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?

The husband is actually working so not quite getting the 'he got made redundant fgs' argument...

If circumstances change regardless of council tenant/ mortgage status, your expectations and what you can get also changes as a matter of course...

That's just life

Hvae you turned down other propertiesop? If not then surely you can turn this one down, jsut be aware that the next ones to be offerred might well be smaller, in worse areas etc.

OMFFG - I have never been homeless and can only imagine how awful it has all been for you. The flat may be very far from what you want but if your home council is anything like as pressed as the one we have here, what else can be done? I am about to lease my house to the local council and it will be offered to a homeless family. Apparently houses like this are in extremely short supply here. Three-bedroomed houses in reasonable areas offered through the council's system have attracted up to 1200 (yes!!) bids in this city. You are effectively starting again - clearly very difficult but it is just that - a start. It does sound as though you will be able to save some money. As your DC get older you may be able to work part time (I realise that is hard and that the cost of childcare is enormous) so that you might be able to think about moving on. Take the flat, buy a few cans of paint and some bright posters for the walls, make sure the balcony doors are always locked and put the key away somewhere very safe. In three or fours years time your situation may be very different. By refusing the flat you will only cut off your nose to spite your face. Good luck.

You could always put the trampoline up in the communal area. OP?
Aww, it would be heartbreaking to have to leave it.
Would they have to leave their Mini motorbikes behind too?

Just seen the trampoline post - MUST be a wind up. (I hope)

Bupcakes- did you not read my last post or does it not suit your conspiracy theory?

Life is all about having to make do in less than ideal situations- most of us have to do it and manage to count our blessings and accept what help is offered to us regardless of whether its less than ideal at the time.

Oh yes beggers can't be choosers ,just about sums up the attitude to council tenants on this site

What attitudes are those usual?

OP for one doesn't have a very high view of council estates. In fact she comes across as remarkably snooty!

Council estates are fdesigned or those most in need of social housing....they provide for a need and I for one was really grateful to get one when I first had my young daughter. Really grateful!

Perhaps this is a wind up by someone who has nothing better to do because I can imagine that most people in the OPs situation would be more than delighted to have been offered a permanent home at last.

ignore that, didn't realise was another page

OP exactly how many properties have your turned down in the past?

If the answer is none, you don't have to take this flat.

you are not homeless.

and I stand my my previous comment about contraception too.. nobody needs to have big families these days, and should not do unless they can afford to support them...

Live within your means, and you can then have some money put away for if the unexpected happens. From what you have posted, you were living in a 4 bedroom house, paying a high mortgage that must have pushed you to your limits if you lost that house within 2 months of your husband being made redundant..

Oh, BTW, my brother lives with his two young children (less than 5 yo) in a flat, yes. With balconies, yes.

They haven't died yet.

He is not poor, both are doctors.

The children go to the local children's play area.

I'm sorry you lost your house, that must have been really hard. However, you are very lucky to have even been offered a place. Councils are crying out for properties and most people have no chance of ever being offered a place.

Looking at the positives- you are no longer homeless
- the second floor is better than 4th/5th/6th (we were originally on the 19th floor which was a bugger when the lifts broke & you only found that out when carrying your weekly shop home with your baby in a buggy!?!
-flats generally have bigger rooms in them than houses (unless new build, then they can be tiny!!)

If I were you, I would accept it. Of course it would be nice to get a house, but there just aren't enough to go around-not council anyway. The rent you are being charged is less than my (also LA) 2 bed flat and you won't get a private rent for cheaper.
When you are all back on your feet, you can look at swapping or private rent or buying again, until then, be grateful you have a roof over your head and enough room for all your children.

If I were you

Sorry,are you joking?
My DH was made redundant 3 years ago, our house was repossessed and we had to move, we ended up renting privately costing £1250 a month. We have 3 DCs, we both took on extra jobs so we didn't have to go on a council waiting list and have to go through the temp. accommodation, moving about stuff, it was bloody hard work
There are people who could never afford private rents and there are people who can't work due to health issues, there are lone parents, many people who would be over the moon to be offered cheap, permanent accommodation ffs get a grip

newmannoggsforheadteacher - I agree that £380 is astoundingly cheap. I live in a 2 bed council flat and pay a hell of a lot more than that!

