Offer of a council house does this seem fair?

[SuzieX]

Hi. I’m newly registered but not new to Mumsnet as I’ve been reading through the forums for a while. I’m wanting peoples opinions on this matter as I’m not at all happy with the way my local council allocate their homes and don’t think it is at all fair. My set up is i’m married with two children. A dd age 14 and da age 6. We have been in private rented accommodation since we first moved out of parents 17 years ago. Long story but the top and bottom of it is the house prices here are way out of our league and even if we had saved a set amount each month since we first got together we still wouldn’t have a big enough deposit.

So a few years ago, I think 2012 we registered with our local council for housing. We were told we could register but wouldn’t be a priority as we had a roof over our heads. Fair enough, and so we expected to be waiting a long time. Six years later we still aren’t a priority but are moving up the list so again that’s fine. What’s not fine is that a friend of mine (I say friend but we hardly see each other anymore) who owns her own house has recently been given and moved into a council property.

Her and her partner bought a house a few years ago. They have three children and out of the blue they announced that they were separating and following this her partner moved out. She went to the council and got put into band 2, the second highest priority (we are band 4) and within two months she was offered a house. I’ll be completely honest with you and admit I’m at a loss as to how she got this house and I’m pretty pissed off with the fact she moved in and then within a week the father of her three kids also moved in despite her telling everyone that they had separated. The house that they own they have now got a tenant living there so they are getting their mortgage paid on the house they own whilst living in a heavily discounted council property. Aibu or is this completely unfair?

Like I said we have been in private rented for years and whilst I agree we aren’t a priority compared to people who are homeless or about to be homeless but our ds is registered disabled. He has Asd, adhd and PDA and has a lot of issues and living in private rented accommodation doesn’t help. For example we need to fit locks to the bathroom and kitchen doors due to safety but our landlord won’t allow us to do this. We need locks to the windows as he’s tried to climb out on more than one occasion but again our landlord won’t allow this. We need a bathroom with a low level access shower (wet room) as our son can’t tolerate the bath and hates water but somehow he copes better in a shower but won’t get in the bath to use the shower.

With this issues our son has and the supporting evidence we got from the occupational therapist and paediatrician we were told by the council they couldn’t move us into a higher band as our son doesn’t have any physical disabilities. So why oh why can a person who has no need whatsoever, or her children, get a house when she already owns a house of her own?

That doesn’t seem fair at all. Probably all a scam their splitting up.

It was. She’s more or less said so herself. The thing is though you don’t usually automatically get a house just because you’ve split up with your partner. So I’m wondering what else she might have said.

Homeless with kids would be priority in my area.

Yeah I understand that but she wasn’t homeless. Far from it. They both work full time and they had managed the mortgage so she was far from destitute.

If she said she was, so went to the council with her kids and declare she was homeless. You said you wondered what else she said.

Hang on a minute, you don't get a council house if you're a landlord with a tenant, surely?

I'd report them.

I’m sure we will get a house one day as we have moved up the list significantly in the last couple of years. We are happy where we are for now as it’s a big ish house in a nice area. I just don’t think it’s fair that people can get a house when they already own a property. I agree that people fleeing domestic violence and can’t sell their house or a partner dies and they can’t financially manage should be allowed to go on the list but not people who have no urgent need and already own a house.

Who owns the original house? If it's in his name and they are not married then yes, she will have lied and told them he wanted her out - something along those lines. It's not really about fairness if she has made stuff up.

They weren’t a landlord with a tenant when she got offered the council house though.

They both own the house.

Oh and they’re not married. Not sure if that makes any difference.

Guessing house is in his name, she said we've split and I have no home so she's priority. Council house in her name. So technically nothing wrong. He's moved in but isn't on the tenancy.

If he was on the tenancy or she was on the mortgage you could report them, they've gained a house by deception as any home should be sstc before an offer is made

It sounds like your friend has deliberately cheated the system to get a council house. She likely made out that she had to leave her marital home after the split. She might even have claimed domestic abuse dishonesty. It’s a dreadful thing to do but unfortunately it occasionally happens. For your own situation, look into the Equality Act 2010. Your landlord is under obligation to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to accommodate your disabled son. I would also keep on at the council, or make an appointment with a local councillor or MP and explain your son sound get medical points as you are not adequately housed to meet his needs. Good luck.

I don't think locks on doors and windows will qualify as medical need, irrespective of it being needed for medical reasons.

I'm not usually one to say report, but this is a blatant scam from what I can see and there is such a shortage of houses for those in need. The fact they are renting out their own property while living in a council house, is absolutely scandalous. This is one of those rare cases where I would report them.

There was a similar situation on tv a few months ago, family were given a council house despite owning their own home as they claimed it was uninhabitable due (I think) to storm damage. However no one ever checked this and it seemed like there never was any damage (and indeed for a long time the family weren't even living in their council house). The council workers basically admitted the system had been played but did nothing about it...I get the feeling that even if you reported this nothing would happen as that would mean the council has to admit failings in their procedures. I can completely understand your frustration though.

Councils are now using more and more data to find those who fraudulently hold council tenancies, as little as a phone bill in his name could raise their suspicions. (Google London Counter Fraud Hub for example).

They will likely get found out sooner or later (depending on backlogs in your borough), but the council housing team would be interested if you were to give them a tip off in the meantime.

How would the neighbours know that I had moved from a house in a nice area? I don’t tell my neighbours anything but I wouldn’t care let them wonder. If we are lucky enough to get our own home one day I’ll know we did it all above board slabs that’s all that matters.

@Butterflykissess

Homeless with kids would be priority in my area.

As they should be, but in this case apparently she owns a house.

The house is in both names they own it jointly. Whether she has claimed domestic abuse occurred who knows but it would look a bit suspicious as she moved him back in rather quickly. I honestly don’t know.

That is completely unfair and shouldn't be allowed. I can see why she was given a property initially but her circumstances have changed. There must be so many people who are in need. I hope that you get your home soon.

To be honest I can’t even see why she was offered the house initially. Both her and her “ex” partner work full time. They are both jointly responsible for the mortgage and have managed to pay it all these years so why not now? They just want the best of both worlds ie a council house with cheap rent that is practically theirs for life, and a long term tenant in their own home that pays the mortgage for them meaning they’ll have a nice lump sump if they decide to sell it once it’s paid off. That’s more than a lot of people have or will ever have. It’s not acceptable.

That's really strange, she's definitely played the system somehow!

I have a friend who has been living in a refuge for well over a year now, as she had to flee her home with her child, to avoid being murdered by her abusive ex. She's supposedly in the highest band for a house but keeps being bunted by other families (presumably whose need is greater but who knows!) and her child also has SN that need to be catered for.

It disgusts me when people do play the system to their advantage like that, and I would have to report them just because I'd be so angry, whether I was in need of a council house myself or not!