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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think the council is failing to keep us safe?

32 replies

Crazyhousewife23 · 25/04/2026 16:07

I am currently in a council house and unfortunately due to how bad the area is with drugs and theft I have built up a months worth of arrears due to having to stay at b&bs or travel to relatives to stay. It’s been a dangerous situation many times. My youngest has scarlet fever and was running a temperature so high that we had to take her in the car as the ambulance wouldn’t have been able to access our door due to the entrance being locked by vehicles by one of the drug dealers. The council have stated they won’t move me until the arrears are cleared. This was set to be reviewed at 6 months but when I checked online the terms were 3 months so I’m not sure why they extended it to 6 months. It seems the council don’t want to deal with the problems in the area and they have even blocked me from attending local meetings about housing problems in the area. They purposely booked an appointment whilst I was away and had to rush back from a trip 70 miles away to attend the appointment and cut out holiday short. They have stated that if the police say it’s too dangerous to live her they will move me, but the police aren’t going to say that as they would have to move everyone if that was the case. My youngest child has a lot of disabilities (mobility, deafness, speech delay, toileting issues and autism and sensory issues) and we will need to apply again for the disabilities facility grant for a wet room amongst other things. My worry is the council will refuse this but won’t move us also and struggling to get a private house with the demand being so high. My mental health is struggling so badly with everything with the house,.

OP posts:
Teacupover5 · 25/04/2026 18:03

Do you work ?

LakieLady · 25/04/2026 18:05

Crazyhousewife23 · 25/04/2026 17:34

I did and was greeted with the councils reply of I still won’t be housed as I’m adequately housed. So borrowing money isn’t going to change the situation. The housing say adequately housed and social services say I’m not. When my arrears are paid off this month nothings going to change regarding the situation

Do you live in an area where social services are run by a county council and housing by a borough or district council, or are they both run by the same council?

If the former, you need to ask for a joint meeting between whoever made each of those decisions, so they can thrash out which is correct. If it's the same council, do it via a formal complaint, and copy the complaint to the chief executive, so he can knock their heads together.

But I've never heard of a council agreeing to a transfer or management move when a tenant has rent arrears, unless they are at significant risk from another person if they stay where they are.

JuliettaCaeser · 25/04/2026 18:06

The problem is if you are funded by the state you are in quite a weak bargaining position.

luckylavender · 25/04/2026 18:09

Crazyhousewife23 · 25/04/2026 17:37

So many answers above that you did not read. I didn’t spend the money

Of course you spent money when you were on holiday.

Parker231 · 25/04/2026 18:13

Have you contacted your MP and your DC’s healthcare specialists and school for support that your home is to the detriment of your DC’s wellbeing?

Ejlcitybumkin · 25/04/2026 18:21

I really feel sorry that you are in this position feeling unsafe
you must do everything in your power to move, including, as you have said pay all arrears, ask relatives if they can help with a deposit maybe instead of paying for a break. Look for any social housing in better areas, you might have to move quite a long way away.
It is tough but unfortunately the state probably aren’t going to help. This is the reality sadly.

denisdenisdenis · 25/04/2026 20:00

Shelter or CAB

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