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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Council house

212 replies

Snoreborewhoreee · 17/07/2017 09:24

My situation currently is me, my partner and three children living with my mom in a 3 bed house, it is very cramped, and I feel awful for taking over my moms house.. I've been on the council housing list for a long time and unfortunately we just don't earn enough to private rent.. Basically my question is, two houses down a family have just moved out and I was wondering whether if/how I could go about asking the council if we could have it before they put it up for bidding? I'm not sure if this is a possible thing or if they will just tell me to get lost basically? Any advice or same situations would be appreciated?

OP posts:
Original poster
Snoreborewhoreee · 17/07/2017 21:51

I do feel very grateful for the roof above my head.. The council here decide what houses you can bid on and as of such we can only bid on three bedroomed? I've had people tell me to ring council every day but wouldn't really know what to say?

OP posts:
Want2bSupermum · 17/07/2017 22:16

blondes the OP said 2nd pregnancy was twins.

I've had three contraceptive failures documented by the arrival of our 3DC. Luckily DH and dug deep and figured it out pronto.

Blondeshavemorefun · 17/07/2017 23:01

ah sorry i missed that bit, i thought she meant 2&3 were separate accidents

Want2bSupermum · 17/07/2017 23:08

What you say is 'I am calling to check the status of our housing. Did anything come available today? Are you aware of anything suitable coming available? Are we ok to take a 2bed as a temporary measure? Please do let me know if anything comes up. My mother wants us out of her home because there isn't enough space with everyone.

Want2bSupermum · 17/07/2017 23:09

Smile when you talk. It helps your voice sound 'positive'. Even if forced it helps your voice sound less negative.

WeAllHaveWings · 18/07/2017 10:20

blondes the OP said 2nd pregnancy was twins.

No she didn't. She said 2nd and 3rd were contraception failures. She doesn't say it was twins. Op has one 5 month old baby (from previous post)

HipsterHunter · 18/07/2017 11:22

You might only be able ot bid on 3 bed council houses, but you aint going to get one of those for a loooooooooong time.

Focus on sorting your life out yourself - get back into work. Partner increasing hours. Save for a deposit for private rental and rent a 2 bed.

You are just a bit "woe is me the council won't give me a house".

Also.... how do you have TWO contraception failures? Really???? Careless at best.

Lucysky2017 · 18/07/2017 11:41

Worth asking.
We know someone from abroad who was very good friends with council officials in a Southern seaside town and he got ahead on the list - dreadful, corrupt, should not happen. A single man.

I was back at work full time when I had a 5 month old baby. May be that is a possibility too to help get a private letting instead?

WinnieTheWitch50 · 18/07/2017 12:02

I would ask, I know it's worked for others.

MsHopey · 18/07/2017 12:39

Tbf, in my area the wait for a 2 bedroom house is longer than a wait for a 3 bedroom house. This is because there's a lot less 2 bedroom houses in my borough and a lot more 3 bedrooms. I believe it's a 6 - 12 month wait for a 3 bedroom and a 2 - 3 year wait for a 2 bedroom. Also with admin and moving and having to their register to go back on the lost most councils won't let you live in an overcrowded property as a temporary measure because it'll cost them more money in the long run. And no offence, but she's got 2 bedrooms at her mother's house that, they gain nothing from moving her into a 2 bedroom property as because she'll be in exactly the same amount of rooms now, so will still be classed as overcrowded and essentially not really leaving the housing list at all, and will take a 2 bedroom house away from someone who wouldn't be overcrowded.

Want2bSupermum · 18/07/2017 12:52

Apologies I see it wasn't the Op who had twins. Regardless, the DC are here. She and her OH need to get working and figure out their finances. If they are living at her mothers home they should be putting all their money into savings and be registered for tax credits. She should also be looking for work, ideally with hours that are opposite her OH so they will have minimal childcare costs.

