Council house offer

[JazzieJazzie]

I’m currently on the list for a council house and I’ve had to tick two areas or more areas (suburbs) as preference. On the form I highlighted the areas within suburbs that I could move to due to my son being in comp and needing to easily access his school himself in the morning. Just had an email stating that the council have to put me down for all the areas on the list which is worrying as my son might not be able to access his school easily.

Has anyone got any experience of being offered a council house? Apparently you only have one offer and if you turn it down that is it and you go to the bottom of the list again.

Some of the areas are in very deprived areas too which is a worry.

Has anyone been offered a council house and what kind of condition is it in? Also concerned that what I’m offered will be in a bad condition and need a lot of work.

Thanks!

It's definitely a lottery and not in the good sense. I was offered one many many years ago and it was in a very rough area. I turned it down and as you said, went right to the bottom of the list 😔

With council house allocations it’s a matter of “beggars can’t be choosers”
there is such a shortage at the moment that it’s lucky to be even offered a place.

If you have specific requirements such as a physical disability and get offered a place with stairs that’s a reasonable requirement to turn down a place but if it’s a matter of it’s a deprived area then you have refused an offer.

All council/HA places have to be a certain condition- it won’t cover cosmetic but you can get vouchers for paint etc.

You need to check your local council as there could be a penalty for refusing You could be moved down the list or removed completely.

Ring the council and have. A conversation of them and ask them to reconsider the areas.

Council house will be in a basic condition, they'll take out flooring and any major faults will be mended. I had a new kitchen / bathroom and internal doors as the previous ones had holes in them. The walls were orange with nicotine, sugar wash and a good coat of white paint until I was ready to decorate properly.

Yeah that’s what I’ve been told unfortunately. It’s not an option for my son to move schools and I don’t drive so he needs to be able to get a bus in the morning unless we strike gold and are offered a house in the same area as his comp (where we are living now)

In my local authority, school location is not taken into consideration. It feels very harsh, but the thinking is keeping children from being street homeless is the priority, and education can be relocated after the fact.

The local authority does provide 4 weeks transport to allow for time to move schools, to help the family sort term.

In this area, and others I’ve lived in people ‘bid’ for properties which are suitable.

The property is then allocated to the person who is ‘top of the priority list’ although that in itself seems quite complicated.

The only time I have heard of people being removed from the list for refusing a property is when they were homeless and given top priority banding. They were then expected to take any property to alleviate their homelessness.
I think the property has to be suitable in terms of size and maybe other criteria, but not sure this would include specific locations.

Yeah that’s what I thought, even though I did put the area where his school is as a priority. He’s technically got only 3 years left of comp so where we are won’t be an issue once he leaves school.

It doesn't sound like you're in an area with a choice based lettings policy where the onus is on you to bid for properties you like the look of. If not, then unfortunately you can be offered a place anywhere in your area and usually have to have a very good reason for turning it down. Does your son have any additional needs that mean he has to stay at that particular school? If so, provide the evidence to the housing department and I'm sure they'd take that into account. If you are fleeing dv, then you can say you need to avoid areas where the perpetrator lives but, again, might need to provide evidence.

People are accepted onto the housing register because they are currently in difficult housing circumstances and/or are vulnerable and need to move.

My son does have ADHD and does receive some support although it could be argued that he could receive that support in another school.

We are fleeing DV (not physical abuse but we do need to leave) My sons school is actually in the same area as my ex but I would still consider staying in that area (if offered a property)for my sons education/to be close to his friends.

I live in a council flat and same process here you bidded for what you want and if top of list you get it. So you do have a choice what uou apply for but I think you can refuse once then get a second choice. I accepted my first choice as it was perfect.

Yes unfortunately, as others have said, they don't take account of schooling. You would need to take the property and then potentially try and exchange if you need a different area.

Thought all areas had this choose and bid system. Certainly my authority the surrounding ones do to

That’s what I’m hoping for that I can have a chance to bid on a property and have some choice in where we end up.

I hope that’s the case and that I can bid on properties instead of just being offered one which could be anywhere. Did you have the exact address of the property you were bidding on?

You’ll be waiting years most likely if you have only just signed up to be on the list (?) and then you will be able to bid on houses you want.

I have a brand new build council house but before I got this one I lived in an older council property for over 10 years.

I really hope I’m not waiting years 😔 I’ve had to declare myself homeless due to fleeing DV so I’m hoping the wait won’t be that long.

I knew the street yes but not number

I follow a mum who is homeless with 4 kids. She’s been waiting over a year and moved between temporary accommodation.

It depends on how you reached the top of the list. If it's through gradually moving up the list over time then you usually get three offers.

If you are in emergency need and in temporary housing you may have to take what you are given.

I was in temporary accommodation and top of the list - I still had to bid on properties but was obliged to take the first one I saw unless it was seriously unsuitable. Thankfully the flat was ideal.

Yeah this is correct. If it’s emergency as in made homeless you have to take first thing you’re given as otherwise you’re classed as making yourself intentionally homeless, they’ve offered you something and you chose not to take it.

If you cannot afford a house, a house in a deprived area is better than nothing. By definition, the people in deprived areas cannot afford to live somewhere or else they would move.

I agree with PP that it's a case of beggars can't be choosers.
Unfortunately there is an overwhelming amount of people that need council housing and just not enough houses to be picky.

Hopefully they can house you in the general area you live in, by that they mean within a few miles not the neighbourhood. If you are applying in an emergency situation you can get offered further. It's a case of you needing to take what's offered unless you can find a really good reason (schools can be changed)

In my local area, you have to bid on properties. Frustratingly, I bid for 12 months on 2 bedroom houses and didn't get any response. I bid on a 2 bed flat, in desperation, and was offered it immediately! As you say, once you have been made an offer, you cannot reject it or else you are put to the bottom of the list. So, 6 years on, we are still in this little flat with no outside space for my son and drug-using neighbours. Now we are 'adequately housed', this is our lot unless a miracle happens and we can afford to buy a property for upwards of £200k (not going to happen without a lottery win!)...

So, if it is a bidding system, I would definitely say only bid on something you would 100% want to live in. However, if you really do need to find somewhere, flats do tend to be less popular than houses so are seemingly easier to get. Despite my grumbles, I am grateful - we were desperately over crowded so I was pleased to be offered something, even if it isn't ideal.