Successful bid on council property

[TheTartfulLodger]

Posting for traffic as the housing forum is slow.

Possibly soon not to be a Tartful Lodger but a Tartful Tenant.

Miraculously I was placed in position 1 on a council property the weekend and was still position 1 when bidding closed at midnight. Does anyone have experience with how long it usually takes to be contacted for viewing please? It's Redbridge if that helps?

Yes I know 'why don't you call them, we can't tell you', but you can't because they won't tell you anything and it's possible someone on here can actually tell me because they've been where I am with bidding themselves recently.

The problem is -

A) I'm seeing multiple incidents where people have still not been contacted weeks later,

And

B) My anxiety is through the roof to the point I can't eat and feel sick because In more than 3 years of bidding I've never been in position 1 and this property is my absolute dream come true. It's really everything I dreamt of. I'm frightened to believe this is even happening.

Equal measures of scared and anxious, more so because I made the mistake of getting too invested when I realised nobody was out bidding me and I know I'll be devastated if this doesn't work out 😭

I'm just really unfamiliar with how the system works and don't know what happens if you get to position 1 because they don't really tell you much on the website. Has anyone been bidding on council property lately and got to position 1? Was there a long wait to be invited to view?

I feel so nervous I have to keep running to the loo! Really grateful for any feedback , even the ones telling me to just call them and ask. ☺️

Yes, I know I'm being unreasonable for using two emojis in one post. I'll take that one like a woman.

Title edited by MNHQ on OP's request

Congrats! I remember the feeling. I just moved into my house 6 weeks ago! I was offered beginning of January!

Let them do the work. I went and had a sneak peek in February and was so shocked at the horror! No gate, holes in walls. Absolutely shocking.

Went for another sneak peak in April and brand new fences and gates and plastered the whole shabang!

You've been patient this long! A few months will fly by and have a cosy new winter in your forever home!

I know you're right. I always knew I would not be moving straight in but I had this stupid idea it would only be 3 or 4 weeks at most. When they finally said minimum of 3 months I was a bit deflated but I know it's mine anyway, I just need to be patient as hard as that is right now. It's not a good situation where I am which makes me even more keen to move as well. A friend mentioned there's no budget to even do this work on vacant property at their council so it's a good sign they can actually afford it here.

I'm pleased for you that they are doing the work before you get in! My current home I had to spend thousands making it right and it took about 6 months - they literally gave me they keys and scarpered! It might be longer than expected but the good news is you have a new home coming - congrats!!

Been past again this evening. They have dug at least a couple of tonnes of clay out of the basement. The floorboards have been removed in the kitchen and you can see it's damp in the cavity below the floorboards and there's an industrial dehumidifier in there. The wood they have removed is rotten so this is major work. At least I know it is being done properly and they are not messing around or quickly doing it on the cheap. It's pretty extensive work going on inside. Wasn't quite expecting this.

@TheTartfulLodger congratulations on your new home. It does take a while but you will soon be in. Sending hugs 🫂💐🎉 (they found asbestos in my council house after it was offered..... still here 12 year's later 💕

Exactly! It’ll be perfect for you when you live in, and worth the wait!

I'm more thankful this was found before I moved in. I have a feeling damp was a problem for the previous tenant as there was plastic inside the windows covering the extractor fan. Perhaps she didn't realise what was causing it. I know she had her own kitchen fitted and it was only when the council removed this that they found something wasn't right with the walls and floors behind it. This could have been going on for years undetected while above ground they may have just thought it was a standard condensation problem.

It’s annoying because you will feel in limbo and reading between the lines your current living situation obviously doesn’t fit your needs so life won’t exactly be a picnic just now but

this is probably the best scenario as it means all the issues will be sorted before you ever move in so you can get carpets etc put down as soon as you move in rather than knowing they are going to have to do major repairs around you while you’re living there!

they absolutely could have kept you informed though. It shouldn’t be your job to chase things up for basic information.

also I’d get some advice as some councils will follow minimum housing standards and if you insist they might whitewash the walls due to all the work being done so it’s in a moving in standard

It's really interesting to read your updates as it gives an insight into some of the problems in social housing and thank you for sharing. Hoping that you get into your property soon and that it's all in good condition so that you can enjoy your home

This was my thinking, I wanted to keep updating because I found a few threads where someone got a new council tenancy but they often don't come back so you don't really get to see much of what happens after you are successful, not that I quite envisioned a portal to Australia under my kitchen 😂

This was my argument that this is something big which they would have known would cause longer than average delays, and all I got was a wall of silence. I actually had to raise a formal complaint just to get them to speak to me which is crazy. There's no reason they couldn't have communicated this to me at least in the form of a small update. It's a real insight that's for sure. Last year was utterly horrendous where I am and I'm counting the days now.

