To leave social housing to private rent.

[CoconutSky]

I’ve made threads about my social housing flat
Ground floor, adapted, ridiculously small kitchen and full of what they describe as “condensation”

I keep complaining, asking them for a move and I’m getting nowhere just being stuck on their allocations bidding list when their larger properties only go to homeless nominations

I am depressed, anxious, miserable and full of anger. I can’t exchange, decorating has been a waste of time as the mould has just ruined it all

Has anyone got any experience of leaving a social housing property for a private rental?

The only other alternative that I had was to approach north east relocations. They do have HA properties that can be easier to find than most areas of the country.

There is also a scheme called home finder (not the normal hoem finder for council house tenants to swap) which works with councils and if you are on the housing register, you can register with them and work with them to be relocated. The catch is this scheme is to help councils rent their hard to let properties to people who are desperate to move and can't get a look in otherwise.

I really hope you find a solution OP. Home is so so important and everyone deserves for their home to feel like a sanctuary and safe space, even if it isn't perfect.

Sorry to be annoying but have you followed all advice for the moisture, do you have dehumidifiers etc? Do you air the whole flat out for a decent amount of time? Can you get a tumble dryer or use a laundrette so their isn't clothes drying in the house?

Disagree with this as new legislation means private tenants have more rights than landlords. I would seriously consider going private. Despite the upheaval would a less expensive area help with costs?

Does the father of your child contribute maintenance? Could he help at all?

If you can afford it go for a private rental. I've lived in damp housing and it is miserable. We moved and I could smell the damp on things when we moved which I hadn't noticed before. I'm guessing me and my children were walking around smelling of damp and not noticing because we had gone nose blind to it. My damp house was a private rental so that can happen anywhere but finding another private rental is quicker than waiting for social housing if you can afford it.

Your daughters room is full of stuff and stinks - do you dry clothes indoors? do you store stuff against an outside wall. I would clean the walls line with polystyrene never dry clothes indoors and start from there

And always have a window open.

I disagree with your post, I'm afraid.

I lived for 12 years in a private rented house. Moved in when son was 5. He went through the entire school system.
DD was born whilst living there... Nursery, 3 years at primary...

Landlord decided to sell.

Officially homeless for 14 months until we got the property where we are now.
It's the other side of town, huge upheaval, change of schools for DD, a loss of neighbours and friends. A loss of our home.

Whatever stringent laws you think apply to a private landlord, apply doubly so to council and there is never any security.
You may think there is, you spend 12 years paying off their mortgage... And then you're out.

So @CoconutSky I do think you are better staying put unless @Parispoem has endured a miraculous situation whereby they went through similar, gave up a secure tenancy, got made homeless and was handed another secure tenancy on a silver platter within minutes of the bailiffs arriving.

Thought not.

Agree. HA properties are like gold dust. I’ve heard there is a ten year waiting list in one London Borough. Private renting is precarious at the best of times and it really isn’t the best of times at the moment. You need to pester and advocate for yourself OP to get these repairs done. You sound like you’re throughly fed up and therefore are hating on the home that thousands would love the opportunity to have.

Your post makes sense. However, if OP rents privately she at least will have more control over where she moves to.

And where she gets evicted from through no fault of her own.

Have you ever experienced private renting (at double social housing cost) on a low income, homelessness or council housing @Parispoem ?

To private rent you’ll possibly need a wage that covers the rent adequately, references and a large deposit. There may even be credit checks. Things have changed considerably in the last few years. It’s not likely to be the doddle you think it is. Plus, you’re at the mercy of whoever owns the house. They could decide to sell at any time and the cycle begins again; references, deposit etc.

Yes experience of private renting. it might not be ideal but you do have rights and can choose to move when you want with no ties. Liked private renting for the freedom it gave. Also enables you to try out an area before committing long term.

What a horrible situation.
Unfortunately, we are seeing private tenancy after private tenancy being ended because landlords are selling, and it looks as though that will get even worse in future.
So, I would see it as very risky to give up a secure tenancy and perhaps ending up on the eviction and finding new tenancy cycle, even if you could find a landlord who accepted tenants with Housing Allowance.

