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Original poster

How to move from my social housing

41 replies

anonymoooose · 02/03/2022 00:47

Hi all
So I'm a single mum of 3 (21, 10 and 20 months)
I live in a 2 bed, 3rd floor flat on a HA estate in Harrow. New build, lived here since 2006.
The lady at the HA said I would never been moved. That I'd have to turn the front room into a bedroom 😢
I have been on Homeswapper and other sites for years and no one even blinks at my property. Ideally I would like a 3 bed house but it doesn't seem to be happening.
I work part time but obviously saving for a deposit would probably take me 100 years after childcare/bills/debts/essentials etc lol
And short of winning the lottery I feel I will be here forever. This is really affecting my mental health.
Has anyone had any success in getting moved? I don't know what else to do

Any advice or success stories would be helpful 😊

OP posts:
ChoiceMummy · 02/03/2022 07:15

What ate the genders of your children?
Does the eldest intend to stay with you long term?

ChoiceMummy · 02/03/2022 07:15

Are not ate!

ClemDanFango · 02/03/2022 07:20

I know it’s not what you want to hear but I would stay put if I was you. A bigger house may seem like a good idea but your rent is subsided and that’s like gold dust. Private rent will cripple you and once you’re out of the HA you’ll likely never get back in again. In a few years your eldest is likely to move out and you won’t need a 3rd bedroom. Renew and refresh your current home and make it somewhere you love to be and hold on. I moved out of a HA property and into private and it’s the biggest regret of my life learn from my mistake.

Overthebow · 02/03/2022 07:26

Is your adult child working? Can they either move out or contribute to the household do you can save a deposit quicker? Can you up your hours at work? You’re very unlikely to be moved so you need to help yourself and bring in more money.

PotteringAlong · 02/03/2022 07:28

You’re in a new build social housing flat in London. I suspect you’ve won the housing lottery already and expecting anything more is unrealistic.

mdh2020 · 02/03/2022 07:32

I grew up in social housing and my parents never quite understood the benefits - not having to worry about decorating and repairs. They can never quite understand why we are always saving to do things to our house. If you move to private accommodation you will be at the mercy of the landlord. Also, won’t your 21 yr old be moving out sometime?

Mumadof3 · 02/03/2022 07:33

You should be able to be bidding for a 3 bedroom? Especially If 10 year old is different gender from the baby

SwayingInTime · 02/03/2022 07:40

We got a house without being in desperate need after about 7 years in a popular area as we were a 2 adults in work or training household and the house had a history of problem tenants. So it can happen. And we had neighbours who had swapped with downsizers.

Making your current place lovely will help with MH and also make it more attractive to swappers.

We own now and it’s so unbelievably expensive in comparison.

OverTheRubicon · 02/03/2022 07:45

Is your 21 year old working? If not, is there any chance they could move? If you are working part time, could you consider relocating somewhere cheaper?

It's really hard, and unsympathetic of the pp to say you've won the housing lottery, when clearly if that were true you'd have less trouble finding a swap. I do think there are some major benefits to council housing, though, don't underestimate it - with a very young child you'll be so much better off without the constant risk in private of the landlord asking you to leave each year, and more worry about damage done or noise made.

Wizzbangfizz · 02/03/2022 07:48

Do the Childress fathers provide any support? Could the 21 year old live with dad to take pressure off?

Original poster
anonymoooose · 02/03/2022 08:04

Sorry yes 21 and 10 are boys and little one is a girl

OP posts:
Original poster
anonymoooose · 02/03/2022 08:11

@ChoiceMummy @ClemDanFango hi guys
Oldest two are BOYS and youngest is a GIRL
my son is at uni so no plans to move just yet.

His father lives abroad so no chance of him living there.
The other father doesn't help at all

OP posts:
BabyTurtIe · 02/03/2022 08:11

Shouldn’t you be entitled to a 3 bed then?

Loving the fact that pp think the council decorate your house for you! 🙃😂 no they don’t!

And as for repairs I’ve been waiting 5 months for one.....

