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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

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

413 replies

FreshStarts00 · 13/11/2017 12:13

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 Shock
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?!

OP posts:
gamerchick · 13/11/2017 12:32

I must admit I chuckled at your wording OP. You get a house, the things in the house you need to provide yourself.

There usually is an overlap with rent. You’ll have to find it from somewhere.

MrsJayy · 13/11/2017 12:33

I am not being nasty I am being realistic LA are not private landlords they rent empty houses

SunnySkiesSleepsintheMorning · 13/11/2017 12:34

YABU but I understand your worries. As others have said, FB selling sits are your friend, also gumtree and shpok.

Redglitter · 13/11/2017 12:34

YABU if you expect the council to supply white goods and new carpets They barely have money for essential services let alone things like that.

Nicknacky · 13/11/2017 12:34

wild given the fact the investigation into the fire is nowhere near competed, you have no idea if an old cheap electrical item was the cause.

glitterlips1 · 13/11/2017 12:35

Wish someone provided me with all that. Unfortunately, I was not entitled to a council house and had to save up for a mortgage and then buy my own white goods and then carpet.

MrsJayy · 13/11/2017 12:35

Actually I agree with you Oswin that they rip up carpets when we got our first LA flat the council ripped up new carpets that we would have paid for if given the chance

greystarling · 13/11/2017 12:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BarbarianMum · 13/11/2017 12:36

^^This. If you don't want it then move along sharpish.

TheHungryDonkey · 13/11/2017 12:37

That's fairly standard for council housing. It is expensive to move. When I moved into a HA property, it was concrete floors and I had to buy the white goods. Exactly I as expected. But after being homeless with children I was just relieved to have somewhere secure to live. I carpeted with carpet tiles being sold on ebay from an office clearance. That will sound horrific to some of the gaspers on here, but that's the kind of things poor people have to do.

WildBluebelles · 13/11/2017 12:37

I don’t think you can compare a council house where the rent is a quarter of the price

OK, but to the OP, if she was on benefits beforehand, where would she save the money from? Also, if council property is paid for by housing benefit, the drop in rent makes little difference for the OP because her HB would probably have covered a private tenancy (or most of it). She doesn't get to pocket the difference between the council tenancy and the private tenancy. The benefit to her is that the council tenancy is more secure.

Look, I can understand the OP's view, I really can and I think many views on here are nasty. If you're on benefits you are unlikely to get cheap credit so you are stuck with a 3 yo in a place with no fridge, no cooking facilities and no proper flooring until you can afford to pay for all of it.

WildBluebelles · 13/11/2017 12:39

wild given the fact the investigation into the fire is nowhere near competed, you have no idea if an old cheap electrical item was the cause

You're right, but it's well known that dodgy white goods cause fire hazards.

FitBitFanClub · 13/11/2017 12:39

tenants would not purchase cheap, old, dangerous appliances that cause a fire hazard, like in Grenfell Tower.

Has it been confirmed that the appliance that is alleged to have started Grenfell was cheap and old? And appliances don't actually have to be old or cheap in order to be dangerous - see all the posts about the tumble dryers that Hotpoint (????? Whirlpool???? Can't remember) have been taking their time fixing and refusing to replace for free.

Cutesbabasmummy · 13/11/2017 12:39

I'm paying a mortgage and no one gave us anything - how unfair!

MrsJayy · 13/11/2017 12:40

The Op didn't say she was on benefits and nobody has said it is easy to get a house together either furnished private rent is a bonus imo but we all have to start small and build up

Andrewofgg · 13/11/2017 12:40

When we all had to get new aerials for digital television and our neighbour and I (maisonettes) shared a cost of IIRC £400 the chap who did it could only offer a weekend appointment because he was on a list of contractors doing all the Council and HA properties at the Council’s expense - the tenants were not paying. OP should live here, shouldn’t she?

Frouby · 13/11/2017 12:41

It's the way it is unfortunately. It can be impossible to save much when in private rented because rents are often pretty high.

