To clarify exactly what a council house looks like

[Lifegoeson5]

So many posts about council housing and 'benefit scroungers' getting 'free' housing.
I pay £150 a week for this...

I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to be looking at- it just looks a bit grimy? And no, most of them don't have showers, and the hot water can be a bit crap unless it's an area they've decided to update the boilers etc.

But they're not responsible for grime as such. If that's mostly what it is, I'd just bleach it to fuck. If it's actual serious mould (which it doesn't look like)get the environmental health involved. x

I grew up in a council house. Didn't look like that. Yours is a misleading OP. Echo PP's, HG mould remover is excellent. I would always expect to have to decorate a council house upon moving in. Yes private renters (most of the time) get repairs etc done at the landlords expense but I pay £1400 a month, I look at repairs etc as part of that cost.

Looks like a damp cupboard! No offence meant.

My flat looked bloody awful when I moved in. Still not much better 5 years later I suppose lol. Still, it's kind of 'mine.'

Doesn't clove oil get rid of mould permanently? As opposed to bleach which is purely cosmetic.

A dehumidifier makes a massive difference. I've filled ours twice, this week, with the constant rain.

And ventilate. I always have a window open for at least part of the day unless it's extremely cold out or very windy.

I also have a karcher window vac for drying uo condensation on windows, toilet cistern etc so that water doesn't either encourage mould or go back into the air.

Also have a 1930s house. Currently frustrated by a damp chimney breast.

My mum's council house never looked like that and my old council house never looked like that either...so it has nothing to do with being a council house

@mumofone2818 it's permanent accommodation to get away from abusive ex
For those asking about 7. 2 adults, 5kids..

Get a dehumidifier, we had problems with condensation in our last house & it worked very well to sort the problem ( you need a big one that you plug in, not a little thing that sits in the window ledge)

My council house doesn't look like that. Bit confused about your point?

The council tend to be really good at fixing repairs actually in my experience compared to private landlords, but it might take more work than it would for repairs that need doing, to get them to do something which is virtually cosmetic and you could deal with yourself. Not only cosmetic, but minor.

Looking back at the pics properly most seem to be of dirty windows...just give them a good clean

If you explain the problem the council will sometimes lend you a dehumidifier for a while, too. I've known people who had serious damp/mould problems. This ain't it.

Bit of elbow grease there might help?

Apparently we should blast the heating and open windows to combat the mould....
A dehumidifier and a window vac would help though.

@SummerPlace bleach isn't just cosmetic. It's hardcore.

no shower, boiler stops producing hot water after 1 bath
That's not just council houses.

I'm sorry OP, but I live in far worse conditions than that. I rent privately and pay £800 per month. I can't get a council house. I'd swap with you in a heartbeat!

From your photos, the house just needs a bit of elbow grease and TLC. Spend one day a week on it and get the kids involved?

This post has really got my back up.

I was lucky enough to be given a council flat a couple of years ago. I'm not worried that I'll have to move in 6 months. I don't have a landlord who believes that the laws about the annual gas safety checks don't apply to them. I'm paying £450 per month less than I was in my last private rental.

This flat was a bit of a state when I moved in. It took 3 very full on days to clean. I've had to decorate, provide all furniture and white goods, and put down flooring throughout. That cost a fair bit. But it's still a lot cheaper long term and I can stay as long as I want/need.

Social housing is in such short supply that you should be very thankful for secure, safe, and affordable housing, OP.

Photos were taken the day after we moved in.

How long ago was that?

A lot of that just looks like it needs filler and paint? You do need to decorate yourself, that's not the council's job.

I live in a large Victorian property that we own and we get damp in the master bedroom.
A dehumidifier helps massively and mould spray to clean it off and keep it aired keeps on top of it.
It's always on the 3 windows in that room which are about 5ft tall, we just wipe down every other day and use the mould spray weekly.
Also wait until spring and use a mould sealant on your walls before painting to stop it coming through the walls so easily.
Unfortunately we need a new roof, which is a huge job for this place and 60 k plus that we will fund ourselves.
You could repair some of that minor damage with ready mixed poly filler , a spatula and some sand paper but otherwise it looks like you just really need to get into a good cleaning regime.
If you can't afford a dehumidifier or two , you can get those small plastic pots that absorb any humidity from pound shops.
I use them in an out building.
You object to having to pay for works on a house that is not yours but it is isn't it ?
You don't own it but your family have a secure home for life and a lot of people privately renting don't have that peace of mind and pay much more and many live in worse conditions.

Get a dehumidifier too, we own our house and get that problem on the windows, I just have to clean the black off regularly and open the windows. We still haven’t got round to ordering the dehumidifier but they sell them in Argos/on amazon for not that much, lots of people suggested this to us, it’s a common problem. I think some of those things you’ve photographed you could fix for a few quid and a trip to b&q too.

www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/keep-warm-keep-well/

Keep your home warm
Follow these tips to keep you and your family warm and well at home:

if you're not very mobile, are 65 or over, or have a health condition, such as heart or lung disease, heat your home to at least 18C
keep your bedroom at 18C all night if you can – and keep the bedroom window closed
if you're under 65, healthy and active, you can safely have your home cooler than 18C, as long as you're comfortable
use a hot water bottle or electric blanket to keep warm in bed – but do not use both at the same time
have at least 1 hot meal a day – eating regularly helps keep you warm
have hot drinks regularly
to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), babies should sleep in rooms heated to between 16C and 20C
draw curtains at dusk and keep doors closed to block out draughts
get your heating system checked regularly by a qualified professional

For gods sake, don't spend 5k on plastering and decorating. Spend £150 on paint and rollers, get the very worst bits skimmed if you must and pollyfill and sand down any smallish holes and cracks. That bit by the door you can do yourself.

Get a dehumidifier for £50ish; It will help massively with drying washing too. Mould cleaning spray is good. It works well. It will honestly look so much better once it's all painted and filled, and the mould is scrubbed off.