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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To apply for a council house?

112 replies

canidothis15 · 28/10/2015 17:00

First of all, I own a property in an area of the country I used to live in and I left quite suddenly due to a bereavement. I didn't really feel up to selling it to be honest.

Now I have been talking to friends and some seem quite convinced I could apply for a council house (I work full time) as some houses are actually quite difficult to house people in due to the area being a bit rough.

The problem is that I have pets and so private lets aren't ideal and I am in a flat right now so that's not ideal either.

I would obviously pay full market rent. WIBU to apply for a council house or would the council laugh themselves stupid? My job is pretty well paid and I do obviously have a house.

Thanks.

OP posts:

ratspeaker · 28/10/2015 17:59

Remember not all councils will let you keep pets especially if they offer you a flat in a high rise.

BoffinMum · 28/10/2015 18:00

Nothing wrong with applying for anything as long as you are completely honest about your circumstances. They are perfectly at liberty to assess you according to your situation and make a decision accordingly. I actually know someone in the same position who did something similar and was able to rent a council flat after she had been the victim of a crime, even though she owned a place somewhere else.

BrandNewAndImproved · 28/10/2015 18:01

The market rate is over inflated. That has nothing to do with council houses which are let at a fair price.

vaticancameos · 28/10/2015 18:03

I guess it depends where you live. Bristol changed their policies earlier this year which included not allowing people to bid on Homechoice if they owned a property. Quite right too in this city. It's brutal.

formerbabe · 28/10/2015 18:04

The market rate is over inflated. That has nothing to do with council houses which are let at a fair price

Not talking about the op here but surely that means in theory a private landlord can rent out a property at market rate generating an income yet live in a council property paying rent below the market rate?

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 28/10/2015 18:04

You don't need to "qualify" to go on the waiting list here either. But a single person with no children would never be offered anything larger than a one bedroom flat. It sounds as though you already have adequate accommodation, so your priority level would be rock bottom. You would be offered a flat eventually but not for a year or two at least.

There are no Council properties here anymore, the whole housing stock was passed on to HA's several years ago. Some HA's won't offer a tenancy to someone who owns their own property, some will if you have a genuine reason for not living there (such as you've tried to sell it but it's not shifting and it's too far away to commute to), some HA's won't even consider it.

None ask you to prove your income, they do ask if you're employed & how much you earn - but only to determine whether you'll be paying the rent yourself or via HB. None refuse a tenancy on the grounds of someone earning too much.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 28/10/2015 18:13

It does happen like that, yes, Formerbabe.

One would hope it couldn't happen in an area with high demand for social housing but, in reality, once you've signed a tenancy agreement nobody checks what happens 1, 2 or 5 years down the line. So even areas with a policy of not letting to anyone who owns property would be unlikely to know if that person purchased a string of BTL properties at a later date, but kept their tenancy.

Here at least, it simply isn't ever asked or checked.

BrandNewAndImproved · 28/10/2015 18:19

Formerbabe in theory yes. The op already let's out her house somewhere else. If you want a ch you could apply as well.

With Bristol stopping that I think it's quite worrying. What about if your married and something happens and you split up. You move back to Bristol and stay with your dm for example until you get sorted. You don't earn enough to private rent as no one accepts even part housing benefit and you can't apply for a ch because you technically own a house. But your ex is a knob and makes it difficult to sell and now your dm is annoyed with the dc and you in her space ect ect. Your then fucked.

StrawberryTeaLeaf · 28/10/2015 18:21

Or if you were near the top of the list in your home area and somebody left you a small flat 300 miles away from work, schools, immediate family in their will?

vaticancameos · 28/10/2015 18:34

Brand lanes under current policy, I don't think the person would ever be classed as a priority because you need to live in the city for at least two years. I'm sure there are urgent cases that may not apply to. But I've seen first hand people moving from another city pretending they escaped a domestic violence situation to get top of the council list and it pisses me right off.

BrandNewAndImproved · 28/10/2015 18:39

No if you have family ties to somewhere you can move there and be eligible even if you haven't lived there for two years previous.

vaticancameos · 28/10/2015 18:49

Not according to current policy. And what people are being told during the application process.

BrandNewAndImproved · 28/10/2015 18:58

Oh I thought you meant in general not just Bristols new rules.

MamaLazarou · 28/10/2015 19:10

Absolutely shocking that you could even consider this.

Social housing is based on need, not want.

Plenty of people rent privately and have pets. I have rented for 22 years and have always had cats.

I wish you lots of luck in life but hope you don't get a council house.

TalkinPease · 28/10/2015 19:15

Social housing is based on need, not want.
But if nobody else needs the property, is the OP not right to occupy it and pay money to the Council that they would not have otherwise got?

BoffinMum · 28/10/2015 21:55

The economics is a bit more complicated. If social housing isn't occupied (and this occasionally happens, I have seen a couple of examples) the housing association has a blank line on a spreadsheet, no yield, and starts to accrue a debt against the property, which has an impact on what is available for other people. So it's perfectly acceptable to apply for social housing if you would like to rent from them. However if your need is not assessed as being very high, it may not work as a cunning plan if other people are assessed as being in more need.

mileend2bermondsey · 28/10/2015 22:04

I find it completely shameless that anyone who owns a property would apply for a council house
Absolutely shocking that you could even consider this

This and this ^

People wanting a council house 'cause they have pets, ffs. Wonders never cease

DownstairsMixUp · 28/10/2015 22:08

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

imwithspud · 28/10/2015 22:12

YABU. It would be nothing short of bare faced cheek to apply for social housing when you already own a home.

IgnoreMeEveryOtherReindeerDoes · 28/10/2015 22:19

My council you wouldn't make it onto band d although they would point you in the right direction on how to serve a section 21 on your tenants

NeedsAsockamnesty · 28/10/2015 22:22

My LA and the 4 other areas I work in would not exclude you for home ownership

ReginaBlitz · 28/10/2015 23:08

Are you actually for real? What a fucking joke there are genuine people out there homeless waiting ages for a house. You own one, yes the council will laugh at you. You've got no chance.

ReginaBlitz · 28/10/2015 23:15

As long as your your pissing cats are happy though! Never mind the poor kids living in a filthy hostel waiting for a home.

StrawberryTeaLeaf · 28/10/2015 23:17

Have you RTFT Reg?

TracyBarlow · 28/10/2015 23:27

There is surplus housing stock here where I live, an hour to St Pancras on the train. The big four bedders in certain no go areas are difficult to let because families do not want to live there. I'm sure the council would much rather these houses had tenants than were left empty.

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