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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To accept a council house in a rough area instead of private renting

183 replies

sallyhenderson · 08/07/2017 12:06

After years of waiting, I finally have an offer of a Housing association home. It's an ex-council house that's recently been recently transferred to a local housing association. The only issue is, it's in an area of social deprivation.

I am a nurse and I earn 25k a year before tax. I'm a single mum. I'm currently really struggling with private renting. I rent in a not rough but not glamorous area and I'm paying 650 pcm for my 2 bed house. I have commuting costs of £130 a month.

This leaves no disposable income after bills are paid. It's not just the money. My landlord is awful and I have had to move several times. There's no stability. I hate private renting.

My sons dad private rents and does not want me taking the council house. My parents are apprehensive and think I may not fit in in the area but think it's a necessary evil as I cannot afford to buy a house, I cannot afford to private rent indefinitely and cannot afford to wait forever in the hope of getting a house in a nicer area.

There are worse places than where I would be moving to. It's an inner city area with deprivation but boarders affluent areas and is close to all the amenities of those places/ the city it's walking distance to.

There's excellent secondary schools within the catchment area and an outstanding school a few feet away...but it is a rough area. It has crime rate and a lot of burglaries. Because it's so close to the city it has a large student population and is up and coming with young professionals now choosing to rent there. Private rent is £750pcm or over £1000 for an apartment. This makes me feel a little better about moving.

The place is right near my work and all ameneities so not commuting costs and is £350 pcm. That's over £400 a month extra it would save me by living there.

Would I be unreasonable to move my Son to a rough area to have a secure tenancy so that I don't have to private rent?Or should I let my Son live in a safe area and be skint?

OP posts:
SJaNH · 08/07/2017 19:24

Don't do it!!! A family member was in similar situation. She took the house. Few years later her 12 year old came home and told her she was pregnant. Extreme case I know, but who you kids hang out with is sooooooo important.

ChanandlerBongsNeighbour · 08/07/2017 19:32

DEFINITELY go for it! With bells on!!

elfreda69 · 08/07/2017 19:36

@SJaNH: this is a load of nonsense. Parenting and school mates have more of an influence than who your neighbors are. To the poster: take the flat. As long as you feel safe and it is liveable. Some private rented properties can be worst. You are being offered stability, affordable rent and repairs being completed within reasonable times.

elfreda69 · 08/07/2017 19:46

Security of tenure enabled me to return to education, do a postgraduate diploma and embark on a more rewarding career. I am now in a position of hoping to move out and buy my own place ( I cannot afford to buy my council flat as it is in London). It was the knowledge that as long as I paid my (v reasonable) rent that i could go back to college part time and work towards improving our lives.

Many people wrongly believe social housing is for 'losers'. In fact, there are a good mixture of people ( nurses, teachers, civil servants etc) who live in social housing. Many worked their way up, some have bought their property or who live family members. I am a single parent too - grab the opportunity.

SJaNH · 08/07/2017 19:54

elfreda69........there are schools within this rough area. So therefore the school friends most likely will be the neighbours.

GinSwigmore · 08/07/2017 19:54

Which school did you have in mind OP?

Original poster
sallyhenderson · 08/07/2017 19:58

There's an outstanding primary school a few feet away.
For secondary I was hoping to get him into a grammar school as he is very clever. I now these places are competitive though.

By the time he's secondary school age I will earn enough for him tp go to private school so can send him to school in a nice area.

OP posts:
Original poster
sallyhenderson · 08/07/2017 19:58

*know

OP posts:
itshappenedagain · 08/07/2017 20:02

I would. I did the same 6 years ago couldn't have worked out better. The house was in a shit area near city centre and much lower rent, I have fantastic neighbours, a lovely house and am saving money...so much so I've just put in for the right to buy. Worse that can happen is that you don't like it and you put in for an exchange.

HemanOrSheRa · 08/07/2017 20:03

Well done sally. I think you would regret it in years to come if you at least didn't give it a try as scary as it may feel Smile. You may not get this chance again. Good luck!

