby in any way, I would happily live on a council estate, no issues at all but my first impressions were not great. There are several other estates in the city and I would bite their hands off if they offered me a property on one of them.

Beenoutedformyhobby - I think you are right, there are lots of new build housing association properties locally which are mostly houses, the number of bidders can go up to the 70’s for one property!

Don't take it. If it's not a good location nobody will want to exchange in future with you and you will be stuck there. Wait til the right one comes along.

Have you looked up the crime statistics? They would tell you more about what it’s likely to be like living there.

Are you in band A? If not - take the flat. PP talking about the benefit being only cheaper rent don't seem to grasp the difference between private and housing association for security.

Don't assume the area will be awful to live in. Full recycling bins mean that people recycle, and that the council doesn't collect recycling often enough. Shopping trolley could mean ASB or it could be someone using it to bring their shopping home. Can you post on local Facebook pages to ask for views of the area?