Pinkdelight3 · 02/03/2022 08:12

Is there any reason the 21yo can't move out into a shared house? Then the 10yo has a room and baby's in with you and later on the front room/bedroom thing is often mentioned on here as a solution - usually with a decent sofa bed - so it's not that extreme, around London at least. The age gap means your 10yo should also be moving out by the time your baby is 10ish so a two-bed still works then. Just trying to be constructive, as otherwise your options are private rent and probably moving significantly north of Harrow if you want a three-bed. But social housing is more secure so unless you're likely to increase your income either with your work or the baby's dad, then those are the options. Hopefully you can get help for your MH aside from the house situation.

Original poster
anonymoooose · 02/03/2022 08:13

@Overthebow at the moment childcare is crippling me with the hours I do. I'm mostly working to pay that to be honest. If I increase my hours more of my money will go to the increased childcare but once she is 2 and gets a free nursery place I will look for something else. Hopefully that will help

OP posts:
Original poster
anonymoooose · 02/03/2022 08:13

@Overthebow oh yes sorry - he is at uni and works part time

OP posts:
Pinkdelight3 · 02/03/2022 08:13

(sorry x-posted with update about 21yo - that's great that he's at uni. Must mean him moving out is a prospect before too long, but appreciate it's tough for him too at the moment studying at home with a baby etc. Has he looked into all the student accommodation options?)

Original poster
anonymoooose · 02/03/2022 08:16

@Mumadof3 is that through Locata? The HA lady said as I'm on a low band and have no needs like DV that there's "no point" in bidding because I still won't get moved.

OP posts:
Original poster
anonymoooose · 02/03/2022 08:19

@SwayingInTime thank you for your reply. Could I ask how you went about getting moved?

I have done up my place and I do love it but again it's small now and it's no longer a nice area to bring up the little ones

OP posts:
SwayingInTime · 02/03/2022 12:06

[quote anonymoooose]@SwayingInTime thank you for your reply. Could I ask how you went about getting moved?

I have done up my place and I do love it but again it's small now and it's no longer a nice area to bring up the little ones [/quote]
Just the normal way, bidding each week. We were offered two houses that had had anti social behaviour problems the same month. They had details of employment etc on the system.

OverTheRubicon · 02/03/2022 19:28

[quote anonymoooose]**@ChoiceMummy* @ClemDanFango* hi guys
Oldest two are BOYS and youngest is a GIRL
my son is at uni so no plans to move just yet.

His father lives abroad so no chance of him living there.
The other father doesn't help at all [/quote]
I have a lot of sympathy for the rest but not the 21 year old. Lots of kids don't have a choice but to move out and live somewhere else for uni.

Has he got the other bedroom all to himself? Something tells me he does, while the rest of you overcrowd.

I'd say he has to move out, or alternatively he can take on a much bigger share of the childcare that is financially crippling you.

Original poster
anonymoooose · 02/03/2022 19:36

@SwayingInTime thank you. I'm going to apply to locata despite what the HA lady says and see what happens. Can only try right 🤷🏽‍♀️

OP posts:
gamerchick · 02/03/2022 19:41

@ClemDanFango

I know it’s not what you want to hear but I would stay put if I was you. A bigger house may seem like a good idea but your rent is subsided and that’s like gold dust. Private rent will cripple you and once you’re out of the HA you’ll likely never get back in again. In a few years your eldest is likely to move out and you won’t need a 3rd bedroom. Renew and refresh your current home and make it somewhere you love to be and hold on. I moved out of a HA property and into private and it’s the biggest regret of my life learn from my mistake.
How many times does it have to be said on here? SH rents are not bloody subsidised.

Housing benefit maybe but that applies to all rentals using it.

Gets right on my tit ends!

Original poster
anonymoooose · 02/03/2022 19:43

@OverTheRubicon no he is in the room with his siblings. He has a learning disability and really doesn't do well living alone. He did live at uni for a bit but he got taken advantage of so I bought him back home

OP posts:
Wizzbangfizz · 02/03/2022 20:16

@gamerchick are they not less than standard market rate in the private rental sector.