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AIBU?

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Original poster

To refuse a council property

153 replies

Violetroseyjane · 09/05/2024 17:49

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?

OP posts:
Serencwtch · 09/05/2024 20:13

Ours was a shit hole. The council removed everything including carpets. The garden was cleared of rubbish but left overgrown. We were given decorating vouchers which covered everything as we did it all ourselves so had it done nicely how we wanted it at no cost.

The only way to find out is to ask the council. They have to make it safe so they have to remove the rubbish etc.

It's got to be better than temporary housing even if it's alot of work at first.

ALovelyCupOfNameChange · 09/05/2024 20:24

i am pleased your not going to let it put you off completely. It sounds daunting but it also sounds like there’s so many positives and it can be incredibly beautiful.
I bet there’s all sorts of lovely plants in that garden just hiding. And you’ll actually be able to garden your own garden, you’ll be able to plant a tree and see it grow!
If you’ve strong links in the community you never know who might be able to help or lend you tools - or a goat!
accept plenty of help and I wish you the best of luck in your new home that you can put pictures up, and decorate however you want.

  • from a long term renter who knows the struggle
Blushingm · 09/05/2024 20:27

Thank yourself lucky! There are people who would be grateful. Even if it takes sone work on your part you'll have a home with a secure tenancy

Original poster
Violetroseyjane · 09/05/2024 20:42

Shinyandnew1 · 09/05/2024 18:35

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 am a key worker in the local area

OP posts:
EC22 · 09/05/2024 20:45

Sounds like you’d have short term pain for long term gain.

Viviennemary · 09/05/2024 20:48

Surely it needs to be habitable before it can be rented out. You need to think carefully before you refuse it and try and find out what refurbishment will be done.

KatieB55 · 09/05/2024 20:50

If you contact a local volunteer centre you might get someone who would be happy to help you sort the garden & decorating.

Passthepickle · 09/05/2024 20:50

Where I am you get a place with no curtains, carpets and the garden as seen. There is a grant so you can get two rooms carpeted in one of three choices of carpet.

A giant tub of white paint, Facebook market place and the hire of a set of hedge trimmers or chain saw and it will be unrecognisable. A few years on and it will be a delight. Be happy.

TheMamaYo · 09/05/2024 20:52

Ask them for a few days rent free to sort the property if you can. Clean and paint before you move in. Look at freecycle, FB marketplace etc for free paint. Contact your local carpet places to ask for big off cuts, or again, keep an eye out on freecycle.
You’ll make it into a home even before you move in, OP. And it’ll be worth every minute.

Fingers crossed that it’ll all work out.

AGovernmentOfLawsNotOfMen · 09/05/2024 20:53

The house we are currently in was empty for a while and overgrown. Some windows completely masked with bushes and ivy even at first floor level.
Its doable. I’m late 50s and I work ( no small kids obvs).
A little bit and often and a good hedge cutter and you’ll get there eventually.

Personally I’d be more concerned about the smell of wee and I’d ask the council if they can deal with that.

Trulyme · 09/05/2024 20:55

They will clear the property and make it half decent.

But it wouldn’t bother me anyway.

Would you rather stay in temporary accommodation/be kicked off the list or have to do a bit of extra work to get the property looking better?

You already know the answer.

Anyone can make a home and garden look nice but it’s the area that is something you cannot change and so if the area is nice then I would snatch their hand off.

You can also exchange in the future if it’s in a nice area.

I live in Cornwall too and the homechoice list is not good.
Being offered anything half decent is amazing.

This is just your anxiety talking because you are feeling overwhelmed but please don’t listen to it.
Accepting this property will be the best thing you’ve ever done!!

Just be prepared that if you do get offered it and it’s in this state, that it might take a couple of weeks or more before you get the keys.
I would still grab it though!!

Please keep us updated as I am sooo excited for you!!!

Calamitycassie · 09/05/2024 20:56

Surely the council rip it all out and make it look like a new build before you move in anyway?

that’s what happens to anyone I’ve known with a council house

AGovernmentOfLawsNotOfMen · 09/05/2024 20:57

Ps.
Its cheaper to seal floorboards and buy rugs or carpet cutoffs which you can then turn into rugs with a carpet edger ( hobby shop )

Also I wouldn’t lay underlay and permanent carpets over previously weed upon floors. They need time to breath to really get rid of the smell, it will linger for a while.

AlwaysGinPlease · 09/05/2024 20:58

I assume they won't hand it over to you in that state. You can take it or let it go to someone else and I guess get refused anything else. Surely a stable place to live is the best option for you and your DC.

peacefull · 09/05/2024 21:03

I would take it with time and a little TLC it will be home.
The garden you can just chop chop chop bit by bit.
My flat when i got it wasnt to bad to be fair BUT omg it needed a paint job.
It took some time but i did it.
Look at what it can be with time and effort.
I know plenty of people that would be happy to do the work just to call it a home.