Clytaemnestra - My tiny HA 'temporary' house is so far away from the allocated primary school that my DS2 physically CANNOT walk there due to his disability. Even though he doesn't get any disability benefits, I have to pay £50 a week in bus fares to get him, myself and his older brother on the bus to school. I didn't have the choice of turning the place down - as my DC NEEDED a roof over their head. It's the same distance away from the nearest shop. Not even a corner shop closer. So NO I don't think that a shitty area, or shitty schools, or a long journey to schools is a good enough reason to turn down Social Housing.

Shitty school? Get on the bus and TRAVEL your dc to a better school. I did this with DD when I WAS on a shitty estate for a year before I was moved to THIS 'temporary' house. I spent 4 HOURS a DAY on the bus, with a baby and a toddler too, in order to get her to another school. And had to fund that out of my 16-hr a week weekend wages, and my Ex-P's NMW job. It is just what you have to DO if you NEED Social Housing, but still want your dc in a good school.

I actually agree with Squeaky. No idea why its considered 'fucking disgusting' to suggest someone take a modicum of personal responsibility for their procreation/housing needs in a developed country such as ours but hey ho the navel gazers are out in force today

I can understand why you feel it's unfair when others are being offered houses and you are offered a flat. Someone said earlier though that you get 3 chances to turn down places you are offered. Is that not true?

Don't householders have to take out insurance to protect themselves against things like redundancy?

Cly, if she takes this flat, the council will consider her permanently housed. Her kids will soon get to ages where it is not considered appropriate for boys and girls to share, so if she has one girl or one boy, that's a situation she needs to be aware of. The 3 bedroom flat can only work out long term if she has 2 boys and 2 girls or 4 boys or 4 girls.

Also some 3rd bedrooms are like shoe boxes. If she can't get a bunk bed in the 3rd bedroom, it isn't suitable for her families needs.

OP, get some proper advice on how many (if any) properties you are allowed to refuse, before you do anything.

"Bupcakes- did you not read my last post or does it not suit your conspiracy theory?"

I didn't realise I had to respond to every post on a thread...

"and I stand my my previous comment about contraception too.. nobody needs to have big families these days, and should not do unless they can afford to support them..."

How thick are you? She didn't have 4 children AFTER she'd been made homeless.

It is a roof over your head.

Your choices are take it, or be taken off the list having refused suitable accomodation. And a 3 bed flat is suitable.

It may not be ideal, but you are homeless. You are not in a situation where you can fold your arms and demand ideal.

take it, or find private rented.

There is nothing wrong with taking it and going on the list for a swap, or on the list to move if a house comes up.

We were in your situation once. We were offered a 2 bed house 10 miles away from the children's schools. We snatched it. Did we want to be 10 miles away from the children's schools? No. Did we want a 2 bed? Not really. But having a roof over our heads was all that mattered.

I realise it is disappointing. It is understandable to wish that there was a house available. Nice garden. Good condition. But it is what it is. Are you, a homeless family, really going to say bugger off, it's a house or nothing?

That would be most unwise.

"I actually agree with Squeaky. No idea why its considered 'fucking disgusting' to suggest someone take a modicum of personal responsibility for their procreation/housing needs in a developed country such as ours but hey ho the navel gazers are out in force today"

What I just said to Squeaky also applies to you.

FWIW, I do think that Op should take the flat and apply for an exchange further down the line. It's just this attitude to council tenants on here that I can't stick.

Sausagesandmarmalade- I wish you wouldnt post- I always want a sausage and marmalade sandwich when you do.

You dont have to reply to every post no Bupcakes- but your silence speaks volumes. The fact people said exactly the same to someone who wanted to BUY a 4 bed house they couldnt afford just doesnt support your theory we are all out to get council tennants so you will brush over it. Its fine.

Have a few more children, then you'll be given a huge detached 8 bedroom house. I read it in the Mail so it must be true.