Banderwassnatched · 18/07/2017 12:59

Let the lifestyle audit begin! How many contraception failures? Can your husbamd work 70 hours a week? If not why not? Hey, why don't you get a job cleaning toilets you can go to when he gets home? Why don't you sleep in the garden. THEY MANAGED IT IN THE WAR. Why are you so lazy and entitled?

Want2bSupermum · 18/07/2017 13:09

bander DH and I both work up to and more than 80 hours a week so we can earn enough to support our family. Having 3DC isn't cheap.

I'm not saying work 70 hours. I'm saying between you figure out a way to get to a point of both of you working (i.e. 80 hours a week shared or done by one) so you can afford the £700 a month rent.

Want2bSupermum · 18/07/2017 13:10

Oh and I would and have cleaned toilets to pay my bills. Nothing wrong with it.

Banderwassnatched · 18/07/2017 13:15

Want2b- I'm a carer. I work 48 hours a week for the minimum wage, and in all honesty if M's job wasn't better paid than mine, we'd be in serious financial trouble. Our rent is £600 a month but as you correctly observed, 3 kids are not cheap. He simply doesn't earn enough for them to live on. I know, because I earn the same.

Banderwassnatched · 18/07/2017 13:45

As for whether there's 'anything wrong' with cleaning up human excrement for as little money as a person can legally earn- I feel like it's injurous to the soul. It's not anyone else's place to say you should be willing to do it.

Blondeshavemorefun · 18/07/2017 16:26

Didnt think op had twins as did have a re read of thread and couldn't find that post

What age are you children op?

Do you get free funding for nursery and maybe do a few hours cleaning or ironing then?

Have a look on your local fb page. People always wanting cleaners on there

HipsterHunter · 18/07/2017 16:31

As for whether there's 'anything wrong' with cleaning up human excrement for as little money as a person can legally earn- I feel like it's injurous to the soul. It's not anyone else's place to say you should be willing to do it.

Um.... so like you are saying that if people don't want to work because it is difficult and unpleasant, they shouldn't have to?

What a strange attitude.

HipsterHunter · 18/07/2017 16:33

I feel like it's injurous to the soul.

Sorry, I had to bold that again. I'm laughing too much.

I would focus on internal happiness (joy of seeing your lovely babies grow up, joy of getting outside for a walk, joy of smelling fresh coffee when you walk past pret etc) rather than believing that going out to work is 'injurous to the soul'.

Banderwassnatched · 18/07/2017 16:33

I don't think a few hours cleaning would help. One thing I found when returning to work is that your tax credits evaporated quicker than your income increases. Not only that, but they don't update your payments immediately, causing overpayments to stack up. Because of this we owe HMRC >£1000. The fact that it is their fault makes no difference.

I would not take any job until being certain I will be better off doing that then at home with my young family. Don't end up paying for the privilege of cleaning!

KoalaDownUnder · 18/07/2017 16:33

As for whether there's 'anything wrong' with cleaning up human excrement for as little money as a person can legally earn- I feel like it's injurous to the soul.

Christ on a bike, now I've heard everything.

Banderwassnatched · 18/07/2017 16:36

Hahaha Hipster, you are so funny. Hahaha. I didn't say work was bad for the soul. I said cleaning up bodily fluids for the minimum wage is. And I've done this for 3 years, at night. It had been like dropping out if the bottom of society.

Banderwassnatched · 18/07/2017 16:37

And no, I'm saying if a job is dirty and difficult and vitally important, you should pay people more than £7.50 an hour to do it.

Lucysky2017 · 18/07/2017 16:42
  1. Most us on here clear up excrement on a regular basis as we clear up after our families.
  2. I do a lot of it for now pay too - clearing local dog bins.
  3. Nothing wrong with cleaning jobs either - I don't currently have one but I don't think they are that bad.
HipsterHunter · 18/07/2017 16:47

I'm saying if a job is dirty and difficult and vitally important, you should pay people more than £7.50 an hour to do it.

I agree with that.

There is a massive problem with what jobs are valued (and [paid!) and which aren't.