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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Temporary accommodation refusal.

284 replies

Toomanybrokentarts · 27/02/2018 21:18

I've been living in temporary accommodation for two years now with my two dcs, as the house I lived in before was privately let and the landlord wanted the property back.
Today I have been offered another temporary flat on the 19th floor of a tower block, as again the property I am in is private but let to the council to rent out for temporary accommodation as the flats are being demolished.
Now the council have a duty to house me so have no choice but to find me suitable accommodation, however is this place suitable & am I able to refuse it?

I know there are people who are worse off than me and I shouldn't really complain as I have a roof over my head
But I just can't live that high up, what's pissing me off the most is that my housing officer found a more suitable property two weeks ago, she secured it for me went on holiday and left instructions for a colleague to call me in to sign the tenancy, which she didn't do so I ended up losing out on that flat.
So does anyone know if I refuse it would they still have a duty of care towards me?

OP posts:
sirlee66 · 28/02/2018 14:14

Aw, OP! I really feel for you! I'm no expert but as PP have said, I feel like the council will make you like it or lump it!

If you absolutely have to stay in the high rise, all I can suggest to make it the tiniest bit more bearable is to keep thinking that it's only temporary. Maybe trying to think positively and imagine you're some sort of A-List celeb in the penthouse... Sorry I know that's a load of crap but I'm trying to think of some sort of good spin on this! Might work for your young DC?

Since Grenfell, they are working into making high-rises safer. So hopefully that will bring you a very small amount of peace if you have no option but to move there. It's still a massive worry though, I get that.

I really hope you and your DC get your concerns heard and taken into account. Best of luck!

Myheartbelongsto · 28/02/2018 14:14

Do YOU not have a duty of care to house your children then?

animagic · 28/02/2018 14:17

I was able to turn down flats higher than the 5th floor when I was on the housing list. I have severe anxiety and fear of heights and my psychiatrist and CPN wrote letters in support of my housing application. I'm in a London borough as well and the housing lists are really long so they are very strict about the medical evidence they will accept - they get skeptical if someone turns up with a GP note for a condition that they have only just mentioned to them (lots of applications 'conveniently' remember various ailments when they think it will bump up their points). But if you have a well documented history of your anxiety and are under secondary care, then you're more likely to be taken seriously. We were lucky and got offered a starter tenancy (now a secure tenancy as we've been here longer than a year) in a first floor flat with nice communal gardens. It took about 6 months from applying to moving in, as we were homeless/had multiple disabilities in the family/had well documented DV and SS support.

expatinscotland · 28/02/2018 14:18

Look, in reality, just about everyone is going to try to refuse a 19th floor flat in a tower block. They'll claim anxiety, fear of heights, all sorts. But the council can and will counter that they have no other stock available and may entirely be correct in that, particularly in London. This is how it is. It's not good enough for your kids but it's okay for someone else's? It's temporary. Someone who's not so picky might snap it up and then they offer you temp housing in Kent, or worse! I've got mates who were shipped to Birmingham, take it or leave it.

Millerr · 28/02/2018 14:24

It would be worth speaking to your housing officer as others have suggested.

In my LA is you are classed as homeless (which i know you said you aren’t, but you are in temporary accommodation) then you only get one offer, usually a private let. If you refuse this offer then they discharge duty. However, the offer has to be suitable and if you can get evidence for medical reasons as to why you can’t accept it then you may be okay to refuse it.

Areas vary though which is why it’s best to speak to your housing officer directly about your options. Do not refuse it until you have spoke to them.

FWIW I don’t think you ABU for not wanting to live there, however you are probably going to have to accept it.

I also suggest shelter however in my area it is around a 3 month waiting list for an appointment....

Eliza9917 · 28/02/2018 14:29

@BlueLady you aren't supposed to use lifts in the event of a fire Hmm

Eliza9917 · 28/02/2018 14:36

Today 13:01 Toomanybrokentarts

Of course they take what they can afford and not everyone wants to live in a house.
With social housing I have no rights to say where I want to live, I've already been moved 10 miles away from where I was previously living. If i was to rent privately I could move back there and that would be my choice.
I have no problem at with living in a flat there are more than enough open spaces for my children to play in while not at home, however I don't want to live on the 19th floor for reasons I have already given, most people wouldn't wether they could afford it or not.

I think you should look out your window at all that snow today and think of all those without a roof over their head and be grateful you have an offer of help from the council at all - Many people don't even get that - instead of bleating on about what you are ENTITLED to and what they have a DUTY to GIVE you.

If you don't like what they are offering, remove yourself from their list and go and private rent and provide for you and your kids yourself like many, many other people that are told they aren't entitled to help have to do.

safariboot · 28/02/2018 14:40

Eliza , that's generally the case in UK high-rises yes. Two main reasons, firstly if the fire causes the power to go out you're in serious trouble. Secondly the lift shaft makes a nice chimney for the fire.

Some buildings have made their lifts safe to use for evacuation but that requires a lot of extra engineering. You're not gonna find that in a council tower block.

