To refuse a council property

[Violetroseyjane]

My children & I have been in temporary accommodation moved around alot for 3 years. I have to bid weekly on properties that become available through the council.
I bid on a property in a town 3 miles from me , the town itself its absolutely lovely.
So I realise I was number 1 out of 128 people, got excited drove to the address , however the council doesnt not provide a house number etc so I walked around trying to find an empty property.
There it was in all its glory an absolute s**t hole 😭 there is no garden as it is completely and utterly overgrown and I mean like a forest, both front and back.
I looked through the windows and from what I can see it has been treated like some kind of drug den, dirty mattresses and rubbish on the floor, two of the windows are boarded up with planks of wood. It's a very old council property too. The pathways leading up to the front and back doors covered in junk and rubbish , food containers, boxes, old toys , one of the small windows has been left open and u can smell the stench off wee as you get close coming from the house!
So the thing is I dont expect a property to be perfect in the slightest, howeve rthe amount if work needed to get this property up to standard would cost an absolute fortune.
I am a single parent & I an constantly skint now ! I work as much as I possibly can with little help with childcare etc.
How would I ever get this property decent enough to live in?
If I refuse this house I may get thrown off the list , atleast I will be told I cannot bid on a property for over a year and we are sick of being in temporary.
I'm in a pickle really.
I have not one person to help me with the garden.
What exactly will the council do to this property before we move in? Does anyone know? Obviously they must have to replace the windows, but a friend of mine has just said to me that is all they will have to do & clear some rubbish, they wont do the garden or anything and that will all be left to me.
Any advice over what to do in this situation please?

If the area is good, I would go for it, especially if it's just cosmetic issues, it will take time but then it will eventually become the house you want

They will make the house fit to live in. They may not do much to the garden. Just get a pair of shears, or borrow some gardening equipment.

You’d be foolish to turn down an affordable, secure home because of things that can be sorted over time.🤷‍♀️

When buying property the two mantras are:
Location location location
and
Buy the worst house on the best street

I know it will have been a shock but surely once the garden is made safe and cleared you can work away at sorting it out. Inside the house will be cleared they won't expect you to do it. I mean you can take it or not but surely it's better than temp accommodation, and you can work away at it slowly to make a home for you and the kids.

Op garden can be fixed basically with no cost, you just need a little bit of elbow grease to do it- you'll be in no time pressure as well.

I'm sure that there will be some kind people who would like to help you with it as it'll increase the kerb appeal for the whole area.

Mumsnett may help with the lots of budget friendly ideas too.

I have no experience with LiveWest.
but I would reckon they are far better than the actual Local Authority.

It sounds a fabulous location !

re carpets - you may find some on local Facebook groups ? ( does Free Cycle still exist ? or whatever it was called. )
There is also the NextDoor website - if you put up a request you just might find someone who is renewing their carpets and would be delighted their old carpets were ' wanted ' no it won't be the colour you want but could be better than nothing ?
or I know in Torbay there is one company that lets you pay weekly.

If/when you do have money for new carpets - Trago Mills is one of the cheapest around, but they don't fit so you would need to find a carpet fitter.

You could maybe put up a request on Facebook local to see if there is someone to help sort out the garden although you might not want randoms hanging about but it's something to think about.

OP, it might not even be that property!

Just get all the info, and ask that they make it liveable , including clearing tree branches that block windows.

And you might find some willing helpers in the area.

I know it’s probably overwhelming but try and see it as a positive that you WILL have a lovely garden if you’re ready to take on a challenge. Gardening is a really addictive, cheap (if you’re careful) and healthy hobby. There are loads of SM accounts that take on overgrown gardens and the results are brilliant and must be so satisfying. It’s amazing what a couple of hours with some garden shears and pure determination can achieve. I wouldn’t turn down a house in a lovely location for an overgrown garden. I’m sure you’ll look back at it this time next year and be proud of what you’ve achieved. Good luck.

Ring Shelter and ask their advice. 0808 800 4444

Always have the worst house on the best street. In a year yours will be grand. It's just the garden

I'm local and have the strongest local connection in my area for the property and a key worker

What does your key worker do? Can you ask them for advice?

I read that to mean she is a key worker.

This happens where I live too. Some get a new kitchen or bathroom or even both. They strim down jungle gardens and all previous tenants junk is removed. It might be painted too. Ring council and ask what work is planned before you move in. If you turn it down, you after you bid on it you might not get offered anything else. All houses can be made lovely again with enough work and funds.

@Violetroseyjane it sounds from the posts you have written that you will take it. Please do. I'm not sure of your council policy but mine for people in temporary accommodation is one offer only. If its turned down. Council end their duty kick the person out of temporary accommodation. And social services become involved as thru have a duty to the child . I'm in London though so it may be totally different for your area.

When places are let via council/social housing . Its just a shell and it feels very overwhelming. They will fit a new kitchen if it's needed. Same with bathroom etc . But it will be bare walls and floors .

You could paint all the walls white . It will brighten it up and give you a blank canvas for when your ready to decorate . My dd bought carpet and underlay she paid 10.00 a week. Or put an add on local groups see if anyone is giving away paint and other things you need.

Try and get into a positive mindset . I get its hard . But think about how you would like it to be . Picture it In your mind then do a little at a time .

Honestly you will be ok 💐

I've yanked out rotten floor joist and replaced them too. Once you get the new ones in and the floor back down the new joist should last for 80 years. It's quite satisfying getting rid of old rotting timber and replacing it with new.

If the council don't do the garden you can hire a person with an industrial strimmer to get rid of it for you. Then you'd just need to dig the roots out.

This sounds so wonderful for you OP, what an opportunity! It'll take time and effort but it will be so worth it in the long run! There is another thread about a poster who was given a HA house with no flooring and there are a ton of great ideas on there. I'll see if I can find it and link it for you. For now, insta and Pintrest are your friends. Loads of accounts where people have been given property in a similar state. Think of it as a challenge but it will be yours!!

Have you been back to the council and asked what they will do to make it liveable in?

Can’t afford to carpet my council house http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/amiibeingunreasonable/5067330-cant-afford-to-carpet-my-council-house

This is the one!

My sil got a council house (not far from Looe) last year after being in temporary accommodation for a few years.
It wasn't great but they have done a room at a time and its coming along really good now.

know that yes it's going to take time but in a few years you will look back and feel proud of what you have achieved.

Whilst they might not generally sort gardens, if yours is as bad as you say they might need to in order to prevent damage to the property e g. damp caused by overgrown plants right by the house or damage from branches, roots etc.

My council house was awful when we got it. 70s wallpaper thick with nicotine. Over grown garden. Mouldy carpets.

They rip it all out and it took us years but we made it nice.

Thing is this is a home for life. It's worth the time and effort. Especially if it's a nice area

it will not be let out in its current condition, councils legally have to let it out to the decent home standard act 2023, ask your local council for their checklist.

My house had a huge rat infestation, was in disrepair as the previous tenant had refused to allow work in the property, there was no central heating. Before I moved in, the whole place was rewired and replastered, the kitchen and bathroom were replaced. When I moved in there was still a lot that needed to be done, but I made a list, took photos and badgered the housing officer until it was done. They replaced the fencing, skirting boards which were cotton, cleared the rubbish from the garden.
Take the house. It will be worth it the long term. My home is lovely now.