SJaNH · 08/07/2017 20:05

Sorry. Totally disregard my comments earlier. Absolutely go for it. If your little one is still young enough to protect then who cares what's outside the door when your all safe and £400 better off inside you house. Smile You can always reconsider when he hits secondary school age.

mygorgeousmilo · 08/07/2017 20:09

Absolutely do it, send your child to the good school. Use the money you'll save on a burglar alarm. Do it, do it, do it.

Rikalaily · 08/07/2017 20:12

I would totally do it, in fact I live in an ex council (transferred to HA) house in a 'rough' area. We stay because our rent is cheap and we love our neighbours even though there are 7 of us in a 3 bed house. This area has a very bad rep, I've been here 14 years and not one bit of trouble, honestly, most of the time an areas reputation is gained and then the area improves but the bad rep stays. I bet it isn't nearly as bad as you think. Most people who live around here are normal law abiding working families even though people who don't live here are convinced we are all work shy, drug taking, lay abouts.

RockyBird · 08/07/2017 20:15

I've stayed in rough council areas before, it was fine.

When you shut your door, it's your home.

I quite like the sound of your place.

TeachesOfPeaches · 08/07/2017 20:27

No way OP. Not to Moss Side. I'm a single mum and I private rent a one bedroom flat in a nice area of London when I could probably afford a two bed in a run down area. I choose this as I have access to a lovely doctor surgery, nicer schools, professional neighbours etc and I also don't have to worry about burglary (can leave my windows open), parcels can be left on my doorstep, can walk home safely in the evening in Winter.

What will you do when you child is a teenager and starts hanging around with those less fortunate?

TeachesOfPeaches · 08/07/2017 20:30

Also it's depressing walking through a deprived area every day and seeing shops boarded up, people on the streets and rubbish everywhere

Lemonading · 08/07/2017 20:31

If your DS likes creative stuff, Z-Arts in Hulme is fab. There's also the Whitworth, the Manchester Museum. The Powerhouse Library is specifically set up for young people as well and has a load of stuff going on. There's a ton of sporty stuff as well, if that's more his thing. And, as you already know, town is really a short hop away.

WankYouForTheMusic · 08/07/2017 20:32

If you live in London teaches, what's your recent experience of Moss Side? Obviously OPs property isn't actually in Moss Side anyway, but you have mentioned the area, so I presume you base that on something.

Also, did you get the part where she said she isn't in a naice area now? I can assure anyone reading that although SH in Manchester isn't always that difficult to get, it is like hen's teeth in areas that aren't at least slightly tasty.

TeachesOfPeaches · 08/07/2017 20:36

Yes I launched an education award some years ago and one of the submissions was from a Moss Side school and they went into great detail regarding the challenges the children and the school have due to the deprivation of the area. I spoke to the headteacher myself.

alltouchedout · 08/07/2017 20:37

Teaches if you live in a nice area and are leaving your windows open, you're going to get burgled at some point. It's nice areas that attract burglars- you're more likely to have things worth stealing.

Doobydoo · 08/07/2017 20:39

Good luck OP its exciting for you.I am a nurse too.We moved to a 'notorious' area last year.2 kids 10 and 17.House is fab and we feel so lucky.It is half the rent we were paying when renting privately.Also agree re people nit shitting on their own doorstep and I don't think anyone would dare come round here to nick stuff! I wish you the best.

WankYouForTheMusic · 08/07/2017 20:40

Some years ago teaches? That explains it then. Moss Side is a completely different kettle of fish now to what it was even a few years back. And Hulme, where OP has clarified that she will actually be living, is verging on the trendy now.

Also it's depressing walking through a deprived area every day and seeing shops boarded up, people on the streets and rubbish everywhere

Had you not already acknowledged that you're basing your advice on second hand, outdated information, this would have given it away. That is just not what Moss Side is like. And no, I don't live there.

TeachesOfPeaches · 08/07/2017 20:41

My landlord lives upstairs and said that someone tried to burgle my flat once about 10 years ago. It's a low crime area and I certainly don't have anything worth stealing anyway.

TeachesOfPeaches · 08/07/2017 20:43

It was about 5 years ago.

My second comment was in relation to living in a deprived area in general. I often think about this as I'm living in one bedroom with my 18m old son.

emma8t4 · 08/07/2017 20:44

You could save up the money you would save living there and then buy a house. See it as a temporary move in order for you to get into the property ladder.