AIBU to think it shouldn't be so expensive to move into a council house?!

[FreshStarts00]

NC.
So we've finally been allocated a house! Viewing is really soon. They want first 2 weeks rent 6 days after the viewing, then they say they can give us the keys 2 days after that.
Few hiccups:
We'd be paying rent on 2 houses. Need to give landlord 1 months notice from the day we pay rent, which is the 1st of the month. We barely have anything left over as it is after bills. Let alone magically coming up with another £250+.
They don't provide flooring.... AIBU to think this is a hazard with a 3 Y/O?? Splinters and nails and rough floorboards
No white goods whatsoever... So we'd be without an oven and a washing machine. Also microwave ect but that's not vital.
No bath- LO will just have to get over her hatred of showers, this one isn't really a major issue.

Anyone got any magical ideas?
Or been in a similar situation?
AIBU to think it shouldn't be so expensive to move into a council house?!

Well it was only seen as an issue that Bob. Crowe stayed in his because there aren’t enough to go around. If there was enough decent housing then it wouldn’t be an issue, It would be a choice between owning your home so paying off an investment or continuing to pay the council even after you’ve paid off the value of your home when you moved in.

I don’t think you should be able to sublet though, that’s ridiculous

You're not able to sublet. It happens though. Fraudulently

The problem is that we are a small country. And the green spaces are one of the lovely things about living here. It won't be as lovely when it's carpeted over with affordable housing - I KNOW how awful that sounds, and I know people need homes, but at the same time the amount of green belt that's being built on etc is worrying.

We’re not that small a country, there’s loads of land. We could build new towns, or buy back some of the repossessed homes from the buy to let scheme.

Do you have any carpets or rugs you can take from your old property just to put something on the floor? Could your children wear shoes/slippers in the house if it is uncarpeted until you sort something?

I don’t think councils let white goods be left behind as they do not know if they still work and/or if they are safe.

I grew up in council houses and I never remember them having white goods or carpet when I moved in so I don’t think this is unusual

What I don't understand is why there is such thing as temporary housing... it's so often people are moved to one place, left there for 3 years then a permanent place comes up and they're moved on and someone else gets the temporary. Why not just leave people in the "temporary" after they began lives there and others go straight into the other. Makes no sense to me!

But where does the money come from to do all that? Sadly it's often cheaper to build from scratch on uncontaminated nice new green land.

And then there's the infrastructure; the roads and public transport don't really cope as it is. So you need to extend those too, and that in turn brings with it huge cost, gobbling up more green land, and of course more pollution.

Because temporary housing is often not suitable for full time accommodation unfortunately

I don't know how... all the temp housing I've seen is mixed in amongst permanent property. Literally seen someone moved from one identical flat to another... different block, different street... but same exact layout of property. Baffles me

Don't take it then.

Or sign the tenancy knowing you are getting a very cheap rent and kit it out accordingly.

You don't get handed the keys with a rent free period and it furnished. Would you like them to do anything else for you? The sheer sense of entitlement is astounding.

Well yes it would cost money, but it would also provide jobs, security for the future and people who feel secure and have jobs spend more so it’s good for the economy.
The government has money for brexit and making deals with the DUP and general elections and pretty much anything else that benefit itself but can’t find any money to invest into our infrastructure and housing?
These houses need to be built whether it’s by the government or by private investors it’s going to have to happen and there IS money to be made, if there wasn’t there wouldn’t be so many private investors clambering all over themselves to buy up land.

That sounds ridiculous giraffe, mismanagement like that is so frustrating and costs so much money.

I remember when we first saw our council house 18 years ago. I was expecting our second child and we were given a lovely three bedroom house with a huge garden. It was a complete muddle inside but I just cried as I was so happy. In those days the council ripped most things out and replaced them - the cupboards had been there since 1945 and there were polystyrene tiles on the walls. The work was basic but efficient - we sanded all the floors - they are still floorboards - and just felt so incredibly lucky .

