Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Home swapping is ridiculous

394 replies

Aaliyah1990 · 30/03/2019 10:49

I’m more than frustrated with the fact that you could bid for years and not get anywhere. Then you think to yourself oh maybe house swap might help? Nope not at all!!! the housing system is a big joke if you ain’t got a garden you can forget it,the demands people are asking for just makes you feel worse and all your hopes are thrown out the window. It’s almost like doing the lottery and hoping you get lucky. I don’t know if somehow these so called serious swappers are getting a power buzz out of it cause that’s what it’s seem to me. In all reality we should all stop compiling to these ridiculous set ups, you waste so many of years being unhappy then you feel as you have to beg in a way to get a property you want. I think it’s all wrong and the council should be responsible if your over crowded etc and the bidding set up is more of a joke you’ll be on there for centuries 🙄. Until the day everyone stops compiling then that’s the day you’ll be able to get what you want but everyone seems to conform to things that are unrealistic,draining and upsetting. From today I’m not doing any of the guideline rules forget it!!! It doesn’t work out and it just makes their jobs easier while we suffer nope not anymore. So on that note I’ll get back to you guys. I’ll update to see that my situation will have improved. And I’ll let you what I did to get out of the flat/cage I’m in.

OP posts:
gamerwidow · 30/03/2019 14:31

BUT housing associations should do what they can to encourage it where possible.

Frequency · 30/03/2019 14:32

OP I agree with that social housing is a joke but as you may have noticed many on MN think safe and secure housing is a privilege not a right and you should be grateful you're not homeless.

The argument that social housing tenants should be made to move once they're doing well has been discussed many times and all the flaws have been pointed out over and over again. I am a social housing tenant. I work fulltime and pay full rent, I am studying towards a better career with better money. If moving up the career chain meant losing my home I wouldn't do it. I would rather be poor for life than lose my home and be forced back into the Hell that is private renting.

Whilst renting privately I put up with;

Workmen turning up unannounced - I once stumbled out of bed in my underwear after a rough night at work to find a roofer peering down at me through the skylight. I have had workmen let themselves into my property and then apologise profusely when I have shouted at them. The LL told them I wouldn't be home and had agreed to them entering with his key.
Windows with no keys that won't open and a LL unable or unwilling to buy replacements. Not nice in summer.
No heating or hot water for weeks at a time and a LL unable or unwilling to replace the boiler as the plumber consistently advised her to do.
Excessive and intrusive inspections.
Threats of violence when I wouldn't immediately leave the property when handed notice.
Section 21 eviction because the LL met a new woman with kids and wanted to give her the house.

You couldn't pay me to go back to that.

TheGrey1houndSpeaks · 30/03/2019 14:36

Are you the op’s alter ego, gamer, you rude biddy? Op doesn’t specify what her circumstances are, other than she doesn’t want to live where she does anymore. Has she pm’d you? Confused
Why you assume that means she is being forced out is anybody’s guess.

Passmethecrisps · 30/03/2019 14:43

WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP SAYING SHE HAS HAD TOO MANY CHILDREN?

She doesn’t actually mention kids at all that I can see

LarryGreysonsDoor · 30/03/2019 14:49

In fairness Pass there is little else that would cause overcrowding other than having children.

WinterWillow · 30/03/2019 14:57

Am I the only one that thinks 'house swapping' shouldn't be available. Myself and my husband work tirelessly and have two young children and we have luckily been able to own our own home for some years, however if I was in this situation I'd be happy to have anything!

Ungrateful if you ask me!

MadameAnchou · 30/03/2019 14:58

I so agree, Frequency. We had all that in private renting, oh, and then viewings when the LL wanted to sell. EA's just showing up whenever. No stability at all and thousands of pounds for every move. It's a shit way to live long-term unless you have a load of money.

Bobbycat121 · 30/03/2019 14:59

The council wouldnt let you move into a property that was too small so overcrowding would be down to the op.

BrendasUmbrella · 30/03/2019 15:00

MissingInActionYouSay Won't you be expected to downsize at some point once some of your DC's grow up and move out?

MadameAnchou · 30/03/2019 15:01

Why yes, Winter, you are, what a nasty attitude to have. PLENTY of people 'work hard' and will never be able to own anything, not 'lucky'. They deserve decent places to live, too Hmm. Blowing out your neighbour's candle doesn't make yours shine any brighter.

Gone4Good · 30/03/2019 15:05

How is the council responsible if you're overcrowded? Did they not place you in adequately sized housing? Genuine question - I'm in the US and I'm not familiar with the social housing system

I am also in the U.S. and I find what is going on in the U.K. shocking.

Here's a link that might help you understand how dependent on the council/government some people are.

LakieLady · 30/03/2019 15:06

The bedroom tax was supposed to help but I don't know if it works.

I think it has helped. I have supported several clients who have downsized because of the bedroom tax, which has meant that overcrowded families have been able to move into the larger properties that have been vacated.

