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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:
Bigassbeebuzzbuzz · 02/03/2022 20:24

OP I'm confused some posters think you are in London but I must of missed that from your posts. If you have social housing in London do NOT give it up.
In other areas you just have to keep bidding, around here those over 18 are entitled to their own room yet any sex under 10 can share so you might even qualify for a 4 bed.
You should be able to submit evidence to hopefully bump you up the list.
No idea where pp think a 21 year old at uni will be moving out to soon unless I've missed a big news story that means we can all afford to live now. Confused

ChoiceMummy · 02/03/2022 20:26

[quote anonymoooose]@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 [/quote]
I would then try a d get the housing association on board with your son's additional needs.

AdviceNeeded367 · 02/03/2022 20:31

It used to be the case that if you had a “medical” reason, you’d go up a band - such as if you’re current housing situation was causing you depression - so get yourself to the doctors.

Also, siblings age 10+ should not be sharing a room and so that might also go in your favour.

I’d suggest making some phone calls, those that shout loudest get heard and all that. Good luck!

WeDontShutUpAboutBruno · 02/03/2022 20:33

Council and housing association properties aren't subsidised, nor are they decorated Confused

Could you access support at the university for ds? They may be able to provide him somewhere suitable to live and help access any grants or loans or benefits for him.

In the meantime I would keep bidding on 3 beds, get on homeswapper and the Facebook groups and try every avenue there. Shorter term, separate the bedroom for the boys and keep your dd in with you.

Whatever you do don't give up your secure tenancy, that will be a short term gain for a long term nightmare.

Ifailed · 02/03/2022 20:44

Council and housing association properties aren't subsidised

The capital required to build them comes from tax-payers, unlike private housing where the capital is recouped from their sale. It could be argued that is a subsidy.

gamerchick · 02/03/2022 20:56

@Ifailed

Council and housing association properties aren't subsidised

The capital required to build them comes from tax-payers, unlike private housing where the capital is recouped from their sale. It could be argued that is a subsidy.

That pays for itself over and over and over again. SH is not subsidised, no matter how people are determined it is. It's weird as fuck the insistence.
WeDontShutUpAboutBruno · 02/03/2022 21:11

@Ifailed

Council and housing association properties aren't subsidised

The capital required to build them comes from tax-payers, unlike private housing where the capital is recouped from their sale. It could be argued that is a subsidy.

You could argue that, and probably will because so many people are weirdly insistent that council houses are 'free houses' being 'subsidised'.

Do you think rent just stops being paid when the council makes the cost of building the property back again?

Original poster
anonymoooose · 02/03/2022 21:41

@Bigassbeebuzzbuzz hiya. Yes I live in Harrow, London but would love to move out. Mostly on Homeswapper no one wants to swap to a 2 bed flat on an estate in London 😩

OP posts:
Original poster
anonymoooose · 02/03/2022 22:15

@AdviceNeeded367 it's funny because the woman at the HA knows all of these and still said I wouldn't be moved. She said no point of locata because I'd be on a low banding and my only bet is to swap. I've been on Homeswapper for years and not one person has shown any interest in my property so that definitely feels like a dead end but I'll keep on just in case

OP posts:
OverTheRubicon · 03/03/2022 00:13

Council and housing association properties aren't subsidised, nor are they decorated

A huge amount of council capital is tied up in housing, which if it were open to use, could be sold or otherwise leased out at higher rates, without security of tenure and without the need to replace kitchens etc every X years (decorating is less expensive than a refit)

Right to buy has also meant that many of the wealthier council residents, with the nicest properties, have been able to buy them for a steal, with a windfall then going to them and their families, instead of to the taxpayer as ultimate owner.

I still absolutely support council housing, just think this argument is silly, if it was really such a money spinner and.rents were at market levels, there wouldn't be such insane.waiting lists.

SwayingInTime · 03/03/2022 05:09

Would you consider moving to somewhere completely different when your son has finished uni? There has got to be someone with a nice 3 bed somewhere who wants to live in London?

MuthaFunka61 · 03/03/2022 05:44

I managed a swap with another SH tenant but it took some effort,even though my original place was in a highly desirable area.

I considered the swap a piece of work and spent 3 hours everyday bumping my post on fb,contacting potential swaps no matter how remote success seemed and it was one of these swaps which came to fruition. I was on every website and fb group I could find although the eventual swap came via Homeswapper.

It'll not be an easy task if you follow the route I'm suggesting but it did pay off in three months.
G'luck.

Original poster
anonymoooose · 03/03/2022 09:44

@SwayingInTime that's exactly what I would want. I called Northamptonshire Hillingdon Watford Southamptonshire and Milton Keynes councils and they all said I need to either work there or have family ties to be considered to go on their housing list or be renting privately in those areas for 5-10 years 😢

OP posts:
Original poster
anonymoooose · 03/03/2022 09:46

@MuthaFunka61 wow that's great to hear. Yes I gather it's going to be a lot of work. I am on the Facebook Homeswapper groups as well and all the ones I'm interested in don't want to come to London. Or they do but they want a house not a flat in London etc so finding it very disheartening but I will keep on pushing

OP posts:
Donut22 · 03/03/2022 09:49

No advice but know how you feel I've been trying for 8years to move same situation Has you just younger children and not in london. I think the fact you are in london will make it near on impossible. Could you move out of london?

RedHelenB · 03/03/2022 11:09

I don't think you are overcrowded, baby in with you and your sons sharing a room. Hopefully someone wants a swap as that's the only way you'll get more room .

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