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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Offered council property in terrible area

307 replies

ShouldITakeIt · 03/04/2023 20:27

Single parent of DS who is 2. Currently living with my mum but have been on the council waiting list since he was born. Was offered a flat before but turned it down due to it being in a rough road and have been offered another one this week which is in an even worse area! The flat itself is actually really nice but the estate it is on used to have a really bad reputation and is a deprived area. It was fairly quiet when I visited but pretty run down looking and I saw a few undesirable looking people walking about :( the problem I have is that if I decline this flat, then I'm booted off the list. Private renting isn't an option for me and I'm currently living in my mum's lounge. Would you take the flat? Does anyone have any experience of living in an undesirable area? Help!!! :(

OP posts:
userfred · 03/04/2023 20:59

Take it op. You can swap later on. I've just done something similar and I don't regret it. The areas not great but it's a home that offers stability that I can afford. I'm currently making my home into a 'proper L home' and I love it. It's mine. No one is going to chuck me out and I can live here feeling secure. Nothing beats that feeling - I was homeless to and living at my mums with the dc.

The area might not be great but you can't have it all. Feel lucky to be offered something.

Too many people trying to hang on for the nice new builds these days

samantha0709 · 03/04/2023 21:02

It's council housing. It was unlikely to ever be amazing. But you have an opportunity here to live somewhere more affordable, no private landlord.
Take it. If you hate it, then you can work out something else or go back to your mums but you might as well try it.

Loads of people would count themselves lucky to be offered something like this. In the London borough I live in the waiting list is 12 years for a council place (if you're lucky) and everyone else gets passed around from temp accom to other rubbish temp accom.
Make it your own and try and make the best of the situation.

Sapphire387 · 03/04/2023 21:02

It really doesn't sound that bad. Lots of areas 'used to be dodgy'.

userfred · 03/04/2023 21:03

I'll also point out that I thought my street was going to be dodgy. It's known as the rough street of the area. However the majority are absolutely lovely! I've never lived in an area before where everyone says hello and wants to get to know you.

I was worried about the house opposite me as there's some pretty loud music and a young lad that just sits outside my house with his mates. I was so worried that I have cctv installed....until one day I was bringing the bin in and the neighbour came over to introduce herself. She's really nice and it's her grandson that lives with her that's also really nice and well mannered for a young lad. Too look at them you would think 'dodgy as anything' but to speak to them it's far from the truth.
It's been eye opening but I'm actually now part of a really lovely community

Brieandme · 03/04/2023 21:12

In the nicest possible way... where did you think you'd be offered? The vast majority of council housing is on council estates. The odd rows of council properties in 'naice' areas largely got bought up by people when right to buy came in!
Council flats on the inside are usually much better than outside - generous proportions, big windows, and if you're in a high rise, decent security. Local schools usually have extra funding and in my experience are often bloody fantastic. Local communities tend to be close knit and welcoming. Yes there will be some trouble locally, but if you don't go looking/don't get involved you're unlikely to have any issues.

If you decide in the long run that its really not for you, you've got a secure tenancy until you're in a position to move, whether that's through a swap or being in a position to buy or rent a more expensive private property. If you turn it down you've got nothing. Taking it means keeping your options open in the long run.

Comii9 · 03/04/2023 21:17

Your being really fussy if the surrounding area is nice OP. You need your own property so you don't have much choice.

Talk to your friends about the area its probably the "average". @HotSince82 is right.

Cheeseandlobster · 03/04/2023 21:18

ShouldITakeIt · 03/04/2023 20:42

It isn't ground floor, it's actually top floor. It's a mix of the area looking shabby and the reputation it used to have. If I google it then there are a few reports of antisocial behaviour but they're a few years old. It's an estate but it in a slightly rural area and the surrounding area is nice it's just this estate.

The area looks shabby? Are you for real? Do you realise how fortunate you are to be offered a really nice flat in what sounds like not such a terrible area after your update? Of course you take it

Jonei · 03/04/2023 21:20

I'd probably take it op and swap later if you hate it.

9637S · 03/04/2023 21:58

I live in a 'rough' estate. The majority of my neighbours are single mums, older people, or refugees. They're lovely. There's sometimes bits of trouble but it's targeted rather than random crimes e.g. one flat often has broken windows and when I asked a neighbour they said that resident has an ongoing fued with someone who keeps breaking their windows. One of my neighbours is clearly a drug dealer (people in and out his flat day and night for 5 mins at a time) but he doesn't cause trouble for the neighbours - he also puts my bins out for me! Occasionally there are domestics in the street but i find the police get here very quickly. I'm hoping to move somewhere quieter before my children are teenagers but for now I'm happy. If you don't have a choice (and it sounds like you don't) then it's worth taking the flat. You might be pleasantly surprised.

romdowa · 03/04/2023 22:06

I got a council house last year in a nice area. Small row of houses. Only mine and next door are still council and I had lived with my parents in a council estate all my life. Never had any problems with my parents neighbours. I moved to the new place and 3 days in , the woman next door came in ranting and raving about the guys fitting the floors . She's been an absolute nightmare since , so much so that I've had to install a camera because she's threatened to knock down our garden wall and rip up all my plants. I'd much rather live in a big estate like my parents do then here next to this nutter but I'm stuck for now. In our area you can't swap or transfer for 2 years.

thegrain · 03/04/2023 22:27

ShouldITakeIt · 03/04/2023 20:42

It isn't ground floor, it's actually top floor. It's a mix of the area looking shabby and the reputation it used to have. If I google it then there are a few reports of antisocial behaviour but they're a few years old. It's an estate but it in a slightly rural area and the surrounding area is nice it's just this estate.

It's hard to tell if you are being polite and this place is an utter shithole crawling with druggies or if you're being far too fussy.

Schnauzersaremyheros · 03/04/2023 22:28

Take the flat OP! I private rent a very shabby flat in a deprived area (lots of drug dealing, even in broad daylight) and I haven't had much trouble in the 11 years I have lived here. My road is a mix of private and council housing, and so wish I could have the chance to have one of the council flats (cheaper, well maintained).

You can always swap later if you don't find it suitable.

Viviennemary · 03/04/2023 22:29

I think you should take it. There are a lot of nice people living in the very worst of areas. Some troublemakers too of course.

ShannonMcFarland · 03/04/2023 22:30

Well yeah, it's a council house. They aren't designed to be des res's - they're for people who can't or won't pay for anything nicer.

thegrain · 03/04/2023 22:30

I don't know why people are saying OP can swap. Swap with who? Top floor flat? No one wants that.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 03/04/2023 22:30

You can't stay in your mum's living room forever!

Of course you need to take it.

Schnauzersaremyheros · 03/04/2023 22:32

Council accommodation swapping is very common and there are even facebook pages to help people do precisely that. Someone may want to move to a particular area and may be happy to swap with someone who is already there.

Schnauzersaremyheros · 03/04/2023 22:33

That ws replying to the grain!!!

Beautiful3 · 03/04/2023 22:33

All of the council flats here are in really rough areas. If it's your last chance, then I'd take it. If it doesn't work out, you can always move back home.

SpinningFloppa · 03/04/2023 22:33

thegrain · 03/04/2023 22:30

I don't know why people are saying OP can swap. Swap with who? Top floor flat? No one wants that.

It’s on every MN council thread “just do a swap” I don’t think people on MN realise how hard it is to get a swap I know someone whose been trying for 5 years and she is in a house. I’m on loads of swapping pages and it’s true no one wants a top floor council flat.

thegrain · 03/04/2023 22:34

Schnauzersaremyheros · 03/04/2023 22:32

Council accommodation swapping is very common and there are even facebook pages to help people do precisely that. Someone may want to move to a particular area and may be happy to swap with someone who is already there.

Yeah but if OP wants out coz it's shit and full of crime the only people who'll want to swap will be crims and then she'll be stuck in an ex drug dealers house or something

thegrain · 03/04/2023 22:34

SpinningFloppa · 03/04/2023 22:33

It’s on every MN council thread “just do a swap” I don’t think people on MN realise how hard it is to get a swap I know someone whose been trying for 5 years and she is in a house. I’m on loads of swapping pages and it’s true no one wants a top floor council flat.

Show quote history

Yeah unless you're ground or 1st floor no chance

ArmitageShanked · 03/04/2023 22:34

Of course take it, stop being a bloody snob.

If you were properly homeless like I was with 2 kids, you'd cry with gratitude to have something you could call your own.

Should have taken the first one.

I didn't get a choice. Changed areas, schools, lost my neighbours and friends of 10 years, my support network.

Best thing that ever happened to us.

userfred · 03/04/2023 22:35

thegrain · 03/04/2023 22:30

I don't know why people are saying OP can swap. Swap with who? Top floor flat? No one wants that.

Because you can swap after a years tenancy. Lots of people do it for many reasons. There's Facebook pages for it.

thegrain · 03/04/2023 22:35

Beautiful3 · 03/04/2023 22:33

All of the council flats here are in really rough areas. If it's your last chance, then I'd take it. If it doesn't work out, you can always move back home.

Presumably she can't move back in with her mum or she wouldn't be on the council list.

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