The situation in the area I worked in is a bit unusual though. The greatest shortage is 2-bed properties. The council used to allocate 3-bed properties to families with 2 children of opposite sexes once the oldest was 7. Because of the bedroom tax rules they had to change that to 10. This has meant that the 2-beds stay occupied for longer and it's harder for people to downsize.

The biggest movement has been with couples whose children have left home, and they have downsized from 2 or 3 beds to one. The council offers an incentive, too - £1,000 for each bedroom - so someone downsizing from 3 beds to 1 bed gets £2k.

gamerchick · 30/03/2019 15:10

Am I the only one that thinks 'house swapping' shouldn't be available

Says the person not in a position to need it. Hmm

Original poster
Aaliyah1990 · 30/03/2019 15:11

I agree if you procreate than your kind of putting yourself in a situation but I do still feel sorry for these kind of people who do have quite a lot of children in a small flat but I have not done this my son came back to live with well over 6years ago. The council was well aware of these arrangements I’ve been on the waiting list for this amout of time. Plus also I was serverly attacked in this accommodation the council knows of this and yet I’ve been still getting harassed. Which has cause me to have ptsd and numerous of other conditions. This is a tiny flat where you have to walk through the living room to get to the bedroom and from bedroom you have to walk through the living to get to any amenities,which lives me with no privacy as I have given my son the room and I sleep on the sofa in the living room this is just not a healthy set up. As were are both in each other space. God knows how much they’ve saved by keeping us here that’s why they couldn’t careless. And yes of course I agree who would wanna swap their house for a flat that’s why I said that it is very pointless for home swapping if you have a flat with no garden you can just forget it. And it seems pointless to even be on the bidding list unless your homeless of course and then if you give up your tenancy this may be considered as making your self homeless so what the hell, so will give all of these so called great opportunities that don’t really work just don’t bother us we’re not interested.

OP posts:
WhenISnappedAndFarted · 30/03/2019 15:12

How old is you son OP?

TheGrey1houndSpeaks · 30/03/2019 15:13

Did your son give up council property when he moved in with you?

Bobbycat121 · 30/03/2019 15:14

Am I the only one that thinks 'house swapping' shouldn't be available.

Yes probably! the council actively encorage home swapping as it takes the pressure off the council if people can arrange their own move, the waiting lists are years long. My council recently done a home swap event to promote it.

Passmethecrisps · 30/03/2019 15:15

Ok. So we have one woman and her adult son.

her and her one child. Shamelessly procreating.

Lovemusic33 · 30/03/2019 15:15

Of course it should be available, if it’s wasnt it would make it pretty impossible to move house if your in a HA house.

A lot of people could down grade to a 2 or 1 bed place but the reality is that people don’t want too and by the time people’s children have moved out they are in the position to afford to stay in a 3 bed. There’s always going to be the argument about wether it’s ok for a single person or a couple to remain in a family sized house when their kids have moved and I can see both sides to this. I have raised my kids in this house (our home), I hope that I will be in the position to buy it by the time they move out because I would feel guilty hogging a 3 bed house that a family could use but I feel attached to the house and have paid to live here for 8+ years.

Bobbycat121 · 30/03/2019 15:16

Is this an adult son? my council only classes children for overcrowding purposes.

Passmethecrisps · 30/03/2019 15:17

Her son may have become unwell.

She may be unwell and need cared for

Her son may have separated and have nowhere else to live

All the same reasons an adult child of a home owner may return home.

Life happens to people and not all of us are in a position to change it.

All OP is doing is having a bit of a moan about an irritating situation.

She wasn’t asking for people to make sweeping generalisations about her and her lifestyle

Bluestitch · 30/03/2019 15:19

Am I the only one that thinks 'house swapping' shouldn't be available

Why? The serious swappers I've come across are people who need to be nearer to family to either give or receive support, people needing more space to accommodate disabilities, needing to move for work etc. If they can organise a mutually convenient exchange that makes everyone's lives easier what is the problem?

ILoveMaxiBondi · 30/03/2019 15:20

If you’re overcrowded it’s because you chose to have children whilst not being able to afford to privately rent or buy a larger house!

You’re showing your ignorance!

Family owns a mortgaged home. Have 3 children, a bedroom for each child. Husband is made redundant. Can’t afford mortgage on wife’s Salary alone. House repossessed, family homeless, placed in temporary accommodation with council. 2 bedroom flat. Overcrowded.

Original poster
Aaliyah1990 · 30/03/2019 15:29

My son is 14years old I have no other children just the one. And I’m not considering having anymore as people keep saying I’m procreating all over the place lol just making up things in their head and I’m not being forced out of my home lol don’t where it states that on my thread but okay

OP posts:
wheretheydwell · 30/03/2019 15:29

God only read a few replies and can't believe the arseholes responding!

You have no idea of the life course that has got OP where she is. And yes, we did used to have a function social housing system where there was adequate amounts of good quality housing, and yes, overcrowding was a good reason to get rehoused. I think OP is, rightly, complaining that the policy of 'house swapping;' is a wholly inadequate response to the problem of there not being enough affordable and social housing.

Swipe left for the next trending thread