To wonder how people actually afford to move into council properties

[Niknick]

So, me and my dh have been offered a house with our local council after years of being on the waiting list. We have two son’s youngest of whom is autistic and we have been offered 3 bed meaning we’d all have our own bedroom at last. I haven’t had an official viewing of the house yet ie with the hosing officer but workmen are currently doing some repairs and they allowed me and my dh in the other day to have a quick look round whilst they were sat in the garden on a break.

Anyway i went equipped with my tape measure to measure up for carpeta, blinds and just to get a general idea of how things will fit. I’ve since gone to a cheap carpet place and been quoted £1500. Blinds will cost around £450-£500. Then there are things like decoration, removal costs, buying a new oven as our current one our landlord owns etc. The property isn’t in great condition and having viewed another of the council’s houses years back me and my dh are under no illusion that the council will do anymore than the bare minimum.

So far it needs plaster work doing as the workmen have done a rubbish job. It needs scrubbing beyond recognition, the garden is like a jungle so that will be more cost as we’ll need to pay someone to do it as me and my dh are busy with work and the kids. Plus parts of the fences are smashed and need replacing as it’s not safe with my son. I know it’s the tenants responsibility to do a lot of these jobs but usually, people moving into these properties aren’t well off so AIBU to wonder how do people manage to do all this? We have virtually zero savings due to paying high private rent, so long term moving to this house would be financially a good idea, but short term I’m panicking about where the hell we find the kind of money we are going to need to make this house at least comfortable for us all to live in. Moving to my current house paying a months rent up front plus deposit and referencing check fees is cheaper than what we’ll have to spend to move to the new house so I’m quietly panicking.

When i was given my 3 bedroomed home on the aftermath of domestic abuse nearly 18 years ago, it was an eviction property .

Same sort of situation, as you, with the condition of the property and 4 youngsters.

Take a step back. You can't do it all at once. Basic repairs were done for us. The rest we did ourselves bit by bit. Rugs on the floors where you can't afford floor coverings and so on.

You will appreciate it more as you do it. Then turn it round and find some gratitude that you have been given a council home.

Thousands in every council are waiting to be rehoused like you. Your future is secure

Sorry, but you're being prescious.

My DD was very luckily offered a house 7 months ago and as she's disabled doesn't have a huge amount of money. Her priorities were a carpet for the lounge and DGS's bedroom & her bedroom. She got the cheapest she could get, so that they had "something". She has no carpets anywhere else, including the stairs. She also painted the lounge and DGS's bedroom. The rest is having to wait until she can afford it. I got her white goods from my catalogue so that she can pay it off over the year. The fence was broken and falling down before she moved in, they're hopefully fixing it sometime this month, they just stay out with DGS while he's playing. They have no curtains apart from in DGS's room, which are from my house.

She has a toddler and a baby and I'm sure she would love a show house, but sadly that's not what she can afford.

She's just glad & appreciative that she was offered a house and security.

You get a grip.

1. Its not a "free house"!
2. I don't know why people keep equating it with buying a house!

I will never get the money I have poured into my house (which really is polishing a turd and I have now given up completely)

1. A "new kitchen"...hmmm. My new kitchen which was in place when I moved in had 1 sink unit and 1 cupboard. That was it. So I have had to put an actual kitchen in. I never got a shower, had to put in a new bathroom too.

Thats a cost of many many hundreds. This is not an investment, I will never get that money back.

1. If a landlord wanted to rent my house on the private market I have estimated she would need to spend around 5k just getting it to a standard that would be considered rentable.
2. "original features" PMSL! You get the cheapest flimsiest doors-they are called eggbox doors, the flimsiest skirting boards. It's very, very basic and hard to make look nice.
3. My house was built in about 1960. Its paid for many times over. You wouldn't get much more for it on the private market because not everywhere is London. I am a taxpayer. OP is a taxpayer, but our money does not go towards my rent.

I have never in my life come across the hatred of council tenants before I came onto Mumsnet. It's completely bizarre. Most people haven't even read the thread, just gone straight in with the vicious comments. People are allowed to feel overwhelmed, They are allowed to feel a sense of despair at the enormity of making a home for 3 kids out of a filthy and neglected house with no flooring. They are allowed a moan. Even if they are not as "grateful" as some of you think they ought to be.

