Woman with 1 child being evicted from her 6 bedroom council house ....

[Disenchanted]

Im really torn over this.

It was in my local paper.

Obviously as someone who waited 3 years with 2 children for a 3 bedroomed council house, who had to sleep in a single bed with DH, DS1 and have DS2 in a cot next to us in my mums box room I think its right that this woman should be asked to leave her home in order to house a family that needs it.

There are currently 507 'large' families In South Manchester waiting for a 6 bedroomed home. All who actully need 6 bedrooms unlike this woman who on;ly has 1 child.

However that is her family home. It was her mothers home who had many children and was justified living there, the tenancy was passed onto this lady when her mother died and now there are only her and her son years later.

The reason Im divided is that my granny lives alone in a 3 bedroomed house, she has lived there for over 40 years and by ratios if a 2 bedroomed house is too big for two then on the same principle they could move my Gran out of her 3 bedroomed house.

But I dont think they should IYKWIM. Shes lived there years.

When I needed a house I complained constantly (to myself not the council obviously) about all the old widows/ widowers living in 'family homes' but they have every right to be there.

Or do they?

Should 1 person be allowed to stay in a 3 bed house?

Should this woman and son be allowed to stay in a 6 bedroomed house?

She has been offered a 3 bedroomed house BTW, but not in her 'area'.

To me it seems obvious the woman should be moved but then where does it end IYKWIM.

I am astonished councils have 