Offered council house in a not very good area?

[rhinnq]

I got a call today from the council to advise me that I have been offered a property.

The property isn't in a very good area to be honest and the rent is on level with a private rent.

I am not sure if I should take it.

AIBU?

I think that’s a bit unfair, I’d be concerned if a house that is lovely inside ( which would indicate that a previous tenant had spend money on it) had a high turnover of tenants in a short period of time. Not unreasonable to be wary. Could you go to the area for a mooch around, perhaps with a friend, get a feel for what’s going on, especially evenings and weekends.

Join the local fb group for that area and ask about it 🤷‍♀️ say you are concerned as have heard bad things but wanted honesty from the people who live there or know people who live there

There's a lot to be said for feeling safe 24/7 these days - the HO don't care about that they just want to quickly move someone else in, that's their job done and you'd be stuck there - no way out. It's also a way to get people off the housing list if you refuse to take what they're offering.

I really hope things work out for you & your family xx

@Boudy thank you xx

@Enigma54 The HO basically told me they have no more empty properties and that is the one that becomes available.
She said as an offer was made I have now been removed.

@Onceisenoughta- Yes that's the impression I got as well.

When I was desperate last year and would of taken anything she had me waiting a month to see if my offer had been accepted.

In that month a tenant had already been selected from the Open Viewing and the HO was just leaving people hanging in case the referencing on that tenant failed.

I am trying upping my game now and applying for as many full time jobs as possible, I wouldn't say we will be able to afford the rent privately it will be a stretch but we really want to be closer to friends and family xx

Tough decision - but I'm pleased you declined it.

I wouldn't trade the experience of a decent neighbourhood for my children to grow and thrive in - to be closer to family.

I am not sure you will be able to overlap your tenancies. I don't think that will be allowed.

I think you will find that the newer tenancies are no longer lifetime. In my area I think you initially get a yearly tenancy and then after that it is extended to something like 20 years (this may vary by area). This is because when people get older and the children have left home, the Council can then require you to downsize to a smaller property in order to to free up the larger homes. You will always have a roof over your head though, unless I suppose you flatly refuse to move when required to do so. Presumably then they can evict you.

Only if you don't earn enough to rent privately. I know people who are privately renting and would love to go on the waiting list for social housing as the rent is so much cheaper, but they can't because their household income is too high. A few years ago it was a £40k threshold in my area, but it may well have gone up now.

That varies by area. In my area, anyone can go on the list for social housing, even home owners. There's no earnings limit.

My area has a band system and the bottom band includes people out of the area, home owners etc. They will be waiting for a long time, probably years and years but they are allowed to apply.

The tough thing for older homeowners in fairly cheap properties is that they’re stuck. Example, 80 year old couple, with declining health and mobility who own their three bedroomed terrace house. They are struggling, they have no family in the area. They can't afford to buy a specialist flat, those cost as much as their house. Their pensions aren’t enough to pay the service charges attached to these flats. But they would really benefit by having secure, level access accommodation.

If they sell it, they could afford to pay (the quite expensive) rent for a flat in a retirement complex. But local authorities will prioritise anyone over 60 in rented accommodation over owner occupiers. The problem doesn’t arise in the same way for the better off, their house will fund and sustain buying retirement housing. Not every home owner has earned a lot, they have made a choice that in retrospect has left them discriminated against.

Id be interested to know the area so I could look at this allocations policy . Pm me if you prefer.

theres bedroom tax here but only if you rely on benefits to pay your rent….if you pay your own rent you can stay in a 3 bed until the day you die ….we don’t have housing associations…only council homes….after one year you are given a secure tenancy with no end date

There’s no upper earnings threshold with our council….you could earn 100k ….there is however an affordability check so if you deemed not to have enough money coming in ( eg debts) you will be refused…..my nephew was earning 80k before giving up his council house to buy

Pensioners are exempt from bedroom tax in England. It only applies to working age people. In my area, you can only get HA homes via the Council, in addition to Council homes.

We are lucky enough to be in a council house we pay just over half what the private rent would be but we are in East London, rents are extortionate