@Niknick

Honestly i don’t want the best of the best. I can’t afford that and nor am I interested in this, I just want comfortable. I’m happy to paint the whole house plain white and just add little bits of colour with affordable cushions and niknaks. All I’m saying is I can’t not have carpets or window coverings and that I’m surprised at how people can leave their properties in such a state. I know money is a major factor for most people but like most of you have said things can be done bit by bit so if this is the case why are so many council properties left in a terrible state?

You get curtains and rugs until you can afford it and get carpets laid one room at a time.

It's really not hard OP.

You do one room at a time & bits of the garden at a time. If you rent privately like I do some are in disgusting dirty condition but bringing them to life is beyond satisfying. Wish.com is mega cheap for on trend decor like cushions (£3) ,wall art(£3-9) ,kitchen gadgets, blinds & laminate flooring etc . Also Facebook marketplace has people moving abroad with their job & selling beautiful stuff for pennies. You'll be surprised how satisfying it will be. Don't see it as everything has to be perfect on day one . Anything that takes work is way , way more satisfying.

I'm in a council house. When they rewired they left it in a terrible state and I had to start from scratch with floors and decorating. It's just one of those things. Secure tenancy but it costs you a fortune to keep it a home.

what a ridiculous statement from op i bought my house from the council on the right to buy scheme and live a row of 6 houses and don’t look down on any of my neighbours intact they have all recently received new windows doors and garden fences and i’m playing catch up to them

The council are usually liable for making the house habitable and for any repairs. They have the same legal duty to you as any other landlord. No, you shouldn't be shelling out 1500 on carpets - that's their job! Can you get on to your housing team for a full list of your rights and responsibilities?

Do it bit by bit and just get by on anything you can. I'm in a private tenancy. I just looked at curtains but they're soooo expensive that I've given up and currently have a fleece tied up over the bathroom window for privacy. Once we can afford curtains we'll get them.

As for your quote for carpets I've also owned a house and that seems very steep to get them done. If you can't find a better quote then again, you'll have to make do, Facebook market place or other severing hand places might help you find something to make do with until you find yourself in a better position.
I've also bought nearly everything second hand when I've needed to, it saves so much it might help with costs elsewhere.

I think a lot of posters on mn have no experience of this sector of housing so they're giving you the full Xenia treatment. Half my family had council houses when I was growing up and the councils always kept their side of the bargain. I've also worked in the sector representing tenants so I know it's nothing like owning your own home. For starters you will need to check anything you're putting in meets their regulations and you have permission or they could come by, inspect it and demand you take it all out again.

@MrsBadcrumble123

Ps you sound quite ungracious considering your rent is subsidized by our taxes yet we aren’t well off by any means!!

Would you like to explain how council rents are subsidised please?

@RuffleCrow this is true but it's usually very easy to see the terms and they're usually extremely reasonable and easy to follow

You use the deposit etc you get back from your private landlord to do the most urgent things, then either do the rest via credit (switching balances to zero transfer cards etc) or work at it slowly. You’ll find you can afford to do the work fairly quickly as the rent difference will mean you gave more money

I floored my whole house cheaply 2 bed for 600 pound not perfect but it's what I could afford at the time. Blinds I got Cheap ones from dunelm and curtains from IKEA. I did it all as cheaply as possible to start. My house was disgusting. I had to clean from ceiling to floor everywhere. It took hard graft and late nights and I painted every wall white until I could add colour or what I wanted. The fence should be made safe before you move in especially having kids. You may get a small voucher for some paint if it's been replastered. You need to get cheaper things for now or do things a bit at a time.

Jeez! Bless you! You got given a hard time! You only wanted a few suggestions! It is hard work making a house liveable. As others have suggested try Facebook marketplace, a lot of people give things away on there. Also take advantage of the good weather and there maybe a car boot sale near you. I did one the other day and literally sold Next curtains to someone for £2! Maybe you might get lucky for curtains, curtain poles etc. Also download the B & M app as they have fab prices on there. Also with the end of summer you might get bargains on the garden stuff, fence panels etc in garden centres. Also to make money sell anything you don’t want to take with you, do a car boot sale or eBay.
Ignore the negativity, people forget, we all started from scratch at some point.
Good luck with the move, I hope your son settles well. Also, enjoy the madness of moving, you’ll be able to look back and be proud of the hard work you’ve done. 😘

My advice. Take the house. It can all be sorted in time. We have done it and the house we were given was an absolute pit but we were just so grateful to get the home. It doesn’t have to be perfect straight away. Just think of the money being saved from private rent- put the difference in a pot and use that to improve a room at a time. The priority is to make the house clean and safe first.
Then, enjoy making it yours!

