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Council house, housing

140 replies

Mammystore118 · 30/12/2018 18:07

Hi I’m just wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction or any advice. I live in a 2 bedroom house and it’s very small I’m wanting to move for multiple reasons. My area isn’t the best and we’ve had trouble in the area with people causing trouble and theiving etc... I know you can get that anywhere but I’ve never felt secure or safe in my home I’ve lived here for 3 year and every night I’m a nervous wreck and I shouldn’t have to feel like this. I should feel comfortable and secure in my house which I never have in this house. My partner works shift work which includes nightshift so I’m on my own majority of the time with my little boy. I don’t want my little boy to be around this area as the kids around here swear, fight and cause trouble to people’s houses again... I know this can happen anywhere but rather be away from this area. I could go into detail but would be an essay. Anyway me and my partner both work. So we claim no benefits or anything at all and pay full rent and taxes etc... but I want to move closer to my family but I really want a 3 bedroom house. I wouldn’t mind paying bedroom tax. Is this possible? With me only needing a two bedroom I would like a 3 for more space and if we were to have more children in the future I wouldn’t want to keep moving my child about in different houses because I see that as unsettled so I’d like to stay in the house I next get and buy it eventually. We don’t have the money at the minute to put a deposit for a mortgage so this isn’t an option just yet. Is it possible to get a 3 bed? Or any advice it will be very appreciated.
Any ideas how we could go from a 2 bed to a 3?
Tia

OP posts:
SillyMoomin · 30/12/2018 18:53

If you want a 3 bed op, why don’t you just RENT a 3 bed??

Bloody entitled

thebaronetofcockburn · 30/12/2018 18:55

And don't go into a private rental fgs! You would be crazy to give up a secure tenancy however bad the area is

We went into a private rental. It's actually hard to get a swap if you're in a bad area, even with the bedroom tax because no one wants to stay in there and particularly if you are in a flat. And some HAs will not approve a swap if you were over-occupying from the get go. Why on Earth would anyone waste their lives in some horrible scheme with kids if you can private rent a nice place somewhere else?

yesmelord · 30/12/2018 18:55

I don't understand why you have to be on council housing and can't rent privately?

Surely you would find somewhere much nicer and actual have a choice when and where you go if you rent privately?

Me and DH rented privately (fairly low cost and the house was lovely) until the birth of DD1 then we got a mortgage on a 3 bed house with the help to buy scheme as I felt we needed more space Could that be another option?

KlutzyDraconequus · 30/12/2018 18:56

I was all ready to give some advice. I'm no expert in Housing Associations and council housing etc but I've been through the process multiple times and have a real life experience.

But I've decided not too because I think this thread is a thinly veiled attempt at ripping into people claiming benefits.

If you think elying in UC and living in a Housing Association house in a Housing Association area is some kind of dream come true, feel free to leave work, claim UC, apply for housing and move to an estate. Good luck to you.

HelenaDove · 30/12/2018 18:57

So you arent claiming tax credits or Child Benefit OP

listsandbudgets · 30/12/2018 19:00

@ems23 yes. sorry very tired tonight nd not making sense. The household moves to better band but that does not equal a bigger house!

flumpybear · 30/12/2018 19:01

Sorry but go and rent a
Home from a private source, council should be fir people with big difficulties - it sounds like you've got a shopping list of wants

Mymycherrypie · 30/12/2018 19:06

I know you seem to be rather pissed off about having to pay full rent on a council house, but if you aren’t in receipt of benefits then that’s because you’ve been means tested and found to not need them. Someone else may desperately need the place you are in, so instead of harping on about how unlucky you are, maybe consider that there are people desperate to be in your situation.

Don’t like it, move. Nothing stopping you.

FoxFoxSierra · 30/12/2018 19:07

Barone I'm glad it worked out for you, the trouble is though that private rental comes with no security, op could find the perfect house and then find that the landlord wants to sell it 6 months down the line.

Sarahandduck18 · 30/12/2018 19:11

Rent privately and let someone in need have your council house.

Schuyler · 30/12/2018 19:11

You sound charming.

Calvinsmam · 30/12/2018 19:12

Not feeling safe in your own home is horrendous, I really feel for you OP but private renting is the only option for you if you want a three bed in a nice area.

Notwhoyouthink35 · 30/12/2018 19:13

If you don’t want your son growing up with kids that swear and you want extra space then save up and buy a house like everyone else, or if that’s not doable rent privately. Lots of people would jump at your house on the low council rent. You’re actually in a very fortunate position.

looktothewesternsky · 30/12/2018 19:17

BiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuit

BollockingBaubles · 30/12/2018 19:18

People who actually need three bedrooms struggle to get them. If you are going to pretend to be single to be awarded a house then I really can't see one adult and one child being given a three bedroom house. If you're wanting to proper lie and all live together but say you're in a room each you'll still be unlikely to get offered one and might find proving it a pain in arse. A friend actually genuinely had split from her dh and he was living on sofa, she couldn't claim a penny because HMRC wanted solicitors letters proving they'd split, bank statements to show they were not sharing finances and living as a couple.