Op see if your district council benefits will pay DHP and check clearly what the rules are for this payment to help pay both rents

In the private sector you would view a property and negotiate a moving in date to avoid paying rent on two properties for more than a few days

Council and HA don’t do this and expect tenants to pay two amounts

Right, have rtft including the frankly horrible comments from the few with compassion bypasses.

In my experience of council housing...both as a tenant and as a woeker who visited lots of council owned properties this is usual.

I have been a home owner and am now a council tenant...well HA.

WHEN I moved in here there was graffiti on the walls, holes in the walls and an overgrown garden full of rubbish.

I have built on that.....although I did get given an £80 voucher to buy paint and brushes etc.

I moved in here when a marriage broke down and I was left with a 5 yr old autistic child (the main reason I was deemed entitled to council/social housing) and nowhere to live,

I’ve created a home from the mess I moved into and my son is now 14. It’s warm, it’s cosy and it’s ours for as long as we need it. This is reassuring as DS might always need to call it home.

Despite beliefs to the contrary on this thread I’ve had just three years out of work since I was 18...and I am now 51. Hardly a scrounger or feckless.

Personally I think a property should be fit for habitation. I don’t think it should be acceptable to move someone into a place covered in holes and graffiti. The fact that I didn’t break down at all that is because I was already rock bottom and had no further to go. It was a case of “oh well let’s get on with it” and I did.

I started with second hand everything including beds. I had an old portable TV for two years and then by great good fortune a company selected me to test and review a 40 inch flat screen TV, ....it cost me nothing and lasted me years.

There are rows of empty housing in some areas
www.theguardian.com/society/2017/apr/20/over-200000-homes-in-england-still-lying-empty-despite-housing-shortages 200000 empty houses

I'm under the impression that if they provide any items it is the councils responsible to replace them when they break. Hence why they completly strip them back to the bare bones when they become vacant. I plan on becoming a private landlord and I won't even leave a curtain rail up when I offer the property for rent.

🐐

I was under the impression that flooring is taken up by previous occupant as it may of course have fleas. Having it removed prevents action against council for flea infestation

Is that a goat?? Why?!

It’s all standard. It’s worth renting white goods etc initially. Concentrate on getting one room done ASAP so you have a ‘safe’ space for young children. Pay council first. Better to owe on the private rental now you’re moving as you’ll not be risking your home now and get the new property paid up first.

Councils and HAs generally do take up carpet ...or ask the leaving tenant to do so. It’s a shame as many people would welcome being able to move in to somewhere which has at least some carpet fitted.

Something to do with them being responsible for it if it’s left.

OP if you are in desperate need you can call the local Catholic parish and ask to speak to the St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) group there. They give practical help to people in need. They are also giving from the personal resources of the ordinary people in the parish and diocese so they will expect you to use your initiative if you are young and healthy. They will point you to lots of local resources that you xan take advantage of but will definitely give you practical constructive help if they see the need.

You do not need to be Catholic or even any kind of believer. They just help local people who need practical help.

Some really horrible comments on here.

Op, I completely understand about living hand to mouth. Saving £2.50 a month can be impossible if you live in an overdraft and scrabble to put food on the table. I spent years like that, it's hard when you have childcare to pay for and a growing child.

My first flat was disgustingly filthy when I moved in. The oven was so rank that it was beyond cleaning. I can't even describe how bad it was but basically it was about 8 inches deep in cooked on fat and food. I had to get it ripped out and get a second hand one and also a second hand washing machine and fridge freezer. I then had to save for two years to get enough money together to put a carpet down in the living room (that was also filthy and had to be ripped out before I died of something).

DD1 and I lived in that flat with no heating for two years until eventually I managed to get heating put in. It was awful but it was a roof over our heads and the best thing was that I did things one at a time and how I wanted it to be.

You can have a lot of fun searching for bargains to brighten up your new home. Just think you'll be in for Christmas!!

So start bargain hunting now, for the essentials and some nice rugs to put down until you can afford a carpet.

I hope you are really happy in your new home.