AIBU? Council repairs leaving my 86-year-old mum with nowhere suitable to live

[WhiteWinePls]

I am my mum’s full-time carer. She is 86 and has lived in her council home for all of her life. She has agoraphobia. That home has now fallen into such a dangerous state that it is uninhabitable while major repairs are carried out — likely for around 6 months.

The council’s “solution” has been to offer temporary accommodation that is completely unsuitable for her, given her needs. My mum, who has paid rent faithfully for decades, is being left with nowhere safe to go. At her age, with her health, this upheaval feels cruel and frightening. They’ve adopted a ‘like it or lump it’ position with no negotiation.

I have managed to find a flat that would keep her safe and stable until she can return home. I can also stay with her to provide the full-time care she needs. The problem is that the landlord is asking for 6 months' rent up front plus a deposit, and I do not have that kind of money as I am a full-time carer.

AIBU to ask if anyone has advice on where to turn — such as charities that could help or schemes like Discretionary Housing Payments — I would be so grateful. Also has anyone ever tried setting up a fundraiser in this situation, and do you think this would be appropriate here?

Grateful for any advice. Thank you.

No it isn't. Clean and decorated, yes. Not sorting out shite like rising damp, leaky pointing or roofs causing water ingress etc.

Councils like to blame any mould problems on "condensation" from tenants not opening windows (because they can't afford to heat the place) and drying laundry inside (because they cant afford a tumble dryer). Whilst this may be true in some cases, just as often it's not.

A lot of council blocks are old and in an extremely poor state, just about legal structurally but basically uninhabitable to anyone who wants to keep their health intact. In that condition, they really need knocking down and rebuilding. No amount of anti-mould paint and bodgy repairs is going to fix the situation. But there's no funds for rebuilding or anywhere to rehouse the tenants into. So the blocks have to be absolutely dire and deemed completely unsafe for this to happen. In that situation those tenants aren't rehoused temporarily but permanently.

What is unsuitable about the offer they made? Start there, and determine what changes you think are required

Did she carry out any care or maintenance?

I would expect that the whole block of houses would be in the same state then. Round here the council carry out building maintenance on a rolling programme - so my MIL had a new kitchen and bathroom as did all her neighbours. But I agree that major works are the landlord’s responsibility.

Major works yes, but I'd argue that everyday maintenance and wear and tear type repairs are the responsibility of the person living there.

OP, where do you live at the moment?

Agree with above poster about contacting adult care team - some care homes accept council funding with a top up from resident/family and she could go into a residential care home for six months?

Why is her house in such a poor state, and what is wrong with the temporary accommodation on offer?

It probably is. Hence the rats. Impossible to keep them out if the place is basically falling apart. If they know the place is beyond redemption they don't waste money trying to patch it up unless you shout really loudly and start the legal route, as OP has done.

We’re taking about massive holes in the floorboards and walls with rats running around, ceiling falling in, broken gas pipe, etc etc.

@FKAT you are absolutely right to flag that in your last paragraph. I don’t want financial help from humans, just whatever Mum is entitled to from the state, given she has worked all her life and has been living in an uninhabitable home which has impacted her health for over 20 years.

Is the issue that they've offered her over 65s housing and you aren't able to stay there?

@Lemonsugarpancake no.

No one can help advise you until you say why she is rejecting the current temporary housing offer. Their duty to house her will end if she refuses that offer. She will need to have a good case as to why it is unsuitable. That’s where you need to direct your argument.

I don't think we're going to get the honest story here. The little information doesn't make sense.

Maybe your mum can stay with you while she's waiting OP.

Then you'd be wrong.

Even if you put a cricket ball through the window, they'd not want you doing your own repairs, they'd want you using their repair team and then they'd bill you/your insurance if you have it, for the cost.
Your toilet cracks due to old age, they replace it.
Thugs kick your door in, they repair or replace as necessary.
Blocked pipes, they send a plumber to sort it out.
Hell, they are even responsible for a dripping tap.

No repairs are tenants responsibility, even if they caused the damage.