Dispiriting as it is, I think the only way is to carry on with Ombudsman, MP and mould assessments, also use the info to pursue vigorously the health route re mould effects, using press/publicity if possible.
I think the advice upthread about not letting up is spot on too, with the squeaky wheel getting the most oil. Basically, if you are enough of an issue, they will act, even if just to get you off their case.

t's difficult...you are not happy and even if the council do sort out your damp, they cant change the lack of space and you hate your neighbours . So you still won't be happy with your home.

However, private rental isn't necessary going to be better ...you have security now, which says a lot.

I think you need to weigh up the pros and cons. Maybe have a look at private rental around you, research if you could afford it and have a contingency plan if after 6 months you did have to move on as the landlord suddenly decided to sell.

But she has no control over the landlord selling and her having to move on. Private renting is very tenuous

OP would have control over where she lives. If the landlord sells up she can move somewhere else that she chooses. Not perfect but much better than being stuck somewhere you hate.

What does your tenancy agreement sat? Can you make reasonable repairs yourself? Update the place, put in humidifiers and redo the kitchen? If you have outdoor space, is there room for a shed?

Given the security and rent, I would go down that route first (even if its unfair and they are supposed to do it, but don't because they are shit). It's still better than private rental.

Regarding the neighbours, you can get shitty people everywhere. However if they are housing association renters too, you may be able to report them under anti social behaviour rules. Otherwise, put up fencing or a tall trellis to give yourself some privacy.

Get the repairs done? Is this a joke? I’ve got a flooding bathroom and a kitchen with 8cm of work top space. I hardly think their repairs policy extends to making it bigger or unadapting it. Hating on a home people wait for is just laughable.

Can’t do anything with kitchen or bathroom as adapted. No outdoor space.

OP this sounds horrendous. You know it is not sustainable and detrimental to your health. Please find somewhere else for your wellbeing

Write and call your housing association, and MP and ombudsman again.

Tell them you have contacted a national paper and they're interested in your story, particularly with Angela Raynor as your MP. Tell them you and your daughter have health problems due to the unlivable conditions in your flat. Tell them you've exhausted all other avenues to get help but that you'd rather not pursue this one, and instead get it sorted.

For various reasons I gave up social
housing to private rent, after being lucky enough to have social housing for years it got to the point where I didn’t need that support anymore, I have it back so others could benefit as I did.

For what its work I believe this is how the system should work if you are fortunate enough to be able to make other choices - I appreciate not everyone is.

Best thing i’ve ever done since i’m in no position to buy, life changing in good ways.

Find somewhere in budget and try to find a stable landlord - you can research about this when you find a property ask candid questions and google the properties history. A good landlord won’t care if you ask questions, neither will a good letting agents

No issues and lived in the same property for 6 years now.

It can be worrying if we have to move- as in finding another decent rental - but it’s not all doom and gloom and can be a good move.

If it works budget wise don’t discount it. Do your research and do it based on your needs and wants, don’t make decisions based on what might go wrong but consider what could go right.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

I feel for you. It’s a really difficult ult decision. I can say though that with private rental, if the landlord wants you out you don’t have a keg to stand on and the local authority ‘duty to house’ of MN fame is incredibly tenuous - yhd law isn’t as thorough as some naively believe. I personally wouldn’t take the chance.

OP I’m a lone parent, DD15 now but I think in your position I would consider the long term. Your DD is young just started school right so not a bad thing to consider a school move to change your living circumstances. She’ll want play dates etc soon and I guess you are also conscious about that and her space as she grows. Do you drive? Is there any area which offers more reasonable private rentals which is still accessible for work and Uni? I know short term everything seems unreasonably shit and I remember your last post, but is there a longer term way forward that you can work towards?

Get a decent electric dehumidifier or two.
not the cheapest but so effective with condensation and mould and warm the rooms up and dry your washing quickly toof never ever leave a council property compared to private landlords as your at the mercy of rent costs