Council housing

[coco03]

I hi, I am 32 weeks pregnant and as I get closer to the end I realise I'm actually petrified to bring my baby home! I live in a 3rd floor flat I struggle with the stairs because I have bad legs and I'm scared off being stuck in all the time because it's a pretty rough area and I know I'll struggle carrying a pram and a baby up the stairs so I'm petrified off having to leave my pram at the bottom. the council won't help me because I'm classed as adequately housed. My dad also lives In the same block who I don't have the best relationship with he's been very nasty to me and is a very heavy drinker and drug user I don't want that around my baby! I can't afford to private rent or buy but I feel like the council just don't want to help...

Also regarding moving sooner I would off and I've been thinking about moving since I got pregnant but I couldn't till I had lived in my flat for 1 year I couldn't even apply to be on the council till I'd lived in my flat for 1 year and I couldn't break my contract before 12 months either so telling me I should off thought about that 32 weeks ago was a little harsh!

When I was pregnant I lived on 4th floor in a one bed flat. One bedroom is perfectly adequate for a newborn - I actually stayed in my one bed until my child was 18 months with no problems. I used a sling and didn't have a pram at all so no carrying a pram upstairs. Shopping I did in a granny wheelie bag - it was brilliant.

Neighbours, well, unless you are being directly threatened in your own home there's not much anyone can do about them.

Your situation, while not ideal, is perfectly doable so I'm not surprised that the council don't feel they should have to help. If there's something very wrong with your legs maybe you can get a doctor to say that your housing is unsuitable. Perhaps when you've been there a year you can look to swap.

I'd be pretty pleased to have what you've got from the council to be honest, you're pretty lucky considering you were housed before you got pregnant and weren't already relying on private rented.

GPs don't generally do housing letters. Our local council wrote and asked us not to as they don't read them

Have you contacted the local housing associations? Some work exclusively with councils, others don't.

I was in a private 1 bed ground floor flat, but a local HA had built some 2 bed bungalows so although I was on the bottom of the council list I was eligible for the HA bungalow.

Myself & my DH are going to have a baby in a 1 bed flat - we private rent and it costs 1300 a month - we can't afford anything bigger and not sure if we ever will be able to and there will be 3 of us piled into a tiny flat - so I think if it is just you and the baby a 1bed is plenty of space tbh!

I get that your situation is not ideal (especially with your dad in the same block!)

But I think the council have you housed you and you are not the most in need at the moment! You will just have to keep trying to find somewhere else - but in the meantime I think you will need to just prepare yourself for the fact that you may have to live there indefinitely and make the most of it -:(

Hopefully something comes up for you though!

I lived on my own in a 2nd floor flat with a 5 year old and newborn. The only thing I found difficult was the food shop. Pushchair wise, I left it in the boot of my car and carried the baby up in the car seat. I just had to do a few journeys when I had been shopping. I didn’t have a medical issue, but it was still doable. This was private renting and I saved up for two years and then moved to a house that was also a private rent.

I think you'll get better advice from Shelter

I live in a second floor one bed council flat with a baby (no chance of even going on the list to bid until she's 5 here)

Sorry! Pressed send too soon!!
I meant to say I used to carry the baby up first, put her in the cot then go back for the pram. Now she's bigger i pull her in the pram up backwards.

Do you have mobility issues OP, or is it just that you're pregnant you are struggling with the stairs? Is there a lift? If it's just pregnancy and not a disability you wont get a higher priority banding, you are adequately housed as far as the council (or any SH LL) is concerned but there's nothing to stop you registering with a house swap service or other social housing providers and looking for other properties.
Do you have a partner to help you get out and about?

The suggestion of a sling is good, i rarely use my pram as the sling is so much easier. Find a local sling library and go see them, personally I find a ring sling is comfortable for newborn and so quick to pop them in and out.

Sling is a great idea. I'm a total convert. I'm in Scotland so we got one in our baby box. DS is a big boy and I can still carry him quite easily. Your little one will be in your room for at least a few months anyway so don't panic. If your dad becomes a danger to your or your baby then make sure this is reported as it might help somewhere else to be found. Shelter are great for housing advice.

