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?

Clearly you didn't read the Ops comments the
As she ssys the rent is similar to private rent .

I would imagine it is large enough to sleep a couple and 4 children under 4? Whether it compares with market rent or not, it sounds a good deal.

I don’t believe that for a second. It would have to be a very, very nice house for that to be true. I think OP knows she’s unreasonable and is therefore looking for other reasons to turn it down.

Well you belive what you want doesn't mean it's true .

And if you think council house are so great apply for one...

I think I’d take it and view it as temporary. Get back to where you’ve got support, get a better job, and then try to find a better place to rent. If it’s market rate anyway you might be able to find something affordable privately.

What’s unbelievable?

I have reached out to my local council and I’m not eligible for help, because my parents won’t see me on the streets. If I were to leave the family home, I would be classed as making myself homeless and not be eligible for help.

Seems like a fair system!

Well that's not the Ops fault is it?
There is a shortage of social housing throughout the UK, some areas are worse than others
But you csnt blame those who live in social housing for that.

OP already lives in social housing. She's choosing which hand to eat from.

But I can say that those who do this sort of thing are unbelievable.

You'll be removed from the list if you turn down the house, a house you considered and offered on yourself not too long ago.

While I'm very sorry you've had a tough run, if you want subsidised housing assistance and benefits while only working part time, you need to accept the house. Hopefully, you'll be able to find a better job and help yourself down the line if you want to move.

Take the house. You could always exchange in a few years maybe

@WeCouldBeNiceToEachOther it isn't subsidised rent, it's market rent. Housing associations can let properties at social rent, or market. The latter properties are usually let to people who are working, it is a way of HAs increasing their income and having a greater diversity of tenants. The criteria for market rent properties are less strict than the social housing, which is likely why the OP has been offered.
The benefit to the OP is more security and limits on how much the rent could go up, and it being closer to her friend's and family.

Why you think you should be able to get your own place from your parents house is baffling - you're suitably housed with someone who wouldn't kick you out, you have far more freedom to choose what you want to do - get some savings together and get a house share, or save for longer and get your own place.

What does this comment actually mean? I see it a lot and it says nothing to me except those saying it CBA to elaborate properly.

It seems that you need to take this property and think of it as a 3 or 4 year plan max. You'll be able to work full time and build up a savings pot and move to private rental in a more safe or desirable area or even buy hopefully.

It's a short term solution to accept the house or you're stuck if you're off the waiting list for refusal. Sometimes we have choices that both bring negatives but think of this as a long game and not short game, you'll be able to access family and friends support AND build yourself up financially with full time work.

You have to weigh up the pros and cons. If you're unhappy where you are living, full-time employment would be easier to find, your children would be closer to friends and you'd all be closer to family - does that outweigh the cons? Of course living in a rubbish area isn't ideal but once you start living there, in a year's time you could apply to move to a better area. You have to think long-term here, not short-term. If moving to this property gives you a better chance of being able to move in the future, then take it. In my area (not London) you wouldn't be able to private rent a 1 bedroomed flat for £950!! You might get a studio flat, for that price!!

However after the probation it will likely be a secure tenancy which you will never get with private rent.

Not shocked at some of the comments. This is mumsnet….people should be grateful for being offered a council house even if it means moving your dc to a rough school in a rough area, even if the house is a shit hole….we should be grateful 😬.

OP, does moving there mean you will have to move dc to a new school? If not I would be tempted to take it, see how it goes, you can always do a house swap? Or you can look for private rent. I know several people who are not working full time that have managed to get a private rental.

A lot of housing association houses are now closer in price to private rent. People on here seem to think HA rent is half the price to private, this is no longer true. Mine is around £700 for a 2 and a half bed house, I say half as dd2’s room is the size of a cupboard, can barely fit a bed in. We have lived here a long time so our rent is pretty low compared to other HA houses in the area.

Most HA don’t offer secure tenancies now. There are usually conditions and if the house becomes under occupied you have to downsize.

Let’s try to be kind and see that others have different perspectives, all of which are important to them.
Take the house OP and you can move on from there if needs be.

Housing association are not for profit organisations, they are usually more expensive than council housing.

You’d be mad not to take it with the positives you’ve given

Right?! Why so much outrage, like people should just accept a property that's completely unsuitable and get on their knees and be grateful 🙄

It's a tough one, I'm in social housing and I did refuse a property before I was offered the one I'm in now. It wasn't a nice area and I didn't get a nice vibe from if, if that's me being picky or 'ungrateful' then so be it. I didn't want my kids to have to live there. Thankfully not long after that I was offered somewhere not far from where we already lived so still a nice area, kids didn't have to move schools etc. Where I am though you can refuse 3 properties before you're off the list. In your shoes, if you're off the list if you refuse this one, I'd be inclined to just take it and as others have said, see it as a stepping stone.

Hi
From what I understand the HA has very limited supply of houses and their waiting lists are now closed as they rarely have empty properties.

My kids are toddlers and, they don't go to school yet, so there will be no disruption in that respect.

I believe as the property is Market Rent it is not eligible for a Mutual Exchange/Swap.

They have two waiting lists one where in one is similar to the council's and the other being Market Rent.

We are going to have a look today after OH finishes work to feel what it would be like.