To want to give up an Housing Association house

[Mezzalune]

I moved from my hometown to a big city as my job in my hometown had come to an end and I didn't want to risk being unemployed. When I found out I had got a job in Manchester I was delighted. I was bored of the little Welsh village where I was born.

My job in Manchester was awful! So I decided to do a Masters in social work. I'm now on maternity leave and have my placement to do.

I gave birth to my son just after first year finished so I've only two essays and a placement to do.

I applied for a housing association home in the Peak District where my partner is from and we got one very quickly. However, I don't like it at all. The area is lovely, not rough at all and it is fairly convenient for everything but I'm miserable here.

My friends are all a good distance and I have literally no family to help with my son. I spend all day every day with him. We are even far from his family as they have moved.
I desperately want to move back to my hometown. The crime rate is very low, it's a beautiful place.i miss the sea, the welsh language, seeing all the people I've grown up with and who can never be replaced with friends I've know a year or two.

Only a few years ago I wanted to leave so I am aware I may be looking at things with rose tinted glasses but I do think I would be happier there. My friends have now moved away but I know people my age who are friends of the family. I just miss it so very much that when my course is finished I want to leave my home and live with my mum and then apply for social housing while living at my mums (I'm allowed do this, I have checked). My partner is very happy to move too.

I've registered in home swapper already but have had absolutely no interest which supposed me as I thought Manchester would be popular! It definitely isn't. A home swap would be great but I won't wait forever for one and when I finish my course, if I haven't got a home sway shall move.

A lot of people are saying that's a daft thing to do. Do you think it's unreasonable to move?

Waiting lists for council houses where I am moving to are fairly long but most people get a house within a year or two if living with family. Where I am now it's a 6 year waiting list but I had mine within a month as I was almost homeless.

This all seems far too much like playing the system to me.

Why do you need social housing? You are educated and have what sounds like good career prospects. If you can live with your mother then why not save for a deposit on your own house?

This just seems a really calculated way of jumping the homeswap queue. IMO (and I know not everyone agrees) social housing should be left for those who really need it, especially while there's a shortage and families are languishing in awful B&Bs etc.

'I just miss it so very much that when my course is finished I want to leave my home and live with my mum and then apply for social housing while living at my mums'

Why not finish your course, move in with your mum if necessary while looking for a job, then rent when you've found one? You'll have your DP as well who I assume will also be looking for work in the new location?

I think I must be missing something because I don't really see how you'll have a need for social housing?

Where would your DP be for two years, while you wait? He wouldn't be able to stay in your existing house, you'd be automatically lowest priority if you have a valid tenancy in a HA house elsewhere.

Is it worth it to split your family for so long? Visits won't be the same as living together, or your DP living with his children.

That's if you could even get a council house, as you'll have a degree, a DP with a job, etc....

Could you not rent in the area yourself?

I understand the need to move back close to family, I had a council house which I swapped for a flat in London where I grew up. It been brilliant living near my mum and siblings again, my dc have a good close relationship with them and we can swap childcare duties, have meals at each other's houses etc. I always know I have someone to rely on in an emergency.

The family I swapped with weren't even specifically looking for the area I lived in, they just wanted to get a house instead of a flat. So I was quite lucky really. It did take me over a year to find a suitable swap, and I'm surprised that you haven't managed to find someone keen to move to Manchester. But I think it's worth hanging in there.

I think your plan B of living with your mum and getting on the housing list could work as well, as it seems that the demand for council houses are quite low in Wales. I would never have got my flat here if I hadn't got a swap - waiting lists are decades long.

I don't think that giving up a tenancy and then a few years down the line wanting another tenancy is that easy yknow .. I'm in Essex and this would never be allowed
Perhaps Wales is different but it wouldn't happen here

YANBU to want to move back home, but I would strongly advise you to look at your hometown's criteria for what constitutes "intentional homelessness" before giving up your tenancy in the Peaks.

Wardrobe what the arse has OPs level of education got to do with her need for social housing!?

I have a degree. I teach and my scripts have been broadcast on radio 4. I live in social housing.

I earn very, very little.

I was under the impression that if you give up a house you are not eligible to get another. That is certainly the rules where I live and councils do share information

Not true in all HA Foxy.

you don't even have to earn very little where I live claw I work as does my dh we are on the council list anybody can go on it as long as they have a right to live in the uk we were offered a house after a few months.

Move if you want. Get a job and get your own house, rented or bought or whatever.
You have family, a partner, a decent education..why are you obsessed with getting subsidised housing?

I spend all day every day with him Er, what did you think having a child entailed?!