It might have been an idea to think about your housing situation BEFORE getting pregnant, which is what most responsible people do. Where's the child's father in all of this? Surely it's yours and his responsibility rather than the councils to sort suitable housing out for your child. All because you can have a, child doesn't necessarily mean you should.

You ever stop to think that maybe getting pregnant wasn't in our plans at the time it just happened also he's around and works damn hard to keep the roof we have over our heads he pays his way and he looks after us but he works a hard job and isn't going to be here to help me when I need him! Not his fault and I'm damn proud off him for it! I will make sure my baby has the best start In life no matter where I live as I said previously I was upset so venting frustrations! Anyone else wanting to comment about my partner or why it's my fault don't bother because your opinion is unnecessary and not needed! I thought this was a page for help not judgment! I know none off this is the councils fault so don't need to throw that at me either I know they have a lot off people to house and I'm lucky to be where I am! I have people trying to help me move like my midwife because off my leg situation and the flats just being genuinely not good for a child! They won't allow other pregnant mums to move into these flats because off anti social behaviour and them being unsafe...!

Your houing is not that bad... you have a roof over your head. It's close to your mum. It's warm and dry.

If the only worry you have is that you have a flat on a 3rd floor: first world problem!

How did it 'just happen'?

How did it 'just happen'?

It’s done now so why does it matter? You’re being aggressive for no reason.

Okay, fair enough. I opolgise

Apologies if I am repeating anybody but I'm in a rush this morning so don't have time to read the replies just thought I would say I work in housing (mainly social housing tenants I deal with everyday). You should have a case to put to the council if you have mobility/health issues meaning you can't manage the stairs. If you lived in my area you would need to provide medical evidence to prove your health issues make it hard for you to live where you are currently living. If you feel unsafe living in the same block of flats as you Dad then this should also be looked at by your council. Do you have any housing support charities or drop in support near you?

OP, you haven't actually answered the question of if your 'leg situation' is pregnancy related or an on-going condition? That makes a huge difference to the advice you'll get and the options you have.

i know none off this is the councils fault so don't

You're op does read that you are angry with the council for doing what you want, that's why you've had those comments.

My legs are something to yet be diagnosed! They won't look into it while I'm pregnant due to them swelling and stuff while I'm pregnant! Ive had on going problems with them and thought it was normal because I'm a bigger person but recently found out that it's not! They have arranged physio therapy and stuff for me! And I was off work sick because off them! And I'm not angry at the council I'm more upset that they won't allow other pregnant women to move into the flats because off them being unsafe but also will not allow me to move out!

It’s understandable you’re upset because you feel forgotten about but council housing is in short supply and I doubt they have anywhere to move you to. The reality is that what you want - a two-bedroom ground floor flat in a nice area - is what pretty much the majority of people waiting for council housing want. In my local authority, anything ground floor is only allocated for people with severe mobility problems and people over the age of 65 because it’s so scarce and in demand.

Could you move in with your mum temporarily until the baby is born and for the first couple of weeks afterwards?

And if your area is really so unsafe that the council won’t let other women move there, you and your partner need to be in constant contact with your housing officer and making sure you log every single incident of antisocial behaviour or crime, so they can make a case for the perpetrators to be evicted.

@coco03 I genuinely didn’t comment on your relationship with your dad. Just that it didn’t matter if your neighbour is your dad or any other John, Paul or Harry.
Also even as a private tenant you’ll have the same issue regarding pregnant women not allowed to move to flat. We had it. We also live on the 2nd floor up with no lift as a choice as nothing else was available for families when we moved. I do sympathise over your situation, it’s not very nice. But your problems exist anywhere in housing. Our LL told us we’d have to be gone by the time our son was 12 months, however no one wants to take on a tenant on maternity leave.

Ok, so you've got painful knees because you're obese (reading between the lines of your post). That's not going to get you housed on medical grounds, sorry. You'll need to manage until you can afford to privately rent. On the upside the stairs will help to take some of the weight off once baby is here which will help your legs.

No my pain in my legs isn't due to being "obese" but thanks for that comment!