Does anyone understand the council housing system?

[WhatIsLife24]

Long story short I am waiting for a council house as a single mum with 3 kids. I’ve been in band b since December (not long I know) but have no idea how it works. I am living in a family home currently in a spare bedroom.

I’m on an auto bidding system so any 3 bed that comes up I’m eligible for but have no say. My current rank keeps coming up as 1-5 however I have been 1-5 for the last 6 houses and have not been offered one. I thought that meant I was between 1-5 in the queue and therefore would at least be offered a house after 5 listings as I would move to number 1. But obviously not! So does anyone know how it works? i can’t rent privately- I would never pass affordability or credit checks (I have a joint mortgage with my husband but he refuses to leave or sell, and has not paid the mortgage for 6 months and I can’t return as he is an abusive arse but not enough for the police to care)
is it possible that I am not eligible due to mortgage arrrears? But would they not tell me that if that was the case? The council have accepted that I cannot return to the home

[TheMushroomFamily]

It’s different for every area. In my area band b is a 5-7 year wait so at least you won’t be waiting that long!

[YourSnugHazelTraybake]

The 1-5 refers to your place in the queue specifically for that house, and depends on the others that apply. There will be people in band A applying along with band B, and the person with the highest banding will be offered it. People's bandings can change if their circumstances change, and of course people join and leave the lists all the time.

[WhatIsLife24]

@TheMushroomFamily I hope it’s not 5-7 years! I’m just really struggling to maintain it where I am currently and it’s such an imposition on my friend to practically take over her house when she has her husband and 2 kids of her own. But I’m trying to last as long as I can to avoid having to keep moving my son to different schools. Was just hoping for a rough idea of how long it may be before I need to accept the fact that I will have to be housed in a hotel or whatever it is they do. I never thought I’d end up in this position.
@YourSnugHazelTraybake thank you, that’s what I thought. I suppose it’s worrying that there are obviously people in even worse positions than myself (and hopefully it’s not that I just don’t meet the criteria)

[Dacadactyl]

I don't know about this area, but at the minute, I would expect someone living in a hotel or B&B will be given preference to you. After all, the Council or whoever are having to fund where they're staying at present. I'm guessing they're not paying for you to stay at a friend's house, so it would make sense for them to house them first if that makes sense?

[WhatIsLife24]

@Dacadactyl yes that makes sense. I was hoping to avoid that but I may have to take that option in the next few weeks.

[Dacadactyl]

@WhatIsLife24 it must be difficult to decide what to do for the best. And I am by no means sure that what ive said is how they run it. Hopefully someone will be along soon who works I this area. Good luck

[ducksinarow123]

It sounds as though you will get one of the next few that will come up. You could've been 5,4 then 3 in the queue but then two more people have applied with a higher need so you are pushed back up to 4th place for the next. But it sounds like it should be imminent so just hold tight.
Fwiw, I've been band C for 8years now (lacking one bedroom) and have just given up hope

[supermamio]

In my area properties are listed as soon as they are back in possession of the HA, not when they are available to rent. So for mine i bid on it in the april, was 2nd. The house wasnt ready to be let until november so didnt hear anything back until then.

[WhatIsLife24]

I think I’m probably being unrealistic and need to accept that i may have to take up temporary accommodation. I am due back at work in April after maternity leave so I was really hoping to have been settled by then as I’m not even staying in the same area currently. So unfortunately I don’t have the time to wait. Just a shame for my children having to move so much and very frustrating when I have a house that I can’t live in! Just having a moan. Thank you all

[WhatIsLife24]

@ducksinarow123 But 8 years sounds crazy!

[Babyroobs]

Do you have much equity in the maritial home ? Have you sought advice as to whether a sale of the property can be forced ? I'm surprised you can go on the council list with equity in property, but I guess it depends how much. Could you look at forced sale and then shared ownership ?

[usernamealreadytaken]

@WhatIsLife24

Long story short I am waiting for a council house as a single mum with 3 kids. I’ve been in band b since December (not long I know) but have no idea how it works. I am living in a family home currently in a spare bedroom.

