For those in council housing

[LittleMissMe99]

I've no experience with social housing. But my mum is getting a flat when rules relax a bit. I understand that it doesn't come with flooring/carpeting of any kind. So I'm wondering what people do regarding this? Is there any help available? What have those of you in council housing done?

Usually there is a one off grant given when you move in but it won't be sufficient to pay for everything. Different developments have different fixtures and fittings though so until she gets the spec it's hard to know. Here tenants provide their own fridge freezer, own washing machine bug flooring varies, many have carpets and lino.

It comes completely unfurnished. In fact, the previous tenant is required to remove any floor coverings. There are no grants that I know of. Some people wait a long time until they can afford to carpet, etc.

I had no flooring for a few years. Then I got given old bits of carpet off other people which were used a bit like rugs as they didn't fit. Eventually my circumstances changed and I could afford to buy some. Then I moved out and it all got left behind for the next tenant.

@okiedokime Thank you. I've been told there's no flooring, nor is there any white goods. She has most of them apart from an oven. I hope she's given some help towards carpets. It's very costly!

The council houses in our authority come completely unfurnished so you need to provide your own appliances, carpets, curtains etc. We don’t provide grants or loans or anything like that.

Unfurnished I understand but the lack of flooring sounds really odd! So if a tenant moves out and leaves perfectly good carpets/Lino on the floor they will get ripped up by the council before the new tenant moves in? That seems strange and a waste

Yeah they rip it up before a new tenant moves in, it's so they don't have to be responsible for it, replace it when damaged or whatever.
Free cycle tyoe site usually have some cheap/free. You'll probably have to join odd bits together.

Unfurnished I understand but the lack of flooring sounds really odd! So if a tenant moves out and leaves perfectly good carpets/Lino on the floor they will get ripped up by the council before the new tenant moves in? That seems strange and a waste

Because nobody can guarantee that nothing lurks in the carpet! Social housing, certainly where I have dealt with it, gets a deep clean between tenants to eliminate anything the next tenant may find an undesirable housemate. And especially now.

Some areas may give moving in grants but I haven't known anyone who has done so for many years.

I think if your DM receives certain benefits she will get help towards things like carpets and cooking equipment.
Otherwise it's up to her

It depends on her financial circumstances usually if the person is on a low income or moving from homeless they can apply for a grant to set up home.

It's not the same in all areas. We moved into one years ago and it was fully carpeted. They were horrible but obviously better than none.

grants-search.turn2us.org.uk/?_ga=2.101409409.164366593.1589978270-539289991.1589978270

this may be of help to see what is available in your area

My sister got a council house 6 years ago, they left the living room, stairs, single room and upstairs hallway carpet as it was in great condition. But generally I don't think this is the case

I've never heard of help with carpets etc. There was vinyl down in the kitchen and bathroom but that was it.
I got everything inc white goods from Freecycle initially. Eight years later, I have my living room and hall properly carpeted, replaced the original hideous lino and am finally about to get a bedroom carpet off Ebay.

When I moved from homeless with my young DD 7 years ago to a council property. There was no flooring whatsoever. I applied for a 'home starter grant' I cannot recall what it was called at the time. It was a grant for white goods only and did not include carpets. I went without flooring for 2 years before I could afford to buy flooring.

In my area they only have vinyl in the kitchen and bathroom. They have nothing else so it’s worth looking on free cycle for lots of things. A neighbour of mine left their council place and left some carpet that they hadn’t had long but it was all ripped out and chucked in a skip. It seemed such a shame. My current place was a swap so the people left the flooring in for us. Sadly the left a case of fleas too.

I got a grant of about £120, and that was it. All flooring and white goods had to be provided by myself. This was about 10 years ago.

Well we beg and steal items of course and then sell drugs out the bathroom and prostitutes in the airing cupboard. All on bare floors and no furniture. There's flooring probably tiles. FGS.

I never had a grant for anything. My flat was completely stripped of everything when I moved in. One of my neighbours had new carpets put in throughout, then died just a few months later. They were all taken out, that just seems ridiculous to me.

Here you get a grant when you move in for a few hundred £s, but it's in vouchers.

Our area does kitchen and bathroom vinyl but nothing else. We have to provide everything else.

If you can't afford it you just build it up as you go and live without things for a bit.

thing is if the council do leave stuff then there may be a liability issue down the line if something happens so they normally strip everything out so its unfurnished and bare floors

I was just about to suggest turn2us. Some housing providers will stretch to a grant, some won't, but it won't cover everything. I would:

1.liaise with the provider to say due to the condition of the property you think they should provide a grant - and point out every instance of how the property doesn't come up to scratch eg if there are any plastering/woodwork issues etc. More chance you'll get something or get a bit more that way.

1. Get a referral to a community furniture store for kitchen goods. They usually have fairly cheap things anyway but you can often get a discount if referred by an agency due to low income/benefit claim etc.

1. Turn2us as suggested for a local and national grant search.

1. Citizens Advice Bureau for referral to/info about local and national organisations that can help.

1. If on certain benefits, social fund loan paid back at a fiver a week.

1. Local Freecycle pages - obviously only realistic for large items if you have transport. I wouldn't buy anything off these pages though due to quality concerns.

1. Look for offcuts in a local carpet firm - ask for recommendations. They are often way cheaper than national firms, will have their own fitters and an offcut, unlike how the word sounds, will easily cover a decent sized room - the actual rolls are hundreds of feet long.

Good luck.

It depends on the situation. I grew up in council houses, #1 had wooden floors and tiled kitchen floor, #2 we were moved to in an emergency because #1 had to be knocked down and to make up for having to move us they gave us a small budget for curtains and fitted carpets, #3 we swapped to and we were given paint vouchers because the house was in awful condition (when you swap you just have to take it as the previous tenants leave it) but not sure if that was only the specific housing association or if they all do it.

My brother and his family moved to a council house a few years ago and it was just totally bare, usually between tenants they repaint in magnolia, replace kitchen/bathrooms if absolutely necessary, and leave floors bare.

Friends just moved into housing association in Hampshire - Lino in bathroom, kitchen, lounge. Carpeted other rooms at their own cost

No white goods at all.

Yes carpets are costly, but they're also optional. I guess it depends what area she's in, but there's often carpet being given away on free cycle where I am. Mostly it's carpet in good condition that's being replaced when someone has moved in & doesn't Like it. It's usually quite large.

You can buy brand new carpet cheaply. The cheapest of cheap isn't great quality, but the next step up is perfectly fine.