To consider leaving social housing?

[akaemmafrost]

Lone parent, 2 dc, both SN, one quite significant.

Live in a 2 bedroom flat atm. It's a nice flat but small, no garden, can't exchange as 3 bedroom accommodation in this city is near on none existent. I sleep on a bed sofa so my dc can have a room each, this is necessary due to their SN.

I think I am being short sighted but I yearn for a bedroom of my own and a garden. But would I be daft to consider moving into private rented. I suspect I would but just so cramped and miserable here and I honestly think it's affecting my health, physically and mentally . It's a secure, life time tenancy by the
way.

So opinions please.

You would be daft, are both your dc same sex? There are ways even if they are. if you go to CAB and explain they need their own room due to SN and see if there are ways to get Drs and other professionals to demand a 3 bed for you. My mums friend ds had adhd and used to hurt his brother all the time SS were involved and got her moved to a 3 bed due to extenuating circumstances.

I think you are probably best where you are. I wouldn't trade a secure tenancy for an extra room, you could be asked to move every six months. I am on a pull out bed so I know how frustrating it is, but it's a small price to pay for all the other benefits of having a home for life

If you can afford to move into private accomodiation then it makes sense to pay a bit more and enjoy the extra space. Will housing benefit cover the extra cost? Are there rules to allow a family with a disabled child to have an additional room.

If you have the financial means to pay for a 3 bed house. (Ie. not on housing benefit) then surely its better to try and save for a desposit for a mortgage.

Tough one, but given the security of social housing I would stay put!

You have no idea with a private rent on how long you will be there. Yes you can sign a long term contract blah blah blah....but we all know circumstances change.

I do not have the financial means for a mortgage. I am a lone parent and cannot work due to my dc's SN.

Yes I've thought about the being moved on every 6 months and that would be unbearable, especially for ds. I will look into the moving on the grounds of ds's disabilities.

This gov is fucking everyone over, it's not safe to private rent if you recieve help. Your HB will be cut if you have an extra bedroom to, so even if someone did swap with you you would be fucked over.

akaemmafrost

Both my children are disabled and need their own bedrooms due to their disability.

I was sharing with my DD as DS 12 needed his own room for disability equipment.

We also have a shortage of 3 beds in our area and we were on a waiting list for a move to a 3 bed but were way down the list until I rang up social services and asked for an occupational therapist to come round and assess the situation.

She agreed our housing was inadequate and wrote a report to the housing department and we were moved into gold band (high priority) and managed to get a new house within a week.

I'd suggest you try this route first as it is the most secure for you and your children.

Good luck and I hope you manage to find something adequate for yours and your childrens needs soon.

Defi Italy try an application on disability grounds. I was moved from an upper floor flat due to DS's autism and need for an enclosed outside space where he could be safe.

Ok, I'm nuts then . Thanks, I needed a kick up the a*se instead of wilting about whining about not having a bedroom.

Can you tell me anymore about proposed government changes re housing brandy?

Housing benefit will only be cut if you have two more bedrooms than you need e.g. someone living in a three bedroom house by theirself will have housing benefit for the extra room.

I meant housing benefit cut for the extra room!

I don't think it will apply to you, it's to do with the cap thats coming on. So if you privately rented a 3 bed but had two boys housing benefit would reduce by 25% which you would have to make up. I think though due to your DC SN it won't apply to you.

After being in private rented for 10 years i cried at being given the opportunity for a flat to call my own.

Yes the flat is small and no garden and in a rough area but the stress of having to move all the time due to landlords wanting property back or property in poor repair etc was making me ill.

I have moved 5 times in the last 5 years, private rented is not secure and i appreciate i am lucky to have a housing association flat.

I will be doing this, i live in a HA house big enough for a us with a garden but in the middle of nowhere, no friends or family for many miles. we will be moving to a small flat without garden and far less room and a private tenancy but with job oppertunities, better oppertunities for the children and family and friends nearby, sometimes you just have to

I privately rent and have had to move every year for the last 6 years. It's a pain, especially having to find the money for credit checks, paper work and deposits everytime. I get my original deposit back when I leave a property but as rent prices are going up it never covers the deposit for the next place. Just the paper work and checks cost over £200 alone then there is the cost of a van etc.

My friend recently moved out of her council house into a privately rented house. I thought she was crazy, the new house is lovely but £££ and as her youngest is at school now she needs to find a job pretty quickly as her benefits will nose dive and she will struggle to afford her rent and bills.

I also think, on balance, you're better off where you are for now, as it's more secure. But seek advice to see if you could be entitled to apply for a bigger property.

It's worth going on the list though.
I went on it, it took 3 long years but at last I am adequately housed x

If you can stick it out, stay where you are. Private renting is very expensive generally. LL generally checks house every 6 months - full inspection, but mine is every 4 months which is annoying - we have a cat and it cost an extra £300 deposit for having a pet. We have had 6 privately rented houses in the last 6 and 1/2 years, moving dd to 2 different nurseries, and two primary schools, the last three moves we have done we have managed to keep our dc at the same school. My ds has hfa and he has been at the same school since he started - the support he has been given has been very good, I know we won't get that elsewhere.

All the houses we rented have been put on the market after we have rented them - one after 4 months. The disruption and stress of moving is beyond hideous.

Can you look into adapting your house to make it work better for you? I know there might be inspiration on the internet for making your small house work, it isn't ideal but might be worth a try first?

Thanks for all taking the time to reply. Given me the shake I need. I'm very lucky, one of our bedrooms is pretty big and could feasibly be partitioned to make two so just been looking at that. Also going to have a massive declutter and price up new carpets.

The accounts of having to move so often and inspections have made me shiver!

Do you need to be in the same area? I mean do you have family and friends near.

Some councils / housing associations struggle to fill there houses because they are in areas that don't have a lot of work so people move to areas where there is work.

I'm in Wolverhampton and a few years ago people from London were paid to more here (No jokes about not being paid enough please) there were empty three bedroomed houses with huge gardens.

Some of the Northern towns that used to rely on cotton, coal, wool and shipbuilding are the same.

You would have little to no prospect of a job, but as you can't work that wouldn't be a problem.

I know it's hard to shift area but consider it.

Example home

www.homesinthecity.org.uk/projector/page/prop-info?pro_refno=34577

Something to think about ssash. Thank you. I don't have much of a support network where I am but dc's dad is here and dd in a very good school.

My first thought is what priority band are you? As suggested above get an assessment done of what your housing needs are given your children's SN.

Do not leave social housing, your security of tenure is really important when you have children with additional needs. The last thing you want is your landlord asking you to move just as you been assessed for new equipment or new services and you potentially having to try to get everything moved to a new address.

Do you actually know you won't be able to swap with anyone? I mean, have you checked homeswapper? It's worth bearing in mind that your chances of a swap are likely to improve soon anyway. Two bedroomed properties are going to become more sought after because many people who are currently over-occupying bigger places are going to get their HB reduced to the 2 bed level. It may be that you only qualify for the 2 bed rate yourself, but if you disabled DC is getting DLA perhaps you could use some of that money? how old are the DC and what sex? If they are different sexes and one is over 10 you would qualify for the 3 bed HB rate anyway.

Fwiw, I wouldn't leave if I were you.

This thread has given me a kick up the ass actually, taking ds to GP tomorrow to discuss getting medical recommendations for a move. Just looked on line about criteria to get moved up a band. I live in an area where you have to bid on properties but if we move to a higher priority band that will help.