I’m on an auto bidding system so any 3 bed that comes up I’m eligible for but have no say. My current rank keeps coming up as 1-5 however I have been 1-5 for the last 6 houses and have not been offered one. I thought that meant I was between 1-5 in the queue and therefore would at least be offered a house after 5 listings as I would move to number 1. But obviously not! So does anyone know how it works? i can’t rent privately- I would never pass affordability or credit checks (I have a joint mortgage with my husband but he refuses to leave or sell, and has not paid the mortgage for 6 months and I can’t return as he is an abusive arse but not enough for the police to care)
is it possible that I am not eligible due to mortgage arrrears? But would they not tell me that if that was the case? The council have accepted that I cannot return to the home

Can’t you get an occupation order from the courts to force him to leave so you and the children have your home?

[ducksinarow123]

@WhatIsLife24

@ducksinarow123 But 8 years sounds crazy!

I think it's because I need a 4 bed but I'm currently in a 3 so whilst I'm "overcrowded" I am still in a very adequate, secure home and there are so few 4 beds available they always go to people who are homeless, and rightly so.
I have given up any hope of moving which is fine. Eldest dc is now an adult, year 2 at uni, so it will probably be easier for her to apply for her own one bed flat in 18months time instead.

[usernamealreadytaken]

@ducksinarow123

I think it's because I need a 4 bed but I'm currently in a 3 so whilst I'm "overcrowded" I am still in a very adequate, secure home and there are so few 4 beds available they always go to people who are homeless, and rightly so.
I have given up any hope of moving which is fine. Eldest dc is now an adult, year 2 at uni, so it will probably be easier for her to apply for her own one bed flat in 18months time instead.

If eldest DC is an adult, and assuming in 18 months they will be 21, why would they need to apply for social housing, and not just rent their own room or home? Surely the point of getting a degree is to get a decent job and be able to support themselves?

[ducksinarow123]

I agree @usernamealreadytaken but to rent a council flat will be around £400 per month, to rent privately it will be £1000 per month. Why do I want her spending so much more money when she doesn't need to? Yes she will have a degree and a good graduate job but she is just as entitled to a council home as anybody else is. She should not be penalised for working hard and doing well. She will join the waiting list, just like anybody else is entitled to, and wait until there is a property available for her.
You don't just have to be homeless/unemployed/druggie/teen mum etc to be able to rent a council home. And it will only be a one bed she will get so not exactly taking a home from a desperate family either

[Overthebow]

@usernamealreadytaken

If eldest DC is an adult, and assuming in 18 months they will be 21, why would they need to apply for social housing, and not just rent their own room or home? Surely the point of getting a degree is to get a decent job and be able to support themselves?

I was thinking the same thing. Grad job and house share whilst saving up a deposit.

[usernamealreadytaken]

@ducksinarow123

I agree @usernamealreadytaken but to rent a council flat will be around £400 per month, to rent privately it will be £1000 per month. Why do I want her spending so much more money when she doesn't need to? Yes she will have a degree and a good graduate job but she is just as entitled to a council home as anybody else is. She should not be penalised for working hard and doing well. She will join the waiting list, just like anybody else is entitled to, and wait until there is a property available for her.
You don't just have to be homeless/unemployed/druggie/teen mum etc to be able to rent a council home. And it will only be a one bed she will get so not exactly taking a home from a desperate family either

It wasn’t a criticism I was just questioning the assumption that she would apply for social housing rather than private. I know social housing is for everyone, but I also know how difficult it is to obtain so during the potentially many years of waiting she’d presumably be in private anyway?

[ducksinarow123]

No she will probably stay at home, like lots of young people seem to nowadays. We've made it work for the last 8years so what's a couple more? 1 and 2 bed flats come up quite frequently where I live so hopefully she wouldn't have to wait more than a year I think.
Privately you can get a lot nicer home, and you get much more choice in terms of location etc. but social housing is cheaper and more secure, you just have to patient. I am encouraging her to buy as soon as possible anyway but because we are in the south east and prices are just extortionate, but sooner she gets on that ladder the better. I don't want her spending thousands on rent when she doesn't need to, and that could be better saved for her own home.

[WhatIsLife24]

We only bought the house in february last year. I had a £50000 deposit but as we’re married he would be entitled to half as I stupidly didn’t get anything drawn up. But the mortgage hasn’t been paid for 6 months as he refuses to pay and also won’t sell etc so I doubt there will be much equity left. I can’t afford a solicitor to force a house sale unfortunately.
I did apply for an occupation order in October- got very nasty, he got his family involved to claim I was abusive etc and is using his ‘disability’ to say that he needs to stay. So I gave up and withdrew the application last month as was too stressful. As obviously he can afford good solicitors.