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

Please help me decide on what to do regarding council housing

103 replies

whatdoido3 · 21/02/2024 19:49

Hello all, long term poster but changed names as outing.

We currently private rent, £1200 for a 2 bed ground floor maisonette (south east). We are a 5 minute walk from MIL & FIL and 10 minute drive from my parents (they are our main support system with childcare when needed etc). We have private rented since we got married at 22 and we are now 30 with a baby.

We have been on the council list for a number of years and we have just been offered a new build 2 bed flat for £804 a month.

We have only just moved to this flat and have with permission from the landlord decorated how we like it etc. we have an enclosed front garden which is perfect for 9 month old DD and our spaniel.

The flat we have been offered is 1st floor, no garden and we plan on having a second baby next year. My concerns are having a dog who I need to take up and down stairs to go to toilet, a 9 month old to carry up and down with shopping etc. plus another baby potentially next year or the following year.

What do we do in this situation? It would make a massive difference to us financially. We are scraping by right now and have some debt that we would be able to clear if we moved. We fell down the private renting hole and haven't managed to get out of it, we are unable to save due to cost of renting, paying debt off etc.

Honest advice please x

OP posts:
Heathers4evs · 21/02/2024 21:33

Can you take the council flat and use the rent savings to save for a deposit? So it's not your forever home.

Charlingspont · 21/02/2024 21:34

It's a no brainer - take the council flat.

Brainfogmcfogface · 21/02/2024 21:37

My council no longer offer bidding, only those in temp housing get offered and if you refuse you don’t get a second chance, been on the list for 8 years and now accept I’ll never get a council place and can’t afford to save whilst private renting so will never have a forever home as privates can be taken away at any point. As the housing crisis worsens you may find yourself in a similar situation in that your council will only offer to those in desperate need so if I were you, I’d take it for the security alone.

Original poster
whatdoido3 · 21/02/2024 21:45

I wouldn't give up my dog, not even to family (my parents adore him and would take him in a heartbeat) but I've had him since he was 4 months old and he's been with me through so much including multiple miscarriages, depression, anxiety etc. he's been my constant. He would still get walked twice a day for an hour each time it's just the ballache of up and down stairs for him to go out for a wee but a small price to pay.

I'm going to view the property and will go from there. Thank you to everyone for your advice x

OP posts:
Original poster
whatdoido3 · 21/02/2024 21:48

Also, it's in a really nice area which is highly sought after. They are brand new builds on a brand new estate. The house prices on the estate range from £350,000 - £600,000. Great local schools, countryside and quite pretty but only a 20 minute drive to a big town.

OP posts:
Beezknees · 21/02/2024 21:52

God, take it. My HA flat is on the third floor and I snapped it up when it was offered to me. It's £500 per month, compared to the private rents in my area that are £700 minumum. No brainer even with the 6 flights of stairs.

Lampslights · 21/02/2024 21:56

I can’t believe you’re considering rejecting as uou can’t be arsed with stairs.

Abeona · 21/02/2024 21:56

My honest advice? Don't have a second baby when you can barely afford one. Why on earth would you do that? Give one child a decent life.

On the flat issue, clearly a first floor flat when you have a baby and a dog is not going to work, so you'll need to stay where you are which sounds much more suitable.

What you need to focus on is how to earn more money. You live in the SE and you have a lot of family support. Use the advantages you have to improve your financial situation. Not what you wanted to hear, but my honest best advice.

LauderSyme · 21/02/2024 22:05

Double check if possible that you'll have decent neighbours and if yes, take the council tenancy.

It's secure so you can't be chucked out with just 2 months notice.

It's much cheaper and if you do fall into rent arrears the council will give you a lot more leeway on a repayment plan than a private LL would.

Three years after signing your tenancy you're likely to be eligible for Right To Buy with a big discount on the market price.

All the best and good luck!

Silvers11 · 21/02/2024 22:09

Honest Advice - take it! As others have said it will be a secure tenancy and your 2 bed maisonette could easily be taken away from you at any time by your landlord. Plus the rents will go up more steeply than rent of a council house/flat.

That is assuming, of course, that it still isn't too far from your families

You have been fortunate to win this bid and one flight up isn't a problem for the dog needing out.

Original poster
whatdoido3 · 21/02/2024 22:34

Lampslights · 21/02/2024 21:56

I can’t believe you’re considering rejecting as uou can’t be arsed with stairs.

I have sciatica and numbness in my leg when it flares up. I also had a failed epidural which caused damage. It's difficult for me to get up stairs some days let alone to carry a 23lb baby up and down. It's not about rejecting it because it has stairs.

OP posts:
Original poster
whatdoido3 · 21/02/2024 22:38

Abeona · 21/02/2024 21:56

My honest advice? Don't have a second baby when you can barely afford one. Why on earth would you do that? Give one child a decent life.