Investinmyself · 09/05/2024 21:06

They can’t hand it over to you in a dangerous condition. So if the garden is full of broken glass, rubble etc they will need to clear it.
It’s a thing on instagram for people to have accounts showing them doing up council houses on a budget.

LakeTiticaca · 09/05/2024 21:10

Go for it. It will be cleared and brought up to standard before you move in. Then you can put your own stamp on it, little by little
Enjoy your new home when you get into it. The neighbours will be grateful to have you, rather than the previous ones!!

WorriedMama12 · 09/05/2024 21:10

They will, at the very least, clear it out for you. You'll probably get a decorating voucher or they'll paint all the walls magnolia. The garden, well, once you've saved a bit of money, you could buy a cheap lawnmower and tidy it up.

I'd accept it if the alternative is being thrown off the list. You might have a three strikes and you're off, check with the council.

VeraForever · 09/05/2024 21:11

If you're offered a property with a garden , it's up to you to make good. As all council tenants are meant to.
You cut it all down , bag it up and leave it out.
Too many council tenants think it's the council's job to clear their garden.

If a private buyer bought a property with an overgrown garden then the property buyer has to deal with it.

VeraForever · 09/05/2024 21:11

However , fly tipping will need to be addressed and the council should deal with it.

LondonJax · 09/05/2024 21:12

So you've not actually seen inside, only through the windows? Which means you've not been offered the chance to view yet so there's no need to even think whether you'd take it. By the time you see it with a proper viewing, it will have been refurbished. And you're not even sure if this is the right house as you don't know the number because you've not had an invitation to view.

Don't panic and don't try to second guess. Wait to get the viewing details and take it from there.

Good luck!

S72 · 09/05/2024 21:14

The landlord will have a void process/checklist to bring the property to a lettable standard.

The property should meet the decent homes standard and checked for any hazards.

You could also ask the LL to ensure the garden is stripped back. If it is as overgrown as you described, it sounds like it could be a potential health and safety hazard to your children. Also there is a risk of vermin and structural damage if vegetation us climbing up the walls. This could lead to moisture going over the damp proof course and potentially leading to damp/mould.

Loubelle70 · 09/05/2024 21:15

HumanRightsAreHumanRights · 09/05/2024 17:55

Before you move in, the council normally go in and strip out all contents (even carpets and lampshades) from a property, get in the garden with a strimmer/mower and a skip if needed so most of that stuff should be gone before you move in.

If you refuse it after you bid on it, you may find you are downgraded on the waiting list.

Blimey... our council do nothing..their properties are horrendous...i work whereas im closely linked to council...ive aired these views. Damp...no repairs being done..1980s damp kitchen units...leaks....the whole lot. Shit holes tbh. Its as if people who are on council list should feel 'lucky' to get one of these properties .. angers me

theteddybear · 09/05/2024 21:20

I would take it. It won't be easy but it's somewhere to call home and you can try and do it bit by bit.

I imagine worse case scenario is they don't do the garden but if it's as bad as you say I'm sure they've have to make it reasonable.

I'd advise looking up the TikTok account Alex & remi it's about a single mum with a young toddler that gets a council house. It was in some mess when she got it and lots of people had refused it. The council actually had to put in a new kitchen for her as there wasn't one there! They replastered all the walls too. She's done it up now and it's a beautiful home for her and her little one.

Maybe you would be entitled to some help with the costs to carpet and floor it. Worth asking anyway.

rudep · 09/05/2024 21:27

Hi
I moved into a council house just over 10 years ago and it was in an awful state. The house had rats, the previous tenants had smeared literal shit over the walls, they had smashed parts of the kitchen up and the fire was smashed too. The rear garden was completely unusable as someone had poured concrete over large parts of it and it was uneven and completely overgrown. It had so much rubbish in it and hadn't been decorated in about 20/30 years and the people were chronic smokers.

I was heavily pregnant at the time and whilst they did take out the rubbish that was pretty much it. I was a single parent on my own with a disabled child and was given a decorating allowance of £36 for the whole house and they didn't replace the kitchen, just patched it up.

Anyway, it is now completely transformed and no one would ever guess it is the same house. It truly does feel like home and I feel so lucky and privileged to have a council house. I am currently sitting all cosy in my living room.

Please please take it, it will be rough for a couple of years but before you know it, it will be a distant memory! I couldn't even afford carpet when I moved in, so I just got my living room and daughter's bedroom done and put white paint on the walls as that's all I could afford. You will be absolutely fine Smile