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AIBU?

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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:
Missstickinthemud · 13/11/2017 12:54

I don't think you are being unreasonable. I think every rental property, council or otherwise, should be let in a realistically livable condition and to my mind that includes carpets, an oven and a fridge as the bare minimum.

I don't know what it's like where you are, but at our local tip there is a shop where they sell reclaimed household goods. I don't know about electrical stuff, but if you need furniture that might be a good place to go.

Good luck.

Oswin · 13/11/2017 12:55

OP ask your council if they have any grants or know of any charity's. My council works with a furniture and white goods shop. They get donated stuff, they fix it up and make it look nice. Then the council refer you there and you can buy the stuff for cheap.

WildBluebelles · 13/11/2017 12:55

wild And what do you think some tenants might do with the appliances when they leave? Leave them for the next person? Nope they will be sold. A council cannot be expected to provide these appliances, it would cost a fortune then there is the liability aspect for repairs, renewals etc.

I would prefer it if each property were fitted with proper white goods- fridge, oven and washing machine as well as carpeted. The tenants would not be allowed to sell them as they would need to leave them when they left. I would also prefer that the appliances were safe and regularly safety-inspected by the council so that there was a guarantee that people were living in safe and humane conditions. Maybe this is too radical though and people should just be grateful for whatever, even if it is a hovel. Seems to be the trend on this thread anyway.

Cabininthewoods69 · 13/11/2017 12:56

How is it the councils problem you dont have enough money? You get lower rent and should feel lucky you are entitled to one. Not that i would want to live in a council house but understand some people just arent successful in buying a house

Hoppinggreen · 13/11/2017 12:57

When I bought my first house many years ago I didn't have any white goods, flooring or even furniture really.
I got donations from friends/family until I could over time afford them.
You are getting a secure tenancy that many people would give a lot for so sort the rest out yourself

Nicknacky · 13/11/2017 12:57

Allowed or not, some people will sell them on. Its called theft. There is no way local authorities could afford this in everyone of their properties.

Council · 13/11/2017 12:57

The reason many private lets include white goods and carpets is so that they can be called "furnished" which gives the LL more rights to get you out (actually that may have changed but that's the history).

A council house is let on an unfurnished basis and you have security of tenure.

FWIW, when we bought our own first house we lived in far worse conditions than you describe. I had bare floors, my parents' deckchairs and one gas hob for the first year Grin

stitchglitched · 13/11/2017 12:58

People on low incomes used to be able to get budgeting loans for this sort of thing but they've been scrapped. OP ask the council if they know any furniture charities that can help with a cooker etc. Or go onto local giving sites on facebook and see if anyone can help. Carpets- put down some cheap rugs and do a room at a time as and when you can afford it.

TheVanguardSix · 13/11/2017 12:58

PS: We lived in a one bedroom flat with DC1. He grew up only knowing a shower. Didn't have a proper bath (other than infant bath) until he was 6 years old.

Your little one will be fine with the showering. Sometimes we used a huge basin and filled it with warm water. Needs must and all that.

TonicandLime · 13/11/2017 12:59

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Peachyking000 · 13/11/2017 12:59

When my DH gave up his council flat, to move in with me, we later found out that they ripped out the perfectly good wooden lamitate flooring that he had installed, and left concrete floors for the new tenants!

WildBluebelles · 13/11/2017 12:59

Don't be a dick Bluntness, we are talking about replacement every 10 years or so. Private landlords have to do it. They only charge high rents because mortgages are so high. If I rented my house out, I would make about £100 on top of my mortgage payments a month and be expected to provide carpets and white goods and do repairs.

The council also pay millions to private landlords so from their point of view they are saving substantially by not having to pay the OPs' HB to a landlord from now on.

x2boys · 13/11/2017 13:00

Council houses are not a quarter of the price as private rental ,depending on where you live, we dont all live in london and some people simply their own rent good to see the same old misconceptions coming out n all threads about council/social. housing Hmm

expatinscotland · 13/11/2017 13:00

I'm glad they ripped up the carpets that were in here, we found out the following Summer that the place was full of fleas, the carpet would have been riddled with them.

WildBluebelles · 13/11/2017 13:01

Tonic you are being a dick. People fall on hard times for all sorts of reasons so try some compassion for a change. You made nasty sweeping statements about all benefits claimants. Not everyone has the same life chances.

Nicknacky · 13/11/2017 13:02

wild Why are you calling people dicks just because they don't agree with you?

expatinscotland · 13/11/2017 13:03

'Don't be a dick Bluntness, we are talking about replacement every 10 years or so.'

It's not being ridiculous. Most councils's housing budgets would in no way stretch to providing all this. Ours can't even stay on top of the damp coming in from the shared roof. We can prefer all we want, but then there's reality.

TrollTheRespawnJeremy · 13/11/2017 13:04

This thread is weird.

I don't think it's that OTT that someone WHO HAS NOT BEEN LIVING IN A COUNCIL HOUSE is surprised at things that aren't included.

How are you supposed to know?

So fuck off all you goady arseholes.

OP I hope you find some good quality 2nd hand bits to keep you going. Maybe price up some carpet offcuts and invest in some solid soled slippers for the meantime.

x2boys · 13/11/2017 13:04

Some people pay j

Cabininthewoods69 · 13/11/2017 13:04

tonic i completely agree.

WildBluebelles · 13/11/2017 13:04

Allowed or not, some people will sell them on. Its called theft. There is no way local authorities could afford this in everyone of their properties.

How come that works in private rental then? If the tenants steal the white goods, call the police and deal with it that way. You can't just assume the tenants will be thieves. Of course they can afford to carpet and provide white goods if the government agrees it's a priority. They pay people to rip up flooring between each tenancy fgs. Why is it impossible for them to pay for a carpet to be laid down?

Nicknacky · 13/11/2017 13:05

troll I've never lived in a council house but surely it's common sense that these things aren't provided?

lettuceWrap · 13/11/2017 13:05

I can see why you are frustrated, but I think you’ve just got to look at the long term aspect here- you’ll have a secure tenancy on a home for you and your dc.

Have a look around locally and see what might be on offer to you to get you started, there may be some furniture/white goods recycling/donation initiatives and then there’s freecycle, charity shops etc.

You don’t have to have everything done and perfect at once, carpets and floor coverings are not essential!

When we bought our first flat, we had nothing left, every penny went on buying the place and we had a tiny income - no carpets for about 18months! Embarrassing but we coped. It was amazing what we were able to get for free (free for uplift furniture), or for very little as the months went past.

You can use the two week overlap in your rents to scrub the new place from top to bottom (I’ve never moved to a new place that didn’t need that!), hammer down an sticky up nails, remove any obvious splinters if the floor is going to be bare for a while... it’s not ideal but sometimes you just have to manage and get on with it, and look on the bright side, which in this case is your own flat with a secure tenancy.

Theresnonamesleft · 13/11/2017 13:06

Shit happens.
Fb selling pages.
Freecycle.
Second hand shops.
Gumtree

JonSnowsWife · 13/11/2017 13:06

So many people on council waiting lists for years would be jumping for that house. Even ones devoid of washing machines and flooring! Hmm

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