Eliza9917 · 28/02/2018 14:46

All evacuation drills tell you to use the stairs, everyone should know that.

Original poster
Toomanybrokentarts · 28/02/2018 15:10

Oh give me a break Eliza do you really think that i am so naive to think that I'm not lucky? Believe me I'm more than aware that there are people living on the streets, some of whom have done that to themselves, some of them have been in my situation and have been refused any sort of help by the council's and boroughs that they "live" in.
I will also bleat on about whatever the he'll I want to bleat on about, as I have the right to. I haven't just moved to this country and am expecting a hand-out, I've worked hard and payed into the system, a system that is there to be used if I need it.
I've not once said that I will not take it if that is the only thing i can do, I asked if I was allowed by law to refuse it.

so to you or anyone else who feels the need to come on here and tell me I'm being an ungrateful scrounger without adding a valid answer, please do hide the thread as you're really not helping, you would just rather put a person down and look down your judgemental noses at them.

OP posts:
Original poster
Toomanybrokentarts · 28/02/2018 15:14

For those who have answered the questions that I've asked, thank you.
I've spoken to shelter and they have told me I can refuse it but the council may decide they have no duty to house me so it's potluck, however I can accept the property and within 21days request a review for them stating that it's unsuitable.
I will speak to my housing officer tomorrow as she's off today and go from there.

OP posts:
Bexter801 · 28/02/2018 15:20

I personally wouldn't accept it,if you feel strongly enough,that you don't want to live there....even with the 21days(once you accept it all),it's hard to back track. Anyways,good luck

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 28/02/2018 15:24

@Toomanybrokentarts - accepting it, and requesting a review sounds like it might be the way forwards. And if you did end up having to move in there, would you be able to request an onward move ASAP? So you wouldn’t be in there for too long?

snewsname · 28/02/2018 16:04

Hopefully the housing officers will take pity on you if you haven't gone off on one when you found out about the other cock up. I'd be feeling guilty if i were them, although not so much if you reacted really badly to a genuine error. Hopefully she'll pull out all the stops for you. Good luck.

Eliza9917 · 28/02/2018 16:09

But you haven't really provided a proper reason for why you don't want to accept it, other than you don't want to live there.

You've said you'll take it if you have to, so there's no proper reason why you can't accept it.

If what the council offer isn't good enough then feel free to rent privately...

Downtheroadfirstonleft · 28/02/2018 16:10

YABVVU.

NolongerAnxiousCarer · 28/02/2018 16:37

@Eliza9917 the OP has stated that she has anxiety and is afraid of heights. Those are very valid reasons. If just being in her home is going to cause increased anxiety levels potentially making her very Ill and leaving her unable to work and study, then the property is most definitely not suitable.

OP my DH being put on the 8th floor was damaging enough to his mental health, it depends really on how bad your anxiety and fear of heights is and what impact living here would have on you. If you are going to have a pannic attack every time you get in the lift, or look out the window then living their is not an option and you need to discuss with your GP ASAP. DH was lucky he was only there a week but as you know it could easily be a lot longer. He was already suicidal and I think if someone had tried to force him to take a flat on the 19th floor he would have killed himself.

fuzzyduck1 · 28/02/2018 17:10

If you don’t want to live there don’t.
I think you’ll find that the council only has a duty of care to house you on a temporary basis. Two years isn’t really temporary is it you’ve had all that time to find alternative accommodation
Get a grip and sort your own life out

Sutre · 28/02/2018 17:16

Looks like your best bet is to accept it and ask for a review. Although you will then likely be very low priority to be re-homed as homeless people will be being moved into available places. Once you're living there you may find its not as bad as you're expecting, you say it's a nice flat, it could even be a very good family home.

Sutre · 28/02/2018 17:16

Only other way to do it would be to work full time instead of studying and rent privately so you can afford to choose what you want.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 28/02/2018 17:18

I don’t think most people want to live that hugh up but they sadly have no other option . I would take it if it’s where you want to be and keep planning to move
It’s shit but this is the welfare state in 2018

RedWineAllMine · 28/02/2018 17:40

Hmmm I wonder If most PP's would live in a high rise council tower terror block.
I read posts on here all the time about how girlfriends/wives etc with no kids don't own their homes and partner who does own it leaves them/kicks them out for whatever reason and their up shit alley. If you was given an only option to live in a council tower block I'm sure all of your options would change. Seriously who would even want to live in one? They are a death trap.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 28/02/2018 17:44

Has OP got a choice ? Many people live In High rise . Better that than a BandB frankly

And calling it a death trap is not helpful and over dramatic

CakeOfThePan · 28/02/2018 17:56

Oh op Flowers
You’ve had an unfair bashing here. Like a pp said it should be directed at the government that there’s just not enough suitable accommodation anymore.

I hope you are sorted somewhere suitable soon

Sutre · 28/02/2018 17:58

People constantly referring to Grenfell here is pretty disgusting.

You know that blocks with that cladding have had it removed now and safety measures are in review? No one is being moved into "council terror blocks"- honestly some posters on here could write headlines for the DM.