I was very, very lucky when I came to view my housing association house as it was fully carpeted with lino down in the kitchen and bathroom. The living room carpet was trashed but the bedroom and stairs ones fine. So I asked the HA to leave them down.

Our council do a scheme where you cwn purchase furniture packages via your rent account but not sure if yours do.

If not then all you can do is make it clean and tidy and then prioritise stuff. Check all your local fb selling pages, freecycle etc. Contact carpet supply places and see what roll ends they have. Even if it doesn't quite fit and you live with a few gaps for now until you get sorted it's better than floorboards.

WildBluebelles · 13/11/2017 12:42

I think it's ridiculous that councils rip up the flooring between tenants

That is terrible. What possible justification do they have for doing that? It's a waste of time and manpower and causes extra expense for the vulnerable people who are assigned these tenancies.

Presumably they also remove any white goods that previous tenants have left behind.

Noimbrianfromhull · 13/11/2017 12:42

Ah, a post like this on the same day someone wants to hide their £40,000 savings to claim benefits - MN will implode.

uptheduffy · 13/11/2017 12:42

I've never moved into anywhere that didn't have carpets. They might have been smelly and yuk, but they were there. I bet a lot of people on this thread never have either.
What is the logic behind perfectly good flooring being removed between tenants?

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 13/11/2017 12:43

Years ago when we moved into a council house, we qualified for "decorating vouchers" from our council to use in a DIY store. It wasn't much but we got some paint/brushes etc and repainted everywhere.

Second hand white goods is the way to go. Just get the basics you can afford for now. I think we used a box as a table for several months and had sheets hanging at the windows until we could afford curtains.

The floor is a pain but maybe some cheap rugs on the worst bits? Or all wear shoes indoors for now.

It will take time to make it into a nice home so try to be realistic about what you can do.

FlowerPot1234 · 13/11/2017 12:43

No flooring - what, there's mud?

Splinters and nails and rough floorboards Shock Ah, so you do have floorboards. Sand the splints down, bang the nails in. Buy a cheap rug if you want more. Problem solved.

No white goods whatsoever... So we'd be without an oven and a washing machine. Also microwave ect but that's not vital.
You can buy a secondhand oven for £50. Wash your clothes by hand. No, a microwave is not vital...

No bath- LO will just have to get over her hatred of showers, this one isn't really a major issue.
Yes, they will have to get over it. No, this isn't really a major issue...

So, bit of sandpaper, bang in some nails, and £50 gets you an oven. All "problems" solved.

Desmondo2016 · 13/11/2017 12:44

We are all speculating as to the finer details of Ops situation but let's face it, comments about people on benefits not being able to save make me laugh as plenty of families in this situation I have ever known plead poverty still have sky t.v., smoking/drinking habits (in some cases), gym memberships, nights out, new branded clothes etc, new cars on finance, fashion accessory dogs and give their children ridiculously over materialistic Christmases. So Yeah, I'm cynical. It's about priorities and the expectation that life should be handed to you on a plate. A sense of entitlement that your rent should be paid so you can afford some treats in life. The belief that you shouldn't have to work so you can enjoy your children while they are young. Without more info it's impossible to know what category the op falls in to.

BarbarianMum · 13/11/2017 12:45

If councils don't remove white goods then they'd need to have them checked to ensure that they were safe before reletting. They would then also be responsible for repairs and replacement and annual safety checks as they'd form 'part of the let'. I guess the arguement is the same for flooring.

1DAD2KIDS · 13/11/2017 12:46

You get what you pay for. Lots of people would give their right arm for a council house with the security, increased freedom to make it a home and preferable rent cost despite lack of appliances, flooring and initial costs. I would suggest, suck it up, build up these things over time (with the saving made on rent), make it a home and be greatful. Life isn't handed out on a golden plate. Or just give it up for someone who would be grateful of it, bet the waiting list of those who would be content with its a mile long.