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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to accept this council house.

140 replies

TotallyChorkie · 26/05/2018 08:55

More of a WWYD?

We have been on the waiting list for 10 years. We currently rent at £1000 pcm and have never been able to save for a deposit to buy. The house is small and we have 3 children to one room.

We have been offered a council house at £510 pcm. The area is not a very good area with a gang and drug culture. I know it well and feel it is like any other London fringe town but I don’t deny that there are huge problems there.

My children would not have to move school and have some friends that live in this area. It would save us £500 a month which we could put towards a deposit and move out in 5 - 7 years time.

My husband feels that we should stay put. The LL is a friend and he is fairly confident that we are here long term. DH thinks we should put the children’s childhood first and remain in this area. This would mean renting long term and we are already in our early forties. I worry about retirement.

OP posts:
KittenBeast · 26/05/2018 10:08

I think you should take it, you're going to be saving £500 a month. I live in quite an unsavoury part of the city, people wince when I say where it is, never had a problem though, people make it out to be a lot worse than it actually is.

bookmum08 · 26/05/2018 10:08

Take it. And try to get involved with or set up community groups that can help with getting the gangs/drugs stopped.

Tink2007 · 26/05/2018 10:08

Just to add - I would take the house. If it’s a mile and a half away, there is no way none of those children/teenagers do not attend the schools your DCs do so if they wanted to get involved in that sort of thing, it’s not going to matter if they live where you are now or where the council house is.

Also, a mile and a half isn’t far at all. I would be my last £1 that the gangs etc spill into your area without you even realising it.

Tink2007 · 26/05/2018 10:08

That should be bet 😫

ISeeTheLight · 26/05/2018 10:11

Sounds like council house is somewhere like Goodmayes, OP currently in somewhere like Gants Hill. Definitely near Ilford. I used to live in the area, honestly there's not that much difference - some places yes are slightly better but not enough to warrant double rent. As PP said, your DC already attend the same school, they're not going to change friends all of a sudden because you moved house. Take the council house, it is cheaper and you have a secure tenancy.

If there is a drug problem near by you can report anonymously to the police. I did when we lived in Seven Kings and they were dealing on the corner of the road (car sat without lights on for hours at a time). Never saw them again once police started to patrol regularly.

Original poster
TotallyChorkie · 26/05/2018 10:12

Thank you so much for your advice, the comments are all very valid and like DH and I are conflicted.

The council have given us until Tuesday to respond and then they will offer it to the next person.

I think I am going to spend the bank holiday sitting outside the house at all hours and walking around/talking tonneighbours to get a good feel for it.

OP posts:
RainySeptember · 26/05/2018 10:15

I would take the house as it represents security, more space and a huge monthly saving for your family.

I don't think you will save enough to get onto the housing ladder, but £6000pa will allow you to put some aside for other things - helping your dc through university or to get onto the housing ladder themselves, your pension.

I have lived in an area known for gang culture. Since your dc will continue attending the same school and be living less than 2miles from where they do now, I doubt that any risk to them will increase. Any slight risk offset against having their own bedroom and space, home security, alleviation of family financial pressures and worries imo.

Zaphodsotherhead · 26/05/2018 10:17

I was going to say take the house, purely for the security.

You may be friendly with your LL now, but what if he (or she) were to die suddenly, heaven forbid? Or divorce? Or need the money from selling your house in a real hurry? That's the problem with rented accommodation - you can think you are completely secure and have a home for life, but if the landlord's situation changes, you can be out on your ear, with no savings and not enough for a deposit on a new place.

This is how homelessness happens. I've seen how it goes and it's not pretty. Take the secure house and work from there.

AjasLipstick · 26/05/2018 10:17

Good idea to hang around the place OP! Bank holiday is the perfect time as if there are any people likely to cause issues, Bank hol is the day they do it!

IfNot · 26/05/2018 10:18

Good idea. Get a proper feel for the neighbourhood.
Either way, I would take the house, save for a year and then get the Hell out of the South East. I don't actually think there are very many jobs you can only do in London. Mayor of London maybe! Or Thames River police?
There are some great places north of Watford, and to put it in perspective I am also saving and will have enough for a deposit plus fees on a 3 bed house in a good area when I get to 18k Smile
Come North!

Imchlibob · 26/05/2018 10:21

Take the council house. The kids will be going to the same school anyway so they will not be significantly worse off arriving at school from the less-nice direction.

bbcessex · 26/05/2018 10:26

Take the house. If poss, Try it for 6months - 1 year..If it doesn’t work out, you have saved £5k and can go back to private rent.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 26/05/2018 10:26

Take it ! Many places have drug issues
Where doesn’t these days ? The kids will have their own peer group and friends anyway

£500 is a huge amount to save and help
Plan for the future

And there will be nice people there too / there always are

Boredandtired · 26/05/2018 10:26

I would take it. We are in a similar position (but not been offered yet) and the money would make such a difference to our lives. If gang culture is that close it will be everywhere. We live in a similar sounding area and it totally depends how you live.

Rudgie47 · 26/05/2018 10:29

I'd take the house and add extra security measures if necessary. Theres drugs absolutely everywhere. I live on a street full of pensioners and I could score within a 5 minute walk anything.The local pubs are full of coke and weed.

x2boys · 26/05/2018 10:31

I live on a council estate in another part of the country my area isnt great either drugs , prostitution , but my neighbours are nice and friendly and everyone looks out for each other we have been here three years and not had any trouble reputations can be deceptive sometimes, oh and cricket council housing is for everyone its not just for single parents on benefits , some of the housing is prioritised for working families , .

SheSparkles · 26/05/2018 10:32

Your plan to hang about in the area over the weekend is a good one, it’ll help make your mind up one way or the other

TheFirstMrsDV · 26/05/2018 10:38

Sorry if this is controversial but imo council housing is for people who cannot afford to private rent

Well it isn't but more to the point, not many people can 'afford' private rent.
The OP has told you that they can't save whilst paying that rent.
I live in London and an ordinary three bed house will cost you over 2k a month to rent.

Social housing was set up to provide adequate affordable housing to anyone who needs it.
This idea that its only for the dregs on their arses is a new concept created by the endless anti welfare state propaganda.

IfNot · 26/05/2018 10:40

Amen to that MrsD
My grandparents and aunts etc were very respectable and hard working and lived in council housing. Most working class people did. It was never intended to be for the most destitute in society!

PlatypusPie · 26/05/2018 10:41

People are focussing on the reduced rent and potential savings but if you stay in the current house the three children will still be in one room for years going forward which is presumably what gave you enough points on the council housing list. How sustainable is that, in terms of boy/girl age, size ?

CantankerousCamel · 26/05/2018 10:44

If I were a child I would be so happy with my own room. Please take the house, your husband isn’t making sense

TheFirstMrsDV · 26/05/2018 10:44

OP when we moved out of council we bought in an area frequently described as a 'shithole' on MN. I was laughed at and asked 'are you fucking joking' when I advised people to take a look at my area for cheaper housing.
It does have its issues and unfortunately has been on the news lately but its also now the place that every other hipster wants to move to and the house prices are ridiculous.

If you are in a city you are always going to be near drugs and gangs. You could spend 700k on a house and be next to a crack den.

As others have said you need to spend some time to get a feel for it but I would go for a council house over private rented any day.

Good luck

SweetieBaby · 26/05/2018 10:54

I can't think of anywhere on the Essex/London border that is so terrible that I would refuse to live there - Ilford, Barking, Dagenham, Romford - some better than others but not places where I would be terrified to live and in none of these areas would I say a couple of miles would make a huge difference.

SuitedandBooted · 26/05/2018 10:54

Do you get bumped off the list if you refuse it? What's the procedure? Could something better come up?

I saw a programmer where people could refuse twice (I think?), but 3 would see you dropped off the Council's list.

TimeToDash · 26/05/2018 11:01

Is the area really awful? If it is notorious then I wouldn't be putting kids in there, especially with GCSEs coming up. I'd be worried my kids would get in with the rough sort.

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