Does anyone know if housing associations allow you to convert lofts?

[OaAKp]

I have 3 boys in 1 room. 2 older teens. 1 preteen.

It's just not feasible anymore. Overcrowded but HA can't do anything.

Been on rehousing / house exchange list for years. With nothing.

Single living room so can't convert 2nd living into bedroom.

The ONLY space we have is the loft but I'm not sure if we would even be allowed.

I'm happy to pay for it to be done properly, if I can afford it, via HA.

DP says we should just board it out for eldest DS, because he thinks they will say no.

But what if they need to access the loft at some point. It just seems stupid that 3 kids are sharing a room when there's so much loft space with just boxes :(

Risk eviction.
Ask what you can do. Eg. Loft conversion/small extension.
I'd maybe look at a garden room once one child old enough. Can you divide your room and you and H move into the boys room if its smaller.

Blimey how rude are you?

They may say yes. I've known HA to agree to two properties being extended :) I used to work on the architectural side of things.

However please don't do it yourselves. I know someone who did this and the joists weren't strong enough for furniture and the whole thing fell through.
They were evicted in the end due to damage caused and the HA refused a new tenancy with them.

But when the HA renovated the property - they converted the loft into a proper room so the tenant only had to ask and they would have probably agreed anyway 😅

Are the surrounding properties HA? Surely they would notice you getting work done and deffo notice a new window in the roof???

I'd be tempted to get something like this in the garden....

dunsterhouse.co.uk/bundleduck-log-cabin-w5-9m-x-d3-8m?infinity=ict2~net~gaw~cmp~17592406519~ag~~ar~~kw~~mt~~acr~6854345728&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7KqZBhCBARIsAI-fTKIxGgebXOYezG3zoRi6nyMTRw6YCXDm7_FWLbJ1_l66T6MYLBlTcXwaAs9kEALw_wcB#

I'd run some electricity down to the garden. Oil filled radiators, could you link in with sewage/plumbing for a loo in the side room?

I'd bet the teenagers would love it in there if it's insulated and warm...

You could also take it with you if you moved.

I would probably ask the HA if I could put up a temporary largish shed in the garden without any more info....

I own my house. I did what you are proposing, insulated and boarded out the loft, put in a window and a proper staircase
Don't forget you would also need electrics and some form of heating
I had to have the floor strenghtened. The staircase was very difficult because of the headroom needed at the top and you end up with a whopping great hole in the ceiling. I ran out of money but when I have some more funds I will have a trap door.
It's a really useful space, I use it much more than I would a normal loft with a hatch and pull down ladder. I have a heated airer up there and do the ironing,

But its absolutely not a habitable room. Because its not a proper loft conversion its quite hot in the summer, chilly in winter. When it rains, its very noisy.

I wouldn't put my son in there as a bedroom

You realise this will cost at least £40-50k. You might it cheaper to build a garden room

I'd ask them, if not some of the garden rooms are really good . We looked into it before ds1 moved out

How can he just move out, where will he go. We can't just split our family up.

And I don't think my sons will be moving out anytime soon. They're in education. Not going uni, they'll probably get jobs after and I doubt they'll be bale to move out on minimum wage for a long time.

The same way you moved him in when you had inadequate space?

That's understandable that they are staying for the foreseeable. Could you not use their wages to rent somewhere elsewhere?

If you have enough for a loft conversion then you could use that along with their wages to afford somewhere with more room.

Hi just wondering if you got permission? Currently in a. Similar situation and was thinking of a loft conversion. I've been in the HA property for 10 years and we need more room. Did they allow it or did you do it anyway? Thanks

I don’t mean to be mean but your DP and his daughter should never have moved in. The house just doesn’t sound big enough and now your own children (and you) are struggling. I hope you find a solution that helps.

I’m in the same situation as you 7 of us living in a 3 bed house been on transfer list for nearly 4 years and barely moved sadly councils don’t seem to build many big houses all about flats where they can earn more money 😩. Some of these messages are just horrible she’s asking for advice and being told to separate her family up and through her partner and his child out just ridiculous! Until you experience over crowding, and having multiple children in one room especially when they get older and need their own space you will never understand the difficulty and frustration! Unfortunately not everyone can afford to buy a house or rent privately especially now with the cost of living crisis. If you haven’t got anything helpful to say just don’t say anything simple! X

No not everybody can afford to buy or rent a house. But we all have choices.

Choices in how many children we have. Choices whether to blend our families or wait until the children are older.

I would have liked more children but only have a 3 bed house so 2 was all I had. I could have had more and made them share the tiny bedrooms but I made a choice. The same way I wouldn’t blend my family and make my children’s lives more cramped and difficult.

And that was your choice but sometimes people have children then their situation changes out of their control. The way people are blaming this poor woman is not fair you don’t no why she’s in her situation so shouldn’t judge she asked for help and everyone’s just judging her and being mean it’s not needed x

What’s your financial situation? Are you working? Is there scope to increase salary if you are to afford a bigger place?

It’s one thing having children then circumstances changing but OP actively moved in her DP and his DD when they already didn’t have enough space!

LOL

You only had 2 kids.... dont mean you tell others to do the same...
Someone only asked for advise on how to get help and openly saying how frustrated they are as a family coz there are many of us in same situation...
That dont mean you can insult the choices they make in life.
Just simply dont read and grow up pls

@Holly1234567890 why resurrect a zombie thread? It’s over three years old!