My partner and myself and baby will live with my parents until wR are offered a council house. if one of us got a really good job before being offered somewhere we would start saving for a deposit and not
Take social housing but this is unlikely.
Although I am educated and will be qualified soon, it doesn't mean I will Definetly get a job. I am expecting to have to apply a lot before getting a job as a social worker. My partner isn't well qualified so probably wouldn't get a job over much more than minimum wage. He is a support worker and gets about £7 a hour!

We have enquired about gettig a mortgage before but we're not even close to being offered the kind of money that is needed to buy a house on our incomes at the moment. Saving for a deposit would never be possible on our current iciness.

My parents house is fine for a bit but not for long. It isn't considered suitably housed where I live and if you are having to live with family you won't be highest priority but can get somewhere within a year or two as the area has a low waiting list.

My brother and his wife and their little boy have just moved into a couc house and were living with my mum and dad for only a few months.

Some people think that if you're educated and in work you are in less need of social housing but that is naive and a definite misconception. There are almost certainly people on benefits with a higher income than us. My partner earns minimum wage and is also having to support me as I'm a student. At the moment we could never afford private rent and at the time of applying for
Counc housing were all living in one room (I had to leave student accommodation when i got pregnant and my partner wasn't allowed stay with me). I don't
Consider myself to be ANY less in need that someone
On benefits.

We got our house because you get extra priority of you are in work and on my hometown it's he same.

Just because we are not on benefits doesn't mean we aren't in need of social housing. How sad that proe think that

Thats not what people said. It's just that most people at least try to make their own way in life if they can.

Grockle Am I not making my own way in life because I have a Housing Association flat then? I save up...I work to forward my career. What nonsense! I pay rent ...same as most people who don't own.

I have grockle box. I have private rented before now when I had more
Money. Life has meant that at the moment we don't have the money to private rent so social housing is our only option unless our circumstances improve.

Doesn't mean I've never tried to it live in social housing.

We may not have loads of money but at least we do earn the money we get.

Very, very judgemental to say I've never tried to make my own way in life. No one could know I hadn't from my OP.

Some people hate those in social housing. Maybe because they can't get a council place themself.

I dont believe that only those on benefits need social housing, but I am confused as to why it is your go to option before considering privately renting. If you're successful at finding an entry point social work position and your DP gets another minimum wage job after moving to Wales you'll be in a financially secure enough place to rent privately. Not to save up to buy a house, but to afford rent yes.

No, I'm sorry if I gave that impression Claw. I grew up in council housing, and have no problems with it in anyway.
I just surprised by the mentality that the only options are living with parents or getting social housing, no attempt at all to get out there and try and rent a flat or whatever. Maybe it was because when I was young I was told that I shouldn't apply for a council house just because I grew up in them, my mother thought the freedom of living independently was worth far more than the security of council housing and I agree. I've always privately rented since.

Grockle private renting is prohibitive these days and offers NO security. Having a family should not be dependent on owning a home....we have children and tried and tried to save enough for our own home...never enough.

When we were asked for the 3rd time to leave our private rental as they were selling, enough was enough and we applied for a council flat.

The "freedom" of living independently is not a freedom at all. It's a far worse situation as you're at the mercy of unscrupulous landlords at times..not always but sometimes. At least the HA are strict about their care and upkeep and can't ask us to leave with 2 months notice.

If you want to think that I'm playing the system that's fine. IF I'm brutally honest, I'm not interested if some people online think that about me. It doesn't effect my life whatsoever.

I know it's not true and that's all that matters so I'm not arguing about it.

Thanks to those that answered the question. It is quite a big risk leaving the house I'm in now but if I'm not happy here there is no point staying. I might still get a transfer but if not I shall move without one.

Probate renting isn't a proper alternative to social housing. For those not able to afford to buy a house, social housing is, and should always be available and the first choice.

Private housing is fine for the short term but is not suitable long term.

Thanks for the reply neverlandpirates.

glad to hear you have managed to get a swap. I am hopeful and I'm sure I will soon get one.
So far it seems everyone just wants to move to another part of Wales or change to a bigger or smaller house in the same area :-(

Is it really that easy to get social housing? Where I live in London it's almost impossible.

Christmas not in London of course but in some more far flung areas it's not that difficult at all. I live in a city where it's tough but my sister in Wales says there is not really much difficulty at all.

I suppose its an individual thing then. I've private rented in various countries for 25 years, often on very low income. We get by.

If its available and you meet the requirements, there is no issue. I'm just surprised. Probably a weird hangup from childhood, no doubt.