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?

When DD and I were in the flat she started infant school. Local catholic which I had attended and had also taught in. It was very humiliating having my former colleagues come for a home visit to see a bunk-bed / sofa arrangement and the "front garden" filled with the remnants of the previous kitchen and carpet rotting where they had been thrown when the council "voided" my flat because I had no way of moving the rubbish with no car.

I would also like to know just who the OP thinks this 3-bed flat is suitable for if not for someone else's family.

Many people have very little understanding of a world beyond buying your own property!

I suspect OP was in a for a shock when this whole unfortunate situation happened to her family (understandably). It comes as a shock when your future is dictated by a council. It has always been the reality for many, and because of that, many posters have had a more down to earth reaction.

As I said earlier, surprising as it might be, there are probably many families with more children or more in need than hers.

There must also be families who have less income. When OP originally asked for help,the family were in dire need. It seems (however) they have fixed a lot of their original problems themselves ...the council can see that. If OP went to the council today, they would have a hard time getting a band at all!

I was told the council CAN bid on your behalf if you don't place three bids every week. And I was told you only get one offer so, effectively if you are homeless youdon't get much choice. I can understand why they do it because people could wait in temporary until their ideal home comes up and my b and b cost the council £400pw. It's a tough system, but the OP hasn't been fobbed off she has been treated like any other homeless person.

CreamolaFoamless Fri 17-Feb-12 14:04:47
quote from @youarekiddin but that she was given a choice for 2 years, waited patiently to get to the top of the list, then had her choice taken away when she was there

do you really think it takes 2 years to get to the top of a Council House Waiting list ? I want to live were you live then

Do! I was only on the list 14 months and then got my flat. And trust me, no-one was as surprised as I was as I was in a shorthold tenancy but in a property that wasn't being sold - so not even homeless or at immediate threat of it. I was just lucky I guess but at that time there was a lot of new developments being built around my town so that may be why?

Lueji In all honesty I have given up trying to suss out how the system works To me it would make sense that the person in the 'neediest' bands get to the top first. IE Band 1. I understood if there was a 3 bed house the person in most need who is highest in that band who bid for it would get it. so a person 7th in band 1 would get priority over the person 1st in band 2. (think I may have got it wrong though!)

How's it going OP?

Can you not ask the council if you can have one of the other houses that you have seen advertised instead?

If not, I think you have to just get on and try to make the most of it, so you've been unlucky to get what you see as the short straw of that flat, but life's not fair. Much much worse things happen to people everyday, and yes, you should be grateful. The flat might not be so bad and hopefully your family can be happy there. If the neighborhood is really shitty then do your best to turn it around and make it better for everyone.

If you really don't think you can make a life for your family there then what other options do you have? Can you move back in with family? Is it possible that you could rent privately even if that had to involve moving areas/schools etc. Where do you live? Maybe a MNetter could help you find somewhere?

I really think you should try to address your anger with this though, it's not helping you or you family and won't contribute to a happy family life, wherever it might be lived.

Good luck in the flat if you take it.

The thing is, if you look on the bright side, you will be better off financially and will therefore be able to save and to give yourself better options later surely? So, you didn't get the place you wanted ideally but you don't have to live in the flat forever and surely this is a preferable alternative to living in what you call a 'shit hole' that you pay in excess of £800 a month for?

Agree with Molly and Athinginyourlife totally. Especially about hating the poor.

Can I also point out that 850 or 900 quid a month rent is not very high in the South East.
My friends in Brighton pay £900 for a small two bed house.
Renters regularly pay half their income in rent.

I grew up in social housing. The first 11 years in a small high rise flat in south east London and then a small house for a further 7 years. Both in very rough areas, drug addicts on the stairs etc, gangs.

Whilst I was grateful for a roof over my head it was not a great existence. Would I want it for my dc? No, I wouldn't.

I would feel the same as you and there is nothing wrong with wanting a house for your family. You should be able to come on here and have a bit of a rant without posters being judgemental. I'm sure most of them have never been in your position.

ken how would that work? She can't just ask for one of the 'other' houses, they have been offered to other people. Once bidding closes you can see online where you were came..... How would the other families feel to be told 'sorry, someone came along and said they wanted it more, so it's gone to them now'

Although many of us have .

I have posted afew times on this thread.Giving advice about getting rehoused after being in the flat for so long ect.
I didn't get any thanks,which is ok because there are so many posts.
But when i make a comment that OP doesn't like,she mentions it.
Well i'm sorry but you have just lost any support from me now.