She is entitled to an alternative temporary housing that meets her needs and the council believes that have offered that. Additionally she would be entitled to whatever care package she is assessed as needing following a care act assessment. This might include a stay in a care home if her needs are really 24-7

OP, you really need to say why the temporary housing she's been offered is unsuitable. How far you get with an appeal/your MP etc will depend on your reasons, and no one can offer decent advice without knowing the whole picture.

Assuming this is true (unlikely but I don't know the rules of every borough/HA) then it's still the responsibility of the tenant to notify the council and give them access for the works. Being a responsible tenant doesn't mean you have to do everything but it does mean you have to communicate and give access.

It is very rare tennants are billed for repairs OP. Yes they want notifying of repairs or damage and use their own teams of trades. Something smells off with your post ..Christ I would be taking all help offered to get her settled and comfortable back in her home if it is as bad as you say.

just whatever Mum is entitled to from the state,

That's a single bed room with shared bathroom in a b&b, for temporary accommodation. Paid for in full by the housing benefit, regardless of the cost. If she's agoraphobic and never goes out it doesn't even matter what floor it's on, once she's in there.

If she wants to keep her furniture (if it can't stay in situ whilst repairs are done), she'll be expected to store it with a friend or relative, or pay for a storage unit and moving costs herself, just like anyone homeless would have to. If none of these are an option she'll have to pay council tip collection to come take it away and dispose of it (it won't be suitable for donating to charity if she's in a mouldy, rat infested home).

There'll be a grant available for bare essentials replacement furniture (of the cheapest-they-sell-in-Argos type) when she returns home. She'll need to apply to the discretionary assistance fund. It'll be a voucher, so if she wants better furniture she can put her own money towards it too. Or she can buy less items with the voucher and look for good quality second hand stuff, either from charity shop or privately on Facebook etc. Check out charities too. In my area there's a local one that'll drop to your doorstep (and no further) bare essentials of furniture and white goods, these are second hand donations, you don't get to pick and choose though. It's available to people on income related benefits moving into a new home (she'd probably qualify), for just an admin fee.

I'm afraid you're wanting the-moon-on-a-stick in this situation. They can and do move people from one type of temporary accommodation to another though, so her circumstances could improve within the 6 months. Depends if you're nice or not, frankly. And whether there's something more suitable available at all.

This was my previous post:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5380701-to-be-scared-to-sleep-because-theres-a-rat-in-my-house?postsby=ScaredOfRat&page=1

The Council were so angry about the fuss I caused, they sent a surveyor round to condemn the house and tell us to leave. This was the same surveyor who said the house was “fine” on his last visit.

I feel like they are punishing us 😔.

It's an elderly woman were discussing with mental health needs. It's not a black and white situation.

It is true.

You're right about allowing access though and reporting repairs. OP doesn't say her mum didn't do this, I don't think? Just that the property is in a state.

I know it's hard to believe that social housing could be this lax on repairs (let's face it, it's illegal) but some LL really are. Either in general or with certain blocks that they know are beyond any real recovery, where they know any type of repair isn't going to last and is therefore a waste of money. They bank on the tenants being too frail, unwell, or of low intelligence - as well as too poor - to fight back.

The state of that house is shocking! Did the council really just ignore all that and refuse to do any repairs for decades? Appalling.
But all the more reason to take the temp accommodation and get it sorted if you possibly can!

Ok, then she's being rehoused as homeless then. This is probably for the best. 6 months after she moved back in there things would only be bad again.

Honestly, what did you expect? Once the property is void, there's no rush to repair it. They prioritise tenanted property for repairs. I expect they'll leave it empty forever now, until the block comes down. Or they'll patch it up and rent it to someone who they'll hope is less fussy.

If your mum doesn't accept the temporary accommodation, she'll be discharged from their duty to rehouse her under the homeless act. So she needs to choose. Take the councils offer of temporary accommodation and bid for permanent property again or move into the private rental you've been lucky enough to find (if it's still available).

take the temp accomodation

if you private rent your likely to be told to stay as you"can afford it"