To take council house and move back home?

[isitnormaltobethistired]

Currently renting a lovely new build house, it's perfect my sons school is behind us lots of greenery and just a nice place to live. However our rent and council tax and bills are very high.

We've been bidding forever in our old hometown we eventually rented somewhere as we couldn't wait. However I carried on bidding just see if we would get anything. Now we've been offered a property.

Council house is back in our old town, not the best place to live but the area they have offered us is the nicer part of the town its a new build property.My brother is on drugs and I hate bumping into him over there. It's a depressing place to live and I swore i would never go back. But the thought of cheap bills and we could do it up ourselves and buy it eventually is tempting.

Curious to see what other people would do in our situation.

DS is 4 and he said he doesn't mind leaving his friends and going back as he will live near his grandma so the kids aren't a concern.

I would take it. It's secure accommodation compared to private rent.

Is it much cheaper than your private rental?

Do you mean you carried on bidding in an area you didn’t ever want to live in again?

I’m sure if you don’t want it someone else will happily take it.

Our rent currently is £825,council property is £105 a week. However we have three bedrooms here and council is 2 bed.

Honestly I grew up there and just wanted to get out but now I think we would be stupid to not take it.

Do what makes you happiest. That seems to be missing from your post. What would make you happiest?

Is the tenancy/rtb still worth it?

I live in an HA home and would never give it up.
I'd move if I were you, the security and peace of mind that it can't be taken away is priceless.

I think I would take the council house . You are much better protected and the house is so much more your own .

You could always look for a swap once you have the council house.

As your circumstances have changed since you made your initial council application, you would need to inform the council who may withdraw the offer. If you don't, you can be accused of falsifying your application and can have the tenancy removed if they find out. Risky if they start asking for references and proof of income before they do the sign up. I would not risk it for this reason - and because someone else now needs it more than you

If you went to the council house, could you save the saving in rent? You could stack up a nice house deposit in a couple of years

If you account for the drop in number of rooms the council property is only 100 cheaper a month .

To put it another way if you moved to a 2 bedroom in private sector at the same cost as your current one it would be 550 a month.

Which is 100 more than the 2 bed council one (105 a week multiplied by 52 weeks = 5460 divided by 12 months = 455 a month).

So a second option would be to find a cheaper private rental so you can save for a deposit.

What bills are high? Could they be reduced?

I'd take the council house.

Take the council house.
It's yours for life then if you need it to be.

I'd take it and save the difference for a house deposit, with a view to moving to a better area for secondary school. It gives you something to aim for, and I feel that's when an area starts to matter.

Tbh I'd not move. The area you're in sounds lovely. I love social housing but I'm still fussy on being where I'm happy. To me the extra money is worth it. I live hundreds of miles from family and like it this way

Not all council housing has a right to buy now, and are not secure tenancies. Make sure you look at the full details before you make a decision.

I would check rtb though, I didn't think they were doing that anymore?
I don't have it, but my Dd can inherit my tenancy.
I'm not bothered about owning , I have the security which is all I wanted.

I'd definatly take it rather than worrying about private renting and maybe having to keep moving. If you find you don't like it you can apply for a council transfer in time.

Take it an save up for something better in the future.

I would move in a heartbeat, security, cheaper rent and you can save for the future. Keep yourselves to yourselves and you’ll be ok.

I'd want to keep away from the druggy brother personally. Your call.

I’d you’re happy to live there then do it, it makes financial sense.

Take it ! We bought our council house a couple years ago with the full discount as lived here 15 years it’s too good an opportunity to pass up

How disruptive would a move to your old home town be? What are the schools like? Would you able to keep your job or easily find one? It doesn't sound such a good area, though nice to be near your mum.

What are the prospects of getting a council house in the new area? I'd be tempted to stay put and go on the council list in the new area.

I know first hand how difficult it is to get a council house (my area is considered easy compared to others and I found it hard)

Have the council offered you this property knowing that you are currently adequately housed ? As you said you had been on the list a long time, in most areas to get a house you have to be very high priority and in need , ie homeless.

I would defo take the council property and as others have said exchange in the future if the area is not where you want to be long term