Fences should be covered by the housing association especially with your sons condition - make sure you contact them and raise the issue. They do have a safety responsibility. Also does he have an EHCP? Do you claim Disability Living allowance for him? Would help your income at least. My daughter has had no carpets or flooring for a over a year - she can’t afford and we can’t afford to help her out otherwise but she managed to get hold of some old rugs and a good scrub they came up really well. The HA should also provide paint vouchers for decoration and if they have messed up the plastering then complain and get it fixed / again housing standards apply - see the better homes standards that all Ha’s have to abide by. As others have said free cycle and other give away or cheap buying sites can be really good and used is much better for the environment! Even a sheet or blanket over a window for the time being will do. A safe roof over your head is the most important thing at the start. Also put an appeal on Facebook local sites to see if people have specific things that you need to give away - you will often get lots of offers of help and items again that will do for now. Good luck and enjoy your new home. At least you know your rent will be far lower than private renting and you will be better off in the long run!

Tapi carpets was great for us
Also, blinds direct

Contact your council and see what grants they can offer you. I know years ago they gave carpeting / decorating allowances? So maybe that could help?
Good luck in your new home :)

I kind of get where you are coming from OP, everybody wants their home to be lovely for the family and I have a disabled child and am disabled myself.
But I can’t help think that after fleeing abuse, waiting 2.5 years with three kids living out of one bedroom at my parents’, moving in to our council house all I could ever be was grateful. And I haven’t come from the hardest circumstances by a long stretch.
Three years in I have a temporary bathroom floor (stick on tiles) no carpet on stairs or landing and concrete kitchen floor. 90% of what I have (Including flooring) is hand me downs or second hand, not what I would’ve picked but needs must.
I’ve scrimped and saved to buy things (All from b&m, Ikea, nothing expensive) and will be continuing to do so for the foreseeable future.
You are not alone, but rather than taking the advice you seem to be hitting back with excuse after excuse as to why you can’t live like that, whilst others are kindly sharing their experiences and advice as to how they did it.
I’d like to know what is your opinion of those of us who moved our kids into a ‘half done house’? As you seem so determined not to do so when there’s plenty of evidence here of families who have done just this. My children will remember the love, not the fact that we didn’t have carpet on the stairs or that everything we ate for about 4 months was cooked in a microwave. We have gone through hardships and didn’t have the luxury of even considering not accepting our lot and being grateful to just have a roof over our heads.
As for ‘not playing the disability card’, this does not sit well with me. Those of us with disabilities are ENTITLED to help for very good reasons. You should be claiming everything you can for your son, as it is there to make HIS life easier. If you choose or are able not to do this, please don’t degrade those of us who didn’t have a choice in the matter.
Pick yourself up, make yourself a list. Look at your budget and prioritise. More importantly just enjoy your new home and your family.

Your quote for carpets is really high. We get our carpet from online carpets.co.uk. They do one which you can clean with bleach and will still look OK. If you can't fit them yourselves, find a local carpet fitter, will still be cheaper. Curtains are easy to make, or go to jumble sales, charity shops etc. You can replace with better as and when you can afford it. Learn to compromise.

We own our house but still haven’t completed everything after being here 12 years. We do things as and when we have the money. There is very much a culture these days, whereby people want everything straightaway and end up with loads of debt

They have the same legal duty to you as any other landlord. No, you shouldn't be shelling out 1500 on carpets - that's their job!

Not sure you're correct about that. The have a legal duty to ensure the property is in habitable and safe condition, they most certainly don't have a duty to carpet it.

As soon as I see "council house" in a thread title I know the Op will get a bashing for not being grateful enough, the myth that hard working tax payers are funding her "lifestyle" choice and other prejudiced crap directed at council tenants.

Of course Op is overwhelmed and dismayed after the first viewing of her new rented home. It's daunting to make it a home when you're faced with a shabby shell of a building and incredibly difficult with little disposable income.

Just as if an Op who had bought a wreck of a house and was feeling down and worried about affording fittings and fixtures would garner sympathy on here, so should a council tenant.

It's great advice to do it but by bit and there have been some money saving suggestions. I think it's fine for an Op to have a little moan without there being a pile on. She has since thanked posters for their help.