We were 'given' a 3 bed 2nd floor (no lift) flat a year ago after spending 2 years stuck in temporary housing (a 3 bed house).
We did not want the flat (got massively flamed on here) but were told we would have to take it or we would be evicted from the temporary house. We have 4 DCs, one a toddler and yes I was pregnant BEFORE getting into this position, and this has really been the hardest time of my life as we have no garden for the DCs to play or to dry washing, have to lug kids, bags and stuff up and down 2 flights of stairs etc. It has meant that the mental health issues that I have had caused by the circumstances of us being homeless in the first place, have been exacerbated and prolonged.
We had to wait a year for the tenancy to become secure and now we can request a transfer. Only I have been told that we will have to wait 3/4 years for a house.
We can try to swop but what family would realistically move from a house to a grotty 2nd floor flat?
I really can't face the thought of another summer stuck inside (there seems to be a constant police presence here and the DCs have been called 'cunts' etc on the few times they went out to play alone) and the neighbours swear up to the ceiling about the noise the DCs make, nothing excessive just normal kids noise but also have noisy parties and massive rows in the street so I am constantly on alert and trying to keep the DCs quiet which is stressful in itself.
I really feel that we no option but to try to privately rent again to get out of here even though the cost is prohibitive and we were 'moved on' from 3 privately rented houses in 3 years before we became homeless and after we lost our OWN home and the insecurity was a nightmare and that is my biggest problem with doing it again.
I just cannot do this for another 3 years! I am so envious of people who live in houses and can't get my head round that as I always lived in one until now and never even thought about it. AIBU???