To ask for help with this decision.

[IHaveAToiletBrush]

Recieved a phone today from local housing association office, our area changes its allocation procedure that much it is hard to keep up. Basically the area office/shop has a small waiting list of 5 people that is made up from people from that get to top of main waiting list, once on shop list it should be no more than 3 months until you are housed. You pick areas etc when join main list, the idea is so people that are at the bottom of the list don't get their hopes up when bidding for a property to then come in number 300. So hears the decision we have hit hard times so the cheaper rent will be all good but I don't think we can actually afford to move.

We are in private rent at the moment, white goods/cooker, carperts, ds bed/mattress and the bedrooms have built in wardrobes. Dd's have bunk beds so ds could share for a while but not a long term solution. The rent and council tax saving is about £250 per month which I would save towards the things I need. Overtime is not really an option as we then loose out on housing benefit and end up worse off. So in my position would you take the HA house? I know I probably won't get another chance but very worried about not having the things my dc will need.

Not that it is relevant but have been where we are for 10 years so it is quite secure.

Before you panic, ask the housing association what you'll get with your new home. I'd be really surprised if there wasn't at least a cooker built in, possibly a fridge too.

But I don't have extensive experience of different HA homes, that's just my instinct that it's social housing for people unlikely to have loads of money to supply that stuff. The oven has been left in every private rental I've ever had and both purchases.

I work for a HA. Take it!!

Do you have two homes payment in your area?
m.england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/housing_benefit_and_local_housing_allowance/reporting_family_and_income_changes/housing_benefit_for_two_homes

I too work for a HA. We don't supply carpets, cookers or fridges but each HA will be different. With regard to light fittings you can get cheap paper lampshades from places like Argos and they will do the trick until you can afford what you want. As others have said you would be mad to turn this down, it's a secure tenancy after your years probation. No fear of house being taken away providing you pay your rent, keep garden tidy and don't cause a nuisance, which most people don't. Also HA may have contacts for second hand furniture and white goods. Good luck!

Thanks for all the links about white goods etc, I'll look at them in a minute.
We have lamo shades already so can take them with us, wasn't sure if you got light fittings to connect them to but thinking about it they probably could leave live wires exposed. With regards to the deposit, it was placed in a deposit scheme in 2009 but tenancy started in 2006, do I need to contact the deposit scheme to get it back or does it happen automatically?

AFAIR the landlord/agent has to let TDS know that the property is in good condition and then you can apply for the money to be returned to you. However because he didn't lodge the deposit straight away I don't know if this changes things.Ring the TDS and they will let you know.

With regard to the light fittings you should just be able to attach your lampshades and poss get bulbs, they should have light pendants and definitely not just loose wires as it will not pass the electricity test.