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?

Honestly I cannot see a negative to accepting this property given your updates.

Why don't you want to take it? I don't mean that to sound snarky, but genuinely not sure. I mean if you think there are better private rental properties that you can afford and could get, then leave this house for someone who would be stuck without it, otherwise snap it up!

im sorry about whats happened i really think you should taker it or you'll never get to move back

@rhinnq what HA?

I think it can be difficult to see the wood for the trees when you have been living in constant fear,stress,anxiety. Decision making can be really really hard.

My understanding of the RRB - which isn’t in place yet - is that the landlord is still able to sell the house or decide to move into it themselves (or even just claim this is their plan) which makes it less secure than a LA property

Well it's not a question then.

Take it.

I have friends that live in the area and they have all advised me to refuse it as they say "I would be crazy to live there" I think that's what is putting me off.

I have been to the area in the day time and it dosent seem that bad but apparently night time is different.
There is a lot of drug user and drug dealers who frequent the area, the area is well known for that.

What is wrong with being near a lamppost? Bright light would improve safety?

So what is your other option then?

You sound like you have decided not to take it, so I guess look at other options.

Op it might not be that the tenants chose to leave, they might not have been able to maintain the tenancy.
Ultimately if you don't take it, you've no alternative. If you do take it, and you're not happy with it, you would be in a more stable position to plan to move again.

@Lifestooshort71 the majority of people who (successfully) swap do so to be closer to friends or family in the area, so it's less about how 'naice' the area is than you'd think. I say successfully because loads of people seek a swap because they need somewhere bigger, but there's very little reason for anyone with a larger property to downsize, especially knowing that they won't stand a chance of re-applying for a bigger property in future if they wanted one.

@rhinnq You’ve answered your own question haven’t you ? If you turn it down you’re off the list. If you can’t afford private not sure what choice you have

So what are your choices, I don’t understand. Can you spell it out?

(you are being incredibly unreasonable to reject a house due to it being under a street lamp)

(can you work full time?)

@Boudy yes that's how I feel. I do find making decisions very hard due to constant stress and anxiety.

@whynotwhatknot - This is exactly what I feel, I will never get to move back and just be stuck here with no friends or family here.

Before this offer I was trying to save money so I could pay rent upfront to move back but it just feels impossible with kids and only working part time.

I have been looking for full time work but I live in a small semi rural town.

It's your only option to not feel isolated away from family so I'd take it.

It sounds like you have little choice unless you just don't move?

But do your friends understand what effect a refusal will have? Do they realise that you will be removed from the waiting list and you will still have nowhere to live? You will be worse off if you refuse, not better off. To me, it seems really risky to refuse. You don’t need to live there forever but it sounds more suited to you than where you live now.

OP is the offered property closer to your friends and family? I understand where you live is nicer, but how much value is that if you're feeling isolated?
I appreciate you have had people say they wouldn't live there, but do they realise how little choice you have? I remember my boomer parents helpfully telling me that they thought I was crazy to live in a terrace without a drive and only two bedrooms, how could I stand the noise and the lack of privacy- I was thrilled to be able to afford it, they were so out of touch with reality and when I tried to explain how expensive it was to rent or buy they just said I mustnt have shopped around for good deals.

Ex housing advisor here. You can't refuse without an extremely good reason (and a bad area isnt one of them).

Reading between the lines, you havent been offered a council house, you will have been offered a private rental through a council private landlord scheme which is slightly different. Take it otherwise they will discharge duty and you're on your own.

(**I am of course happy to be corrected if there is any other information to be shared)

If your current housing is suitable, and your neighbours are nice etc. but the only issue is that you are far away from family and friends then I'd actually stick to where you are. It is hard to be isolated but could you try and combat that with things like more regular video calls, making plans to visit family for weekends, and making more friends near to where you are now?

It sounds like you're quite sure this home is very rough. Living with drug dealers nearby, antisocial behaviour, rubbish all over roads etc is just awful. In one home I felt anxious every time I went in or out because of how awful my neighbours were and that was before I had kids. If it was post-kids I'd have been a nervous wreck.

If there's nothing actually wrong with your current place, except location, I'd be reluctant to move.

I agree with this.

I would be more intentional about scheduling time with friends/family and remain in a nice/safe place for my children.

So OP am I understanding correctly that you are already in social housing in a different area?
In which case, no I wouldn't move to a rough area. But an hour isn't far away to me. But only you can decide what is more important.

Take and exchange as soon as you can

Really? Seriously? Do you actually need somewhere to live? If so, accept it. You applied for CH, you waited on the list, you've been offered a property but ... it's ... (too hot? too cold? too big? too small?, too many streetlights? honestly, Goldilocks...)

This is Britain, millions of people live successfully in 'dodgy' areas. Frankly, most all of Britain is dodgy. I live in a bougie village but we are a hotspot for burglaries and the delivery drivers steal parcels like a reverse Father Christmas. It looks twee and posh here but I'd never leave my doors unlocked and my neighbours have webcams on their bike stores. In the nearby Cathedral city, ladies routinely have their bags snatched - I witnessed this at my own table in a restaurant!

Either you need CH - in which case, you'd be thrilled to accept the housing everyone else is subsidising for you OR make your own way.

Nobody visits as it's too far and my kids miss seeing their family.

There isn't a lot going on down here as it's a very small town, even options for the kids is very limited.

Its defo a HA as I applied directly to them after being sent a list of HA from the council.

When she first called I was so excited at the prospect of being closer to all my friends and family.

It was only after talking to friends that the doubts kicked in.
I think I will have to go and see the area again in both day and night time to get a better feel, maybe book a weekend stay close by and see how I feel.

What happens and how attitudes change when you actually do LTB