Anyone in a hiring?

[McDreamy]

Just wondered how it works. Looks like we can't keep our quarter as DH has been posted. He's now 10 miles away and we thought that we might not have to move but it seems they are cracking down on this in our area. There are no quarters available in the new location so it looks like a hiring will be our alternative, which is fine as we can get one local to here so the children can stay at the same school.

Anyway - just wondered how it all works. Do I find the house, do they find the house?

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I think they find 3, and you get to choose. They're called substitute families accommodation I think (SFA).

Is this any good?

A guide to retaining your current SFA on posting

Q I have been posted but my family and I are settled in our current SFA and location. Do we have to move?
A Rules on entitlement and eligibility to occupy SFA are laid down in theTri-Service Accommodation Regulations JSP 464 (TSARs). The regulations have been written by the MOD Service Personnel Policy Branch and representatives from the three Services ? not DE Ops Housing. DE Ops Housing implement the regulations on their behalf. TSARs state that entitlement is for SFA at your new Duty Station. This is to enable entitled Service personnel to be accompanied by their spouses and children, as they are posted from one location to another.

Q Are there any circumstances under which I can retain my current SFA?
A For a variety of reasons, you may wish to retain your present SFA, rather than move on to your next Duty Station. However, to avoid disadvantaging an entitled family, DE Ops Housing will normally only grant retention in exceptional circumstances. These exceptional circumstances have been agreed by the three Services and are also contained in TSARs JSP 464. The rules on retention are somewhat different for entitled Naval and RM families, who may retain their SFA in Portsmouth, Plymouth and Clyde irrespective of postings, promotions or numbers of children.

Q What if my child is in the middle of a school year?

A One of the most frequently requested reasons for retention is continuity of a child?s education before public examinations. Retention is admissible for one academic term (or 4 months) leading up to an examination. Retention may also be possible if a child cannot transfer schools within 2 years of public examinations. When considering retention on educational grounds, including special educational needs, families should seek advice from the Children?s Education Advisory Service (CEAS), Trenchard Lines, Upavon (Tel: 01980 618244). Families must obtain an Educational Impact Statement to support the application, which can take some time.

Q Are there any other circumstances under which I may be granted retention?
A To avoid repeated upheaval, retention is admissible if, within the space of 11 months, there would be an initial move of short duration followed by a second move.

If you have a short notice posting, retention of up to 3 months is possible when less than 6 weeks notice is given and retention of up to one month can be granted when you receive less than 3 months notice of a posting. Limited retention for a period of 28 days can also be authorised in cases where SFA is not available at the new Duty Station.

Involuntary Separated Tours would not result in a family having to vacate their present SFA during the operational tour or course.

Retention of SFA may also be granted on welfare or medical grounds. Each case is considered individually and would involve the appropriate welfare, medical or educational agencies.

Occupants in SSFA may exceptionally be granted retention on the same grounds as for SFA, terms and Conditions of the Licence to occupy still apply.

Once authorised, retention is an extension to your entitlement for the required period only and would not exceed 12 months. After 12 months re-application is necessary.
If you have a valid reason for pursuing a request for retention (it is noteworthy this does not include spouse?s employment or education), please notify DE Ops Housing as soon as possible

Aah, not SFA, SSFA - Substitute Service Families Accommodation.

Where there is insufficient Service accommodation, Service families are accommodated in substitute accommodation, comprising fully-serviced private rented properties. This accommodation is leased on behalf of the MOD by a specialised contractor, the HCR Group, previously known as Countrywide Mobility Partners.

Some more from Chapter six of this document

*0606. Choice of accommodation. In accordance with tasking provided by the HIC, the
MOD Contractor is required to identify 2 properties to the applicant?s entitlement. The HIC
is to verify that properties meet the requirement before the Contractor makes
arrangements to show them to the prospective occupant. The prospective occupant is to
view properties, preferably within a 24 hour period, and select a preferred property.

Fourarms thanks for this, it's a really interesting read. I've noticed a clause that might be applicable to us

Q Are there any other circumstances under which I may be granted retention?
A To avoid repeated upheaval, retention is admissible if, within the space of 11 months, there would be an initial move of short duration followed by a second move.

We only moved into this quarter 10 months ago and DH has been posted on from there, I wonder if that would mean we could stay?

You can chose your own hiring. If you do the DHE rep has to approve it - there is no rental ceiling at all.

You are entitled to the same floor space/numer of rooms you would have had if you were in an MQ.

The downside to chosing your own is that you have to put down the security deposit yourself - usually 2 - 2/12 months of the civilian rent per month. We had to fork out £3800 of our own money - of course we will get it back when we vacate.

Thanks hf I didn't know that but it's reassuring to know we can choose our own.

The security deposit is paid to the rental agency directly - and I meant 1 - 1 1/2 months of the civilian rent per month.

Remember all hirings are Graded as a Grade 1 automatically.

I loved chosing our own - because different families want different things.

Our SSFA is graded as a 2; but it may be different as we are in Brussels and pay MQ rates for it; we effectively sublet from MOD who have the contract with the landlord.

We pay MQ rates too - with the MOD picking up the difference. Although we can ask to regrade it - but that was another thread

We held onto a quarter under that rule. We lived in Culdrose. Then DH was posted to Plymouth, and the posting was only expected to last for 6 months before a move to Portsmouth. They agreed we could stay in Culdrose until the move to Portsmouth.

So, it would be if the move they are now asking you to make would be for 11m or less that you could ask to stay.

It helps if you have a 'nice' drafty - ours wrote us a good email which swung the way for us with DE.

Oh I see, no then we don't fulfil that criteria. It was the posting that put us in this quarter that was the short one. DH will be at the new posting for at least 2 years so it would be in their interest to rehouse us I guess. Unfortunately the move was from overseas so we had to come back.

Have spoken to the liaison officer and he is going to help us. We think to move now by volunteering would be preferable than waiting until we are asked to move. Liaison officer says a move is inevitable so lets go now and get it over with