You might want to check the way the Council allocate houses anyway as many don't have "lists" as such, two councils near me have a system where you bid on a property and the person with most points/need will win it so to speak. So in theory an unpopular area could have three bedrooms properties you'd be given but then if it's an unpopular Are and families don't want to live there it's unlikely you'll want to either.

Someone else being on benefits and having a council home is irrelevant to your situation, you sound a bit entitled tbh and if you really think being on benefits is so cushty you're free to quit work and join people.

Can you private rent? You were willing to pay extra for a spare bedroom in bedroom tax (which wouldn't apply if you're not on benefits) House swap if already in council house?

FWIW some councils count a dining room as a bedroom so bare that in mind, I private rent and dh lost work last year and we had to claim benefits, it's a two bedroomed house but council came out to look and classed it as three because of the dining room and we had to pay extra.

You'd be very very very lucky to be given a house with bedroom for children who haven't even been conceived and even then they can be expected to share. My Sister has three daughters and even in an unpopular area count get more than a three bedroom home , (two bedrooms and a dining room which council class as third room)

thebaronetofcockburn · 30/12/2018 19:18

I'm glad it worked out for you, the trouble is though that private rental comes with no security, op could find the perfect house and then find that the landlord wants to sell it 6 months down the line.

We had to move 7 times in the 5 years it took us to save for a house whilst private renting Hmm. That's the nature of it. But expecting the council to give you a 3-bed house in a nice area because you're more deserving of it than others? Haahaahaaahaa!!! That hasn't been possible in any council I know of for a long time, the good places got bought long ago. If you don't like what you offered then your private rent or buy. Diddums.

Josiebloggs · 30/12/2018 19:24

If you want a large house in a nice area rent privately. If you like paying a subsidised rent for council housing then its likely you'll have to stay put. The rent on council houses where I live is 3 times cheaper than private rent for an identical house. If your both working you should rent privately and allow someone less fortunate and more grateful to get a secure home.

NOTthepinkranger · 30/12/2018 19:26

Get your head out of your arse

BollockingBaubles · 30/12/2018 19:32

Why are you in a council house if you both work?

Lots of people in council houses work. Council houses are not just for the jobless and people don't have to vacate them once they get a job.

I grew up on a council estate and most people worked, but minimum wage jobs and no job security and lack of opportunity to save means homeownership not always possible. People seem to think council houses are full of people who don't have jobs and that once they've got employment they have to vacate it when it's just not true.

OP has made a home crap comments but her having a job doesn't mean she has to give up a secure council tenancy, many families with two full time working adults can't afford a mortgage to buy.

VioletCharlotte · 30/12/2018 19:35

I used to work for a housing association. No reason at all you can't get a three bed if you can find someone to do a mutual exchange with. Have you looked on the Home Swapper website? The HA would probably block the swap if you were single, but I'm pretty sure they let you go ahead with one child, so long as the affordability check stacks up ok.

Shitmewithyourrhythmstick · 30/12/2018 19:44

MN can be so dense when it comes to SH sometimes. And south east centric.

There's massive, massive variation in availability and policy depending on area. For this reason there's really no point posting for advice unless you specify where you are.

Fwiw, it's very definitely possible to get a SH property even when overoccupying, as some areas will allow both allocations and swaps with up to 1 room overoccupying if there's not enough of a particular size locally. Our area, for example, will allocate a three bed to a one child family. This is because post bedroom tax there's a shortage of two beds and relatively high number of three beds. OP might be in such an area, or she might not.

Honestly OP you need locally specific advice. Tell us your area. Although even then you might still have to wade through dumb shit about being employed. You'd think people would google.

myrtleWilson · 30/12/2018 19:47

I tried that already shitme but then got annoyed with the OP's response on benefits....

Shitmewithyourrhythmstick · 30/12/2018 19:50

It's always worth posting to rebut peoples assumptions about SH only being for the needy, non-working, being massively oversubscribed etc. Even when the OP doesn't show the optimum graciousness level!

EMS23 · 30/12/2018 19:51

shitme - I also gave some factual advice but it looks like the OP isn't coming back anyway!!

JKCR2017 · 30/12/2018 19:57

You won’t be eligible for a 3 bed council house with only one child. In fact, you probably wouldn’t even if you had a second or third child if the age gap is small! Three beds are for larger families I’m afraid....

Private renting is the only way you will get a 3 bed right now!

Doesn’t the bedroom
Tax only apply if you get housing benefit anyway?

I can understand your frustration at leaving in a bad area. Assuming it’s council you’re in now?! I think the only option would be private renting!