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

[sallyhenderson]

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?

Manchester Grammar School is just under 12k a year.

I used to live in exactly the area you're talking about OP when I was at Universtity, this was back in the 90s when there were plenty of shootings etc and even then I never felt in any danger as I wasn't involved in gang crime in the area!

It's brilliantly located and certainly on the up these days, I'd vote their hand off if I were you.

Good luck whatever you decide.

How old is your son? My ds goes to a school with a reputation that could strip paint!! However he has excellent role models in me a working single mum and other close adults and thus has no "rough" friends. So I wouldn't let this worry you. I'm lucky houses are cheap where I am so I bought in a nice area. If it were me I'd take it and see how it goes. At least you have options if you don't like it

Yes hairyhands MGS is the dearest I think, and comes in about 11.8k. Cheapest I found is I think 10.7k. Although I bow to the specialist knowledge of anyone who knows better, I just googled the ones I could think of! I would be very surprised if any are much more, though. Not for the first time in this thread, I've reflected that people don't always realise, the south east is not the whole country...

I think Manchester Grammar offers bursaries to those with a household income of less than £50,000 a year.

It's fairly competitive though now as since they opened the junior school they only have about 100 available places and around 400 applicants.

Brilliant school though.

Do it. You can always exchange.
A friend of mi e had a lovely home up north.
Moved to Portsmouth to be with me dh
They split. She met husband number three . Had the big house etc.

You know where this is going don't you.
They split up she ended up in a council flat / maisonettes but she made it home.
It was the flats not far from the seafront with the pub with a turret or tower if anyone knows the area.

Good luck. I'm sure you'll be fine.

I agree with the majority here - accept the flat and if you consequently feel unhappy put in for a transfer. BUT I DO TOTES UNDERSTAND THE WORRY OF YOUR SON MAKING ROUGH FRIENDS ETC. I also agree you should visit the area morning, afternoon and evening just to get a feel for the place (agree its horrid the man chatting you up and the 12 yr old/cigs plus a fight too, but maybe this was the worst you will ever see???). BTW I live rented, in a non too fab place with my OH, due to my previous marriage breakup (house was his....) but its ok!!!!

Grab it - it gives you lots of options in the longer term. Save for a deposit and maybe get an affordable home/shared ownership home and perhaps a "grant" to move out (my friend got £50k when she bought after giving up her HA flat as a "help to but grant" if she did not go on the housing list again for 5 years). If the area up and comes you could buy your new place with a discount under right to buy. You will have spare cash - for holidays, fun, not to worry and when you have DC not having to commute and the stress of travel/pick ups is so nice.

I'm not sure large grants for moving out are a thing in Manchester, but it's still a good opportunity.