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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think council house 'auto bidding' takes the point away from home CHOICE

68 replies

LolaPickle · 25/09/2018 15:06

I have just realized in our area, that certain bands awaiting council housing, get placed in an auto bid cycle. Why do they call it home 'choice'?

This means you could end up miles away from support networks etc

Plus the housing site is very hit and miss if it even works, the person I help bidded for three last week, but only two of the bids registered, despite us re-checking them over the weekend, one of the bids has disappeared, meaning one bid will be an auto bid!

OP posts:
Libertarian · 25/09/2018 17:09

You're getting a house from the council, lower rent, and a secure tenancy. Support networks? Toughen up.

WhatIsThisTomfoolery · 25/09/2018 17:14

I guess the choice element is 'take it or leave it'

PotteringAlong · 25/09/2018 17:15

You can have a choice, but you have to pay for it.

BackToTheFuschia7 · 25/09/2018 17:16

Yanbu. An large proportion of tenants in social and LA housing are vulnerable. Support networks can be invaluable to them.

LeftRightCentre · 25/09/2018 17:18

It's take it or leave it, I suppose.

SaucyJack · 25/09/2018 17:20

Depends how many properties are available each week, but I guess the point is you either bid on the realistic and available options, or the “choice” will be made for you.

Temporary housing can be extremely expensive, and it’s not always reasonable for the council to have to keep paying for it whilst the bidder waits for the perfect newish-build house to come up in one exact road when there’s 10 flats round the corner that would do.

AornisHades · 25/09/2018 17:20

It's just to create the illusion of choice. Happens in many areas of the public sector.

Libertarian · 25/09/2018 17:20

If people want "choice" they can always recourse to the private sector. The free market provides.

YeTalkShiteHen · 25/09/2018 17:22

It’s becsuse of the severe lack of SH stock available, it’s not as simple as choosing any more sadly. It’s not going to improve any time soon either.

keepingbees · 25/09/2018 17:25

It's not ideal and I wouldn't want to be in that situation myself of being moved away from family/support/schools etc. But, it may be the difference between someone getting a house or not getting a house. Social housing is so short I guess there has to be systems in place, and if you're desperate you'll take it.

dorisdog · 25/09/2018 17:55

Yes, it sounds horrible. We need a massive investment in social and affordable housing. My sister who is raising two children with disabilities and struggles herself with MH is currently on an insanely long waiting list, in substandard private, for profit, insecure accommodation. And on top of that the house has an extra bedroom (not her fault - there's literally no where else available!) so she has to pay extra out of her meagre benefits to top up the housing benefit. It's insane. Making her and her children poorer and more vulnerable. Makes my blood boil. Things like your describing are like turning the screw that bit further!

WhatIsThisTomfoolery · 25/09/2018 18:19

Doris then she needs to look at downsizing. It's not insane!

YeTalkShiteHen · 25/09/2018 18:21

WhatIsThisTomfoolery did you miss the part about the long waiting list?

PawsomePugFancier · 25/09/2018 18:25

It's obvious OP is trying to help someone more vulnerable and unable to navigate the system themselves. Do we have to pile straight in with how lucky they are to be housed at all. There are people who need help and support, if this is someone needing help with their application it's not much of a jump to think they might need other forms of support.

WhatIsThisTomfoolery · 25/09/2018 18:37

yetalkshite er, there is no waiting list to downsize. You look for a mutual exchange!

YeTalkShiteHen · 25/09/2018 18:40

WhatIsThisTomfoolery why is she on a waiting list then? There is a waiting list to downsize in our LA which is why I said it.

Thinking that someone with 2 disabled kids, MH problems, on benefits and on a waiting list could just magic up a new place, fund a move and all that entails is pretty ignorant tbh.

AamdC · 25/09/2018 18:50

Council housing certainly isnt the cheaper option in my towm but then of course we dont all live in London and the south East Hmm

ProfessorMoody · 25/09/2018 18:53

Cheaper rent? I wish.

JassyRadlett · 25/09/2018 18:57

Council housing certainly isnt the cheaper option in my towm but then of course we dont all live in London and the south East.

But more than a quarter of the population does, and that’s added to by the many other parts of the country with less affordable housing, any of which the PP may be talking about.

But you know, any excuse for a London/SE bash eh?

Dickybow321 · 25/09/2018 19:02

Makes me laugh how people bash private landlords on here all the time, yet somebody is complaining about the social housing system and they are piled on and told take it or leave it. Well which is it... do you want private landlords to exist or do you think everybody renting should be looking at social housing?

Racecardriver · 25/09/2018 19:09

@Dorisdog sorry your sister is having a hard time but without the government help she would be on the street. Its not an ideal system, or even a good system but we should all be appreciative when we receive finacial help from the tax payer. It is a privilege of living in a country like Britain with a generous welfare state, if she had been born in a different country chances are she would be out on the street or a burden to her family instead.

@OP isn't the pout of autobidding to ensure that people don't kiss out on the chance to get a house if they don't make the choice to bid? Obviously the glitchy system has removed a choice in your instance but the problem us a system that has glitches, not the autobidding principle.

irehs · 25/09/2018 19:22

Honest question, how can council housing not be cheaper? If it were more expensive what purpose does it serve?

ProfessorMoody · 25/09/2018 19:27

Honest question, how can council housing not be cheaper

My mortgage was £220 a month. My rent in a previous house was £420 a month. Rent in my council bungalow is £530 a month.

If it were more expensive what purpose does it serve

It is more expensive. For me, its purpose was so that I wasn't homeless when my ex husband beat me black and blue and neglected to tell me that he wasn't actually paying the mortgage when he said he was, and I only found out when the repossession people turned up.

Now it's purpose is that I can never get a mortgage again due to my house repossession, I can't afford to build up a deposit and first months rent on zero income, and finding a private rental bungalow that is adapted for a wheelchair in my area is nigh on impossible. Oh and I'm not going to be kicked out.

HTH.

BootsMagoots · 25/09/2018 19:28

It is because some people are in urgent need of housing, however, will manipulate their banding and wait for a desirable area/property. With the autobidding system in place for those in urgent need, it does the job, as the urgent cases are housed and if they were really as urgent as made out they would accept it. That's my understanding of it anyway but it's not something my LA does.

Aaaahfuck · 25/09/2018 19:48

Wow! Some charmers posting on here! Support networks are so important.

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