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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be gutted about losing out on this house? (council house swap related)

58 replies

MoomieAndFreddie · 21/10/2012 18:41

am in a housing assoc house, and we want to move

theres nothing much wrong with our area but its quite inner city, and while i am happy to live here while dc are small (6 and 3) i don't think it will be good for them as they grow up. ideally i want to swap for a council house (as cheaper rent and chance to buy) and want a more rural location.

my area used to have an awful reputation, but in the last 10 - 15 years the city council have spent a lot on regeneration and its much better. but people still have this preconception that its awful because of its old reputation. but it really isn't. i am on homeswapper (mutual exchange website) and every bloody time i find a potential swap they either don't come or mess us about. and i am sick of it. i don't want to be stuck here forever.

anyway. the other day, to my AMAZEMENT, i had a message from someone who said she would be interested in swapping with me, and her house was so perfect for us, great location, council, and a decent size. and we arranged for her to come and see our house today. well i spent all day cleaning and tidying only to get a text 10 mins before she was due to get here with some lame excuse why she couldn't come and that she would call and reschedule :(

i just don't think i am going to hear from her again. as this has happened so many times. i just want to live somewhere i'm happy with, and before anyone suggests private renting or buying - NO to private renting as its a rip off and not secure enough, and we can't buy, thats not an option. bar a lottery win

not sure what i am hoping for posting this, just wanted to vent really :(

OP posts:
usualsuspect3 · 21/10/2012 18:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

annie987 · 21/10/2012 18:49

Yabu. I would love to move. We live in a 2 bed house with 2 kids. We're in negative equity so moving is not an option.
You have the choice to privately rent but choose not to. Your choice.

SuePurblybilt · 21/10/2012 18:49

I've exchanged twice via Homeswapper and it is bloody nerve wracking. The first one was in a properly skanky area and I never thought it'd go - but I it did within weeks.
My tips, for what they're worth, are to write your ad like an estate agent, have LOADS of info about schools, bus routes, shops etc. And spend some money (sorry) on House Doctoring the house - neutral colours, replace shower curtain with screens, sort any damage, pimp the garden etc. As many good photos as you can and have some more ready to send if they contact you.
There are also some free sites that are a bit crappy but if you're proactive you can keep your message bumped near the top. Have you tried cards in newsagents/free paper ads too? Remember some older people simply don't use Homeswapper (generalising but ykwim).
Good luck.

usualsuspect3 · 21/10/2012 18:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Witchety · 21/10/2012 18:51

You can also buy HA places, maybe also look at those?

BeingBooyhoo · 21/10/2012 18:56

well firstly, you may not actually have liked the house once you had been and viewed it/the area so i dont think you should be as gutted as you seem to be.

and secondly, she may still get back to you.

expatinscotland · 21/10/2012 18:58

SueP is the only one I've heard of who's actually had successful swaps using Homeswapper.

AmberLeaf · 21/10/2012 19:05

I too have had a successful swap using Homeswapper.

Twice.

ophelia275 · 21/10/2012 19:05

I think you are very lucky to have a HA home in the first place, they (and council homes) are like a lottery win as far as I am concerned.

IneedAsockamnesty · 21/10/2012 19:07

i have several clients who have used homeswopper successfully one is even interviewed on there website.

also include that you are happy to do a multiswop (the best one ive known was a 10 way one over the entire uk) and facilitate the paperwork (homeswopper will tell you how if you email them)

usualsuspect3 · 21/10/2012 19:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
MoomieAndFreddie · 21/10/2012 19:13

My mate the jammy cow had successful swaps, a tiny little 2 bed to a massive 3 bed in a lovely village, then she decided she was too far away from her friends and got ANOTHER swap to a lovely 3 bed new build on the EXACT street she wanted Envy

I don't mind people saying think myself lucky - because I AM lucky, i would rather be where i am than in an unaffordable, unsecure private tenancy or struggling to pay a silly high mortgage.

OP posts:
missuswife · 21/10/2012 19:14

I can understand that it must be frustrating for you but it's hard for me to sympathise. My DH and I rent a room in a flat owned by a friend. We have our first baby on the way. So does our friend. She lives here too and wants our room back for her baby and so her own DH can move in (he currently works away). Fair enough, I don't blame her. But my DH and I worth full time in good jobs and cannot find a flat in London to move into. We do not qualify for any kind of housing assistance or council housing. So while I am sorry you are frustrated but try to be content with what you have. You could be about to move into a shit studio with a baby on the way.

Shutupanddrive · 21/10/2012 19:16

We have always rented privately with no problems, as the waiting list for a council house was ridiculous - we had no choice. You should maybe consider it, and not just write it off?

AmberLeaf · 21/10/2012 19:28

Bad advice to suggest giving up the security of a HA tenancy for a private let!

moleskin · 21/10/2012 19:34

We got a swap with homeswapper a few times BUT one went badly wrong!!! We were meant to go in and sign papers day of swap we did it but other person didn't said she couldn't get there. Council said no problem she will bring papers to us on the Monday. By the Monday stupid woman decides she wanted to swap back and got her eldest son to vandalised our car with a hammer!! We didn't want to move back due to this family causing us so much grief our old HA gave us temp accomodation then a year later moved us out again to a lovely house but it was major hassle. Our first swap we did was over 200 hundred miles away so it can be done. Good luck

StuntGirl · 21/10/2012 20:33

What is HA and why is it so ruddy amazing?

thekidsrule · 21/10/2012 20:40

YANBU to be feed up of having your hopes raised and then to be let down

YABU for looking to buy the LA place (cant you tell im against that policy)

and you would be mad to even think of private renting,no no no dont even consider it

Inneedofbrandy · 21/10/2012 20:45

Do not give up your secure tenency for private rent.

I would place adds in trade it. your local paper, gumtree as well as HS. You could have a look on fb and see if there is any swapping groups to.

austenozzy · 21/10/2012 20:53

stuntgirl - HA = Housing Association, and the other posters are saying that their secured tenancies are far more secure than a private shorthold tenancy and that it would be silly to pass that up.

qo · 21/10/2012 20:55

I feel your pain OP, I loathe the area I live in - but I'm in HA and stuck here - I can't afford to rent privately.

It's so horrible when you have no choice over where you live

iloveshortshorts · 21/10/2012 20:55

Sorry to hijack
But i live in a council house, can i use home swapper? Or is it only for housing associations?

IneedAsockamnesty · 21/10/2012 21:02

its for all social housing so yes you can

PartyFops · 21/10/2012 21:02

Does your local authority have another mutual exchange database such as home link?

StuntGirl · 21/10/2012 21:11

Isn't housing association and council the same thing? Why is it so secure compared to anything else?

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