I went round to the property today and have seen through the windows again. On the surface there's not a great deal to see really. The floor has been removed in part of the bathroom now as well as in the kitchen and the dehumidifier looks like it has been switched off. There were dozens of sand and cement bags in the living room which has gradually gone down but it's impossible to see what they are using it for. I think the wheels are turning very slowly at the moment so I'll leave it a couple of weeks before going back so that I can see obvious differences when I return. I honestly can't wait but I think September will be rather optimistic going by the progress so far.

It’s only July once the ground/basic work is completed then progress may come on quite quickly.

yes temper your expectations so you don’t feel disappointed if it doesn’t go to plan but don’t lose all hope either

After a nightmare with my tablet breaking I lost access to MN but I really didn't want to lose this thread because it has been so important to me and I want to continue updating as I get closer to moving in.

I just want to let anyone know who was following that this is really me and I will continue keeping this thread up to date with progress. Thank you xx 😊

@mnhq I just want to let you know this is really me! I'm so upset I lost access but the only way I could get back in was to register again as my old email address was no longer active so I couldn't get a password reminder.

I just hope I don't get locked out of the new flat this easily when I finally get the keys 😂

I've also reserved the username with a capital L TartfuLodger

I'm still following your thread :)! I'm in a similar ish boat, have got to position 1 on a property and waiting to hear back.

Sorry you lost your access to MN, but where there is a will there is a way :)

I'm also a nightmare with keys, soon as you get in make sure you have some copies made to give to trusted family / friend near by x

I've always made sure to have a spare key with someone else, I actually asked at B&Q in the week how much keys are now lol

I don't think there's any point going back for a couple of weeks at least because if I can't see obvious developments then I will just get wound up at lack of progress when it might just be they are doing things in the basement still.

Every evening I think about how peaceful it will be in the rear garden flat on a quiet cul de sac and wish i was there now. I've bought some little lamps which change colour for the living room and bedroom already and seen a lovely chopping board i like for the new kitchen 😆

A little bit jittery today and I hope needlessly so. Back in May when I went to have a mooch around I noticed that the communal door at the place was open and the secure entry system had been broken off the wall. It didn’t look good but I don’t live there yet and wasn’t sure what had gone on so didn’t think too much about it. I notified the council and within a week it was repaired.

So yesterday I went back and the door system has been smashed off again and clearly been vandalised from inside barely a month after being repaired. I can only assume a tenant upstairs has lost the key fob and doesn’t want to buy a new one so keeps vandalising the door instead. So I’m now thinking that after all the excitement there’s clearly someone upstairs who isn’t afraid to be antisocial or cause criminal damage to the entry system.

I'm trying to keep it in perspective because I won’t even be using that door as I have my own private entrance but it does make me wonder what sort of people are living there that they think it’s ok to behave like this.

I just hope I am not making a mistake here.

Well developments of sorts today. The door has been repaired for the second time and a notice placed on the door apologising for any noise the building work may cause and advising residents that the work in my new flat should be finished in around 4 weeks. Perhaps I may get a bit of summer there after all but I am not holding my breath. It doesn't necessarily mean I will be contacted In 4 weeks.

@TheTartfulLodger really hope you're in in the next month. I was in temporary accommodation with a newborn for 4 months and I know the feeling when you get your place but have to wait for repairs to be done first. I'll be keeping an eye out for your updates. Made me smile reading your joy😊

Strangely it does almost feel more imminent now the notice on the door has given a timeframe. I walked past on Friday and all the rubbish that has been piled up in the alleyway was being loaded onto a truck for disposal. I've not ventured round to look in the windows again yet but will have a proper look in the week.

I've gone from thinking it won't be too much longer to thinking the wheels are turning very slowly. Work is still ongoing. There's a hell of a lot of drilling, sawing and hammering going on when you walk past but strangely nothing visible from the windows. I'm assuming they could still be working in the basement. In the flat itself the floors are still up and there's no real visible changes.

It's painstaking waiting to hear news, but typically they won't keep you informed, just call you when it's ready.

It sounds like the checking is making you more anxious?

Maybe just focus on decluttering your home in preparation for the move - they say a smooth move you should start 3 months before? Keep your focus on where you are now, knowing your new home is on the way x

I know what you mean, I just think that if they know the property is going to take this many months to be ready that it isn’t unreasonable to expect to be kept informed even with a basic update. I’ve had lots packed since late May as initially I thought I’d be gone far sooner but then the wall of silence came where nobody would tell me anything. I’ve lived and breathed this move for over 2 months now which makes it harder too 😫

Yes that's what we think and how we'd behave but council / housing association Lettings teams are there own sort of machine 🤣

For your sanity you have to Detach from the day to day progress and just let yourself know all will be well in the long run.😊

I know you're right. Agghhh! 😆