Asked to consider leaving our council house for private renting

[Edenviolet]

Because we have been overpaying on rent and therefore should re evaluate our position.....

Bit of background, we had been in arrears which we paid off whilst dh was in work.then had a few months on IS and got HB and now dh has been working again (part time) we pay nearly all the rent.

We decided about 3-4 weeks ago to overpay our rent a bit each week to allow us two or three 'weeks off' over Christmas and new year.

Got a call today about my rent account as the balance is now in credit by just over £200 (so only a week and a half ahead really). Housing officer was offering an appointment for us to come in and discuss a possible move to private renting as there is a huge shortage of social housing and we could according to them afford it due to the fact we are overpaying our rent.

I explained why we have been paying a bit extra but she was quite pushy about us at least considering a move!

AIBUto think this is a bit pushy and wrong?

I would go and call her bluff. Ask her how she thinks you should budget for the huge costs of moving, possibly changing the children's schools and health services. Ask her how many properties she has found for you to view in the same price bracket you currently pay with guaranteed long term tenancy, or if the council are prepared to pay for your moving costs each six months when the landlords decide to sell/move you on. Oh, and will the council reimburse you for any improvements you have made to the property on the understanding that it was yours for as long as you needed?

Then point out that as a grown adult you are fully capable of deciding if private or council accommodation is better for your family, and that she has not only been a bully, but has spectacularly wasted both your and her time.

I was surprised as there have been occasions in the past when we have been more in credit.

They must be really desperate to be on my case so quickly as it has literally been overpaid for only the last 4 weeks, I didn't think they would even notice to be honest I just thought how nice it will be to not have to worry about it over Christmas so was very surprised when she called.

Well done for trying to save up for Christmas .

Now that you have cleared the rent arrears, I would just save separately.

There are special Christmas accounts with some banks if you don't want the money to be available at the rest of the year. Or see if your supermarket does a savings scheme (eg Asda).

Even if you don't spend a lot extra at Christmas at Asda, you can use the savings schme money for groceries and then there is money you are not spending on groceries available for Christmas spending.

When I lived in a council flat, the rent was due 48 weeks a year with two weeks off in the summer and two at Christmas, so it seems that your council might be unusual by charging rent every week.

It would be a waste of your time to set an appointment. There is nothing to discuss as they cannot make you move and you are not in a position to do so. If she rings again tell her you have already told her you are not moving and to please stop harassing you about it.

It's a secure tenancy, isn't it? That means it's yours for life, even if you win the lottery on Saturday.

Reading this, I'd waste as much of her time as possible. That way she can't bother as many people as if you just ignore her.

I also like giving fake emails and passwords to phishing sites

Yes, its a secure tenancy. We are very lucky as they don't do them here anymore I don't think anything (except maybe that lottery win!) could persuade me to move.

No yanbu do not allow yourself to be bullied in this way because you are being responsible with your money.

Council properties are gold dust. Unless you are a in a position to buy your house then I would carry on as you are.

If I was you I would set up a savings account rather than over pay your rent. It would be good for your money to get some interest. (Although interest rates are pants at the moment!)

All the people who think it's outrageous, what would you do to help the families in desperate need of a council house? In this instance Op doesn't want to move, which is fine but the caller might have found that OP had been thinking about it for ages and just needed a little nudge to free the house up. Lots of people stay in council hoses when they don't need or even want to, it's not wrong for the council to try and find out if that's the case for OP.

Bullied? Really?

She wasn't wrong at all to ask

But she was bang out of order to push it, after you'd given your explanation.

I would ring back and cancel the appointment she made you. You don't need it.

You know you can't. It sounds like saving 6weeks deposit, plus agency fees etc would be beyond what you can afford anyway.

Plus it would be bonkers to give up the security.

I would build more social landlord housing, TheAlias, and pigs might fly.

The council have a scheme where they help with the deposit and moving costs etc I think that's what she wants to 'discuss'.

She didn't make an appointment over the phone as I said no but she said she would send a letter with an appointment for us!

And how would you pay for that Lego?

The couple who bought my last house received a call like this from the council and were delighted as the council paid the deposit on their new (owned) home. It's not all bad.

well when you receive it ring or email the number and say no you wont be coming.
I suppose she is only doing her job.

I would chuck any letter in the bin and not waste a second of your time on an appointment. Getting a private let when you are in receipt of HB and have children is like getting blood out of stone. And why would you give up a secure tenancy for that? There is a thread in Active Conversations from a private renter who is being charged £600 in administrative fees by a letting agent.

'And how would you pay for that Lego?'

I'm not David Cameron. It won't happen, that's why I said and pigs might fly

The OP told the woman NO. She did not take that for an answer. That is overstepping the mark.

It is outrageous. If the tenant was over £2000 in credit then maybe a question should be raised, but as £200 is little over a week's rent then it is unbelievable harassment. You are not in a position to consider the gamble of renting privately, you're entitled to this housing as anyone. Please don't make an appointment or discuss it further. I'd be fuming mad in your situation. There are people in extremely good employment with secure incomes coming in, do they all get asked? Picking on the wrong family, if you ask me.

Yes. I agree OP shouldn't go to the meeting if she has no intention of moving and the caller shouldn't be putting any pressure on but at least the council have some ideas to help the people who need help to find a home.

Good grief, in your situation I certainly would not move (unless the lack of space becomes an issue for you). I would just ignore all calls and letters encouraging you to move off their books, frankly. If you feel motivated to do so, tell her that due to children's health and uncertain income, you feel your position would be a lot more precarious in the private sector, and they avoid over-paying in the future if it's a trigger for this kind of crap.

It would be bonkers to move from a secure council tenancy like this to private letting, but have you considered shared ownership? It will depend a lot on your location and circumstances but you might find that you could arrange to have part-mortgage and part rental for a similar monthly payment to your current rent, with the same level of long-term security and the added advantage that once you've paid off the mortgage you have significantly lower outgoings - which could make a huge difference to your standard of living once you are retired and on a limited pension.

If the family are in and out of work it's doubtful shared ownership is a good option for them.

Shared ownership is a minefield of legalities into who pays for what and what contribution etc.

This family need to stay in secure tenancy. I think the authority have a damned cheek even asking as £200 credit isn't a great deal bearing in mind there's bank holidays and office closures over Christmas / New Year period.

They're not Lego. It wasn't shared ownership, they took a mortgage to buy the house in full. They are both in regular work (nurses) and still in the house 10 years on. it was a great opportunity for them.