Is this overcrowding? Living in living room? Social housing/council home

[Hannahandbaby]

hey guys. asking for my cousin.

her and her parents moved into a 2 bedroom flat when she was 17, she is now 27

in 2018, 8 years ago, her parents separated.

she ended up living and sleeping in the living room because her mother moved into the her bedroom

so her dad lives in one bedroom, mum in another and daughter in living room

Someone moving out was not an option because:

father shortly before divorce ended up disabled, her mother worked minimum wage. Both parents are now pensioners.

so due to low income/pension credit/benefits impossible to find a place to rent

also one moving out would make the daughter homeless as she and and her mum wouldn’t be able to afford the rent.

also landlord now keeps rent reasonable, they wouldn’t be able to afford other private rents

few years ago my friend ended up disabled too (same illness as father, i think inherited from father) and due to illness had to cut hours and her health condition is getting worse and worse everyday. She is really scared she might have to gave up work completely and scared of the future

The living room connects to the kitchen so her parents pass her by to use kitchen everyday/constantly.

her parents are also having constant fights. They hate each other. Screaming on top of lungs, yelling, insulting each other, swearing at each other. so the stress of all this is awful. I myself witnessed this a few times while on phone with her or visiting her.

i know legally, this isn’t really overcrowding, her living in the living room.

but should she try applying anyway? Is there any chance they’ll accept her on list?

she doesn’t care about waiting even decades, she just wants to get on the list. She is terrified about the future.

this is east London, Redbridge

Another problem is her mum has been caring for her/helping her out.

she has trouble getting dressed/cooking/showering

if it wasn’t for her mums help she wouldn’t even be able to hold down a job I think. Would be late to work etc

mums bedroom is also small and another single bed won’t fit

So many strange things happening in Redbridge with similar posting style 🤔

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5522972-possible-dv-please-help-disturbing-message-from-friend?page=1

She can go on list. Anyone can. She can check wait list for studio to one bed. In some london areas these are one to two years wait so quicker than for a family size flat.

She probably wouldn’t be priority need but she can go on the list in her own right.

I myself lived in a house share

i would agree if she was healthy and if the room she lived in didn’t have people walking past her everyday

having lived in house share i didn’t have people walking past me everyday to get into kitchen with no privacy and working full time I’m still able to find a place to rent more than a disabled/unemployed person since I’m not on benefits/disabled/unemployed and I’m able to work full time. She’s about to lose her job and might never be able to work again

Would house share people be ok with her taking forever getting in and out the shower, taking forever/hours to clean up small mess after herself etc?

that’s what shes worried about

its not a matter of her wanting place of her own.

in our culture we don’t leave our parents home and everyone lives together, even when married. It’s why when she was in her early 20s graduated uni and healthy she didn’t even move out, but stayed home.

it’s just she is worried she is about to become completely disabled and no one would want to rent her a place. She wouldn’t be able to afford rents

house share wouldn’t be ok with her unable/struggling to clean up after herself/shower etc

why can’t she and her mum have the double room that the parents used to share?

Yes it would make more sense for her and her mum to share the double room.

I'm not suggesting she leaves home or goes into a house share. I'm simply saying that I do not consider her current living arrangements to be overcrowded. They have adequate accommodation for the three of them. It's not perfect or ideal, but it's adequate.

She should be getting all sorts of extra benefits if she is disabled. And she applied for everything she is entitled to?

And she could afford a one bedroom flat if she applies for everything she entitled to. If she is simply malingering then she needs to work more and become independent as she is an adult.

would people in shared homes be ok with her struggling/taking ages/hours to shower/cook/clean up after herself etc

would people in shared homes be ok with her struggling/taking ages/hours to shower/cook/clean up after herself etc

I agree but

Her parents are on the waiting list to get over 60 senior housing

she is worried when they move out no one will rent to her

What is the nature of her disability?

What? A one bed flat? Last I heard it’s impossible to find someone to rent to you on benefits, especially a one bed flat. No one wants to rent to people on benefits

in our culture we don’t leave our parents home and everyone lives together, even when married.

So why are her parents on the waiting list for an over 60s place then, knowing full well she won't be able to go with them?

Then she needs to wait and apply for UC to help with the rent. She's on the tenancy, What's the problem?

I'm not sure what you're asking for here. You want on a waiting list but you also live with parents as part as your culture. Parents aren't thinking of that wanting in an over 60s place.

She insisted they do when someone suggested they apply. Promised she’ll be fine. (Her health condition also wasn’t as bad at the time) She didn’t want To be the reason elderly/sick people are left homeless when landlord decides to sell up.

(Also father being disabled and getting worse, needs care)

When parents move out uc will not cover a 2 bedroom flat. She will not be able to afford it and will need to move out.

Wouldn't that make it an illegal HMO because of inadequate rooms?

I don’t know? When they moved in they moved in as family. And despite parents divorce they still consider themselves family?

What's her disability? For some disabilities you get your own housing officer. If she struggles to cook or wash herself she would get some level of PIP.

it’s a physical disability. And pretty severe.

Again, and I do mean this kindly, she needs to contact the local authority and ask these questions. No one here can tell you what is likely to happen. Each local authority housing register is different. She needs to tell them about her health issues and how it affects her and ask what would happen if her parents are offered accommodation.