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

Oh and to add. They did indeed do the garden last (flagging and rubbish removal) so your new update looks to be a very good sign

None of this feels real even now. Definitely got my eye on some things for the kitchen. Stupid but I've always wanted a rubber plant and never had room so I bought one for the new place last week which is standing on packed boxes to give it light. I've got butterflies again now lol

I've been doing exactly the same peeping when there's no builders about 😂

Loved reading this thread, hopefully not much longer for you now!!

Soooo, been and had a good look in the windows. Garden is unrecognisable. Total makeover from the overgrown mess it was. Kitchen has not been fitted yet or bathroom fitted and the bathroom is not tiled, neither are floored either. I know when the flat next to me went vacant it was given a lick of paint too before they let it out but nothing painted yet either.

I still think September is looking good.

Maybe the end of September @TheTartfulLodger 😁

Well today's little peep through the square window was interesting. There's a brand new shower base in the living room waiting to be installed in the bathroom for the walk in shower 😁 🚿 I've never had a walk in shower before. Well I've not had a living room for 8 years either 😂

Oooh exciting progress

Oooooooooohhh 😱😱😱😱😱😱

New kitchen cabinets fitted. New worktops fitted. Tiled kitchen walls. Shower base fitted. Tiles on bathroom walls. Flooring for kitchen and bathroom rolled up and ready to lay.

It's getting much closer to completion now 😳🙂

Seen this thread for the first time @TartfulLodger1

Really excited for you, sounds like they have gutted the place and you've got basically a brand new flat - congrats! I hope you hear from them soon about a move date

I soooo hope you are right. It's been a long wait. It is all I think about every day now.

So I met the neighbour and had a long chat this evening. There's a backstory with the basement. It turns out the entrance is inside the actual flat and it will be mine for storage. I already knew the council had found a massive problem with damp in the basement which had delayed things. The neighbour told me the previous tenant had complained for years about damp and mould and was found dead in the basement after falling down the stairs. It just feels so sad. I know I have to keep it in perspective and life goes on and it will be my new home now but I can't help feel sadness for the poor lady. The neighbour said she was the last person to see her alive and it felt like the lady had to die for the council to finally do something about the damp.

I'm going to light a candle for her as soon as I move in and use a white sage smudge stick to cleanse the energy.

I’ve just stumbled on your thread Tartful and wanted to wish you all the very best for your new home.

It is really, really sad what happened to the lady who lived there before. Lighting a candle and keeping her in your thoughts is lovely of you. And perhaps the best way to honour her is to love your new home and all the new chapters it will bring.

I've spoken to the contractors today. The manager of voids has asked them to forward their apologies to me for the length of time it has taken to get the property ready. They say they aim to hand the keys back to the council on 6th September and the reason it took so long was because the tanking of the basement was tricky and complex and they were not able to do any work on the flat itself until they knew the tanking had worked. So I have a target now. I was thinking late September anyway. Only really weeks away now ❤️

Ooooh, just a few weeks! Good that they're still communicating with you and the contractors know theres a real person waiting rather than a vague concept of it... that should help a bit!

Ooooh such a positive update . End of the road is in sight

I know. It feels more real than ever now. It’s all I think about and I have butterflies all the time 😝

Ooh how lovely. Not long now and you will get the keys to your new home. Have a fab time shopping for new home bits. Just in time for autumn.

@TheTartfulLodger

The best of luck with your move. You should do a blog - you write very well - not least because you're reminding me how fortunate I am to own a nice home in a nice area - I'm in my fifties and was able to buy when property was much cheaper. The housing situation in UK is atrocious. It gives me the rage tbh.

Looking forward to your updates .....

It has been quite drawn out. I was in the highest band for medical need because I need adaptations but I still had to bid against hundreds of people for just over 3 years. Lots of let downs to find the perfect home. I’ll probably cry the first night I’m there.

sooooooooo....

Pray to god i don't lose the keys as often as i lose my log in 😂

finally had the viewing. it is amazing. the basement is like a second living room!

kitchen still needs wiring

bedroom.

my lovely walk in shower. forgot the living room.

so around a month before i can move in as its going to be painted for me.