On the flat issue, clearly a first floor flat when you have a baby and a dog is not going to work, so you'll need to stay where you are which sounds much more suitable.

What you need to focus on is how to earn more money. You live in the SE and you have a lot of family support. Use the advantages you have to improve your financial situation. Not what you wanted to hear, but my honest best advice.

I have stated that having a second baby would be on the condition that we could afford to live comfortably as a family of 5 as in our debts paid off (we don't have a huge amount but it's debt nevertheless), essentials are always covered and we feel lucky that in this difficult time for so many people we are able to afford heating and food and our daughter has everything she needs. Private renting means we are left with £50 max once bills, food and necessities for DD are paid for. If we were able to save £400 a month, we could clear our debt within a year and still have some extra money at the end of each month to put in our savings/DD's savings.

OP posts:
Original poster
whatdoido3 · 21/02/2024 22:39

Sorry I meant family of 4 in my last response.

OP posts:
LauderSyme · 21/02/2024 22:45

whatdoido3 · 21/02/2024 22:34

I have sciatica and numbness in my leg when it flares up. I also had a failed epidural which caused damage. It's difficult for me to get up stairs some days let alone to carry a 23lb baby up and down. It's not about rejecting it because it has stairs.

Show quote history

This would have been helpful info to include in your first post!

I would still say, on balance, take the council property - unless you are extremely confident that a house or ground floor flat will shortly come up for you to bid on.

Beware though that, just because you reached the top of the bidding list with this property, it doesn't mean that you will with others. You are always competing against all the other people who have made a bid for any property. They may have needs that make them a higher priority to be offered another property than you, and hence may climb above you in the bidding rankings.

LauderSyme · 21/02/2024 22:51

I would be willing to bet that Abeona does not have to rely on private renting to accommodate themselves. Nobody who does, and understands how insecure and expensive it is, would wave goodbye to a council tenancy so nonchalantly.

dottiedodah · 21/02/2024 22:55

I would defo take it.as others say your private rental isn't that secure ,and could be taken from you if ll decided to sell. Its only 1 floor up and would be a considerable saving for you

ThechicRoyal · 21/02/2024 23:01

Take the council property! and get hubby to help take pram up and down when he can.

AlwaysGinPlease · 21/02/2024 23:05

What happens when your LL sells, you won't get to stay there forever. Two children and a dog, sounds very irresponsible.

AlwaysGinPlease · 21/02/2024 23:06

*in a flat

kierenthecommunity · 21/02/2024 23:06

Is there not a lift? Surely if it’s a new build it has to have disability access?

orangeleopard · 21/02/2024 23:07

curlysue1991 · 21/02/2024 20:45

Wow that seems crazy expensive for a council property? I have a 3 bed terraced house in ROI and the rent is 400 per month, crazy to see the difference 🙈

I’m on the outskirts of London in a two bedroom council flat and my rent is £960. I’m grateful, but the cost is ridiculous

CornishTiger · 21/02/2024 23:14

I’d have a closer look at the allocations policy on banding. Is the lack of garden going to give you an ability to go back on the register and play the waiting game again. Some councils still have lack of garden/no lift as additional banding in respect of children.

If your child is only 9 months then your bedsize would have only increased recently and therefore your banding date would normally have changed too. Therefore if this is the case you may not have to wait that long again.
I’m assuming this one has a local connection (106) on it too. That will make it harder to do a MUEX.

Also don’t bid on somewhere you wouldn’t want to live.

LilBus · 21/02/2024 23:30

orangeleopard · 21/02/2024 23:07

I’m on the outskirts of London in a two bedroom council flat and my rent is £960. I’m grateful, but the cost is ridiculous

Show quote history

I’m IN london and my rent for a 3 bed council house is 400 a month 🤷‍♀️

I lived in a 3rd floor flat with no lift before moving here with 3 children 2 in a double buggy so I’m not sure why you can’t manage 1 floor, and no not having a garden doesn’t give you priority for a move, wouldn’t we all love gardens 😒

Original poster
whatdoido3 · 22/02/2024 00:41

AlwaysGinPlease · 21/02/2024 23:05

What happens when your LL sells, you won't get to stay there forever. Two children and a dog, sounds very irresponsible.

I don't understand how I'm irresponsible. Not everyone can afford to buy and have that security.

I'm from a normal working class family, as is DH. We both work. We have one child who we can afford to provide for. We've had our dog 9 years almost. How am I irresponsible? We are a normal family.

OP posts:
Original poster
whatdoido3 · 22/02/2024 00:44

@LilBus I never said not having a garden should give us priority for a move to one with a garden. Where we private rent at the moment, we have a secure front garden that I can let dog out into for a wee. Of course the ideal would be a 2 bed council house with a garden but I'm not holding out for one! I just wanted people's advice and if you read, I can just about manage stairs when my sciatica has flared up and the damage caused to my back due to an epidural that went wrong.

OP posts: