to be pissed off with being offered a council FLAT instead of a HOUSE?

[OMFFG]

We have 4 DCs, youngest 16 months and they think this is suitable!! The flat is 3 bedrooms and on the 2nd floor of a small tower block and has balconies which I would be pretty worried one of the DCs may fall out of.

This is my worst frigging nightmare. We have been 'homeless' for almost 2 years and the council have housed us in temporary accommodation (private rented) which we have to pay market value for (£875 per month) even though we did not choose it and it's a complete shit hole. We could not leave as we would lose our priority on the council bidding list. We lost our house when DH was made redundant and could not afford to pay £1200+ to privately rent.

Now after all this they have offered us a fucking flat. I am furious because every week until last week, there were only offering 3 bed houses but we would always be 3/4 on the list. Now that a flat was offered, less people have bid on it so we got to the top of the list. I did not even bid on it, the council did. Apparently they can bid on 'our behalf' as we are homeless and if we refuse this flat, we will be taken off the housing list. How the hell will we cope in a flat???

The rent is 'only' £380 a month but a house would only be £20 a month more.

AIBU to tell them to stuff it up their arses?

or appeal the decision on that basis even?

Fucks sake OP, with each post you're getting whinier and whinier.
Cop on to yourself or you're going to have a rough time, and set a very bad example for your children.

You ARE lucky. You have a home with enough room. You could be SO much worse off. It is quite clear you only care about yourself, but thanks for confirming it.

Are you in London?

My neighbour has a lovely 3 bed with massive garden. She has three children, only the youngest still lives with her, he is 18.

She is on a waiting list to downsize, she wants to go to Sussex to be near where her grandchild lives (with her oldest son and his fiance)

It seems pretty unfair.

She doesn't have mixed sexes sharing, she has a single room for her girl, so no overcrowding.
No doubt she'll be whining to the council anyway though.

Lucky you I would say quite good of the council, Lists are like 5 years waiting or somthing daft like that.

I have 3 boys in a room . But I did get 'statutory overcrowded' status, hence I'm moving in a few weeks

Get expert advice before you turn it down. I think the rules do vary from area to area. The thing is though, 4 bed council places are very rare.

Are you sure you will be classed as overcrowded? I thought they were not allowed to home you in something too small.
My flat was two bedroom and the rent card said we could have 7 people living in it. Because they counted the living room and the kitchen as sleeping spaces.

My 3 ds were in one room until recently. I have a bunk with a double at the bottom. It doesnt take up any more room than two single beds. The two little ones were in the double and the older one in the top bunk.

It worked fine.

Friend shared with three sisters in a council house until she left for university.

In 1922, DH's grandad was the eldest of 9. Two up, two down mining cottage. On his 14th birthday he had to go down the mine. He knew about overcrowding and deprivation. On his 18th birthday he joined the army to escape. He had 6 children and made sure every one stayed at school until they were 18 and they became businessmen, teachers and nurses. He brought them up, with his wife, in a three bedroom flat without CH.

My neighbours moved into their council house about a year ago, they have 4 children in a 3 bed, at least one of whom is over 10. Not sure they consider themselves overcrowded, they seem quite happy with their house, perhaps because they were previously living in a 2 bed flat.

Guess it's all about your perspective...

Friend of mine was one of 9 in a 3 bed, and I knew one of 13 in a 4 bed. Perfectly normal here. We're not such whiny ass entitled types though.

If the op got a house it would probably be 3 bedrooms though wouldnt it?

Mine like sharing. Would like a bigger place when they are teenagers though

We would have 3 in a 6x8ft room if we didn't keep our youngest in our room (she is 1).

YANBU OP, I can quite see why you are disappointed.

Life's been tough to you recently.

So sorry for the outpouring of self-righteous lecturing you've been subjected to.

I think it makes them feel good about themselves, as unsavoury and unpleasant as it is.

Blaming people for their misfortune seems to be quite the thing these days.

Wouldn't we all, Norman? Maybe if I stamp my foot hard enough and cry about how unfair it all is, someone will hand me a bigger house?

Right, so your eldest has a room, you and your partner, and the little ones share.

Most people not in your situation don't have bedrooms coming out of thin air, thats why Ikea does those bunk beds for 3!

It might not be Ikea ,but you get the idea

I'm sorry but I have skipped the 30 pages. Are you really telling me as a viewer of your op, that you have been homeless for 2 years you have been offered a 3 bed flat for £380 per month and you are moaning for being offered it because it's 'unsuitable'.

GET A FUCKING GRIP

Take a look at the documentary about the Tent cities I am pretty damn sure these families would jump through hoops to be offered subsidised accommodation.

It may not be ideal but it's not forever.

Seriously reject it give another family who would be grateful a chance to have a home.

OMFFG has i have all ready said,i lived to a 3 bedroomed flat,with 3 DC.After i had been there long enough to go back on the list,i did.I had more points for having DC in a flat.I was rehomed 3 mths after,into a 3 bedroomed house.Because i wasn't homeless i could bid on houses myself,not the council doing it.If there wasn't anything one week i wouldn't bid.

With the over crowding,its a guide line.The council only have to rehouse you if a property is avilable.If they don't rehouse somebody,they are not breaking the law.
Guide lines state a bedroom is needed for,a couple,an over 18,and children of opp sex over 10.Children of the same sex can share until they reach 18.
So you do only need 3 bedrooms.

I know its hard.We have 5 DC at home in 3 bedrooms.They share and don't mind.

Can I essentially repeat what I said before...

The council are providing your children with a stable home which is more than they have at the moment. Try not to be so negative and downtrodden, you can make this a nice home for them until your circumstances change and your fortunes improve.

Honestly there are people in this country who can't afford to eat, who are sleeping on the streets, who are sending their children out begging on the tube. You really are fortunate, you have your health, the offer of a roof over your head... Trampolines, gardens, balconies, only 3 bedrooms are non issues. Wake up and realise how fortunate you are and try and make the best of the situation you find yourself to be in.

OK, not wanting to fuel the fire, but OP READ THIS POST it may help.

I have just read through the citeria for housing in my LA. It says that for couples/ adult with 4 or more children they will be given a 3/4 bedroom house. ALL other possible combinations and no of children up to 3 says they will get flat/maisonette/ house.

It may be worth while reading your Borough Councils housing criteria. It may be your helpful argument as to why you wish to reject this flat.

My sister and her husband have 4 girls and a boy, in a 3 bed, albeit a house. (HA)
Parents have middle size room. 3 girls (8,6,4) have largest room - bunk beds with double on bottom, the younger two share - by choice, they could stick another single in with normal bunks. Girl (13) and boy (5) share the smallest room - bunk beds.
They are not considered over-crowded.
And nor are they, IMO.
When the older girl decides she really doesn't want to share with her brother, they'll have a switch around - just as they have always done as ages have changed.
What they may do - and you could consider - is put a partition wall in the largest room. With £500 less in rent a month, you could save up for that very quickly.
She does complain about not being rehoused sometimes - I give her short shrift, given that they were given a 3 bed when they had 1 child, and chose to go on to have another 4!

Although your OP was badly worded, I know I'd be very disappointed if I really thought I'd be getting a house, and got a flat. I might feel lucky to get anything, but still if all the other properties were houses, I would be really hacked off that I'd drawn the short straw, EVEN THOUGH my short straw was longer than many other people's!

I get the trampoline comment too - it's one thing to moan that you'd like one... But it's hard for a parent to tell a child who loves their trampoline that it's not coming too.

It's one of the reasons I wouldn't have 4 kids though! I'm always surprised when people have larger families - even before the current economic situation, I'd have worried too much about changes in circumstances to do so.

"Beggars can't be choosers is a phrase, its not actually calling someone a beggar. If I say too many cooks, I don't actually think you are a chef. It means you're not in a position to be choosy, which is perfectly accurate in this case.

There are plenty of things to pick on on this thread, a well known phrase which you know isn't literal is a daft one to pick on."

I know it's not literal. The phrase does mean though, "you're poor so lower your standards." Same thing, really.

I see all of the competitive poverty is coming out now. "You think you've got it tough?! Me and my six teenagers live in a broom cupboard and we are GRATEFUL." "I live in a council house with one bedroom and I sleep under the kitchen sink so that my kids can sleep in the bedroom but I am GRATEFUL." "I was living in a bin for sixty years then the council offered me a bedsit with no roof but I am GRATEFUL."

Boring.

ive got 42 dc and we live in the 90th floor of a shed.i count my lucky stars daily.
think yourself lucky.

sorry its not funny but i think you're having a laugh