Why do you feel that the council should rehouse you? Your DH works with a good income.If you don't think council property is good enough,don't live in it.
I know people that just think the council should give them a house,because they have had to sell or lost their own house.They think they have the rights to jump to the top off the waiting list.
Well its not on really.
I lived for 10years in a 2 bedroomed council house.I was then rehomed into a 3 bedroomed flat for 2 years,before finally getting a 3 bedroomed house.
So i waited 12 years.There was no way we could get a morgage,income was and still is to low.Back then we didn't have CTC.
Also every property the council have give us was dirty ect.We cleaned it.

just caught up with the thread

so glad its coming to an end

PLEASE dont anybody continue another one im begging you,lol

OP - I had a phonecall today offering me a house. I don't get a choice in this. I take it or I don't get housed AND I lose the house I'm in.

I have been luckier than you in that I have been offered a small 4-bed new build house, not a flat.

However. YOU have been luckier than me in that you have permanant security of tenure - MY council has already changed over to the 'new' tenancies - where they are regularly reviewed. So I will have to move into a smaller house again if my DD leaves home. I say IF, because she has SN, and it really ISN'T a given that she will ever be able to live totally independantly, but at some point, DS1 will leave, and then I will no longer have a NEED for a house so large, so will have to move again.

AND, you have been luckier than me in that your rent will be just £380pcm. Mine will be £780pcm.

So, each of us have been lucky in some ways, and not-so lucky in others. The difference is, that although I know this house will not be a 'forever house', and I WILL struggle to cover the rent (And I mean REALLY struggle) when I go back to work in 2 years time, I am grateful for the opportunity that this house will give me. Even though it will put ANOTHER £15 a WEEK onto my travel costs to get my dc to school. Which will mean that out of my Income Support of £67.50 a week, I will be spending £65 a week of it on travelling - leaving me VERY hard up - it is a HOME with enough room for my dc.

Take the shitty bits of life and make them smell of roses, OP. Take the flat, put up with it for a while, then try to get an exchange. You'd be surprised at the people who WILL want to be in that area, because it's where they grew up, or where their family is, or because it's closer to their work. There will be SOMEONE who wants to exchange with you. Look on this crappy flat as a stepping stone to something better, and enjoy the fact that the low rent will give you a chance to save up to get something better.

I hope you are feeling a little better about your situation today, OP. It really IS just the luck of the draw. And SOMEONE ends up getting the bad luck. Today was the first piece of good luck I have had in nearly a decade. Your good luck will come along when you least expect it!

(As you can tell from my post yesterday where I said I had about 15 months left to go before I got housed! The ODDEST things can happen, just when you least expect it.)

YABVU

Beggars can't be choosers and all that. We would love a house too but can't afford one without going deep into debt for the rest of our lives so we live in a flat. Kids survive that horrendous experience, even flourish (more neighbours for them to play with). I think if you are expecting someone else to provide you housing at a reduced rate, you should be grateful for anything you get given. Even a 1 bedroom flat.

Huntycat after reading some of your other posts, you have just made me cry happy tears. I am so so very pleased for you and hope this is the first of many more bits of good luck. for your new home.

She is not a beggar

and no she shouldn't be grateful for a roof over her head

It's a turn of phrase meaning that anyone who expects support from others should not be too choosy about what is offered to them. She should be grateful for a roof over her head - many of the indigent throughout the rest of Europe no longer have one.

Why shouldn't she be grateful?

Yeah well we have done the competitive poverty thing , its a very telling turn of phrase though

It's just a figure of speech OR many people literally don't have a roof - which is it?

I'm going to watch the Panorama programme about America in a minute. Roofs over heads because they are under bridges or in sewers. ALL unacceptable.

Anyway Hunty, bloody hell, I'm really happy for you. Sorry the good news is marred by all the issues you will have to deal with in the future but as you say, you'll make the best of it and if anyone can come up with a workable plan, you'll be the one to do it

Congrats Huntycat!! A 4 bed is ace!! I hope you get to stay in it as long as you want.
Is there any way you can drive when you are earning again, or is it an epilepsy issue? (clueless about epilepsy, sorry.)

Hunty you shouldn't have to downsize as if 1 child leaves you still have 1ad and 3 children. Or do they catagorically always expect that 2 children share at least 1 room?

Anyway I wrote on your dancing thread! about the travel costs. I'll let you read that instead of repeating myself!

Hunty...I have read many of your posts too~ great news!

It puts me in mind of an expression (used a lot round here)

"Bloom where you are planted" ....I am going to remember to use that :)

Epilepsy. Unless I am seizure free for over 12 months, I cannot LEGALLY hold a driving license. And as I haven't been totally seizure free for that long since my diagnosis (have had 2 years at a time where I 'only' have partial seizures, but that still bars you from driving), I highly doubt it will ever happen.

And no, we will be 2.67 miles from the school as the crow flies. So no free transport (older boys are both over 8yo, and my LA only pays transport for over 8's if you are OVER 3 miles away as the crow flies, regardless of disabilities, if you are in MS school). I checked the distance on the LA calculator thingy online.

Nope, I will have to downsize then as would only NEED a 3-bed with 3 dc. Thems the breaks - it's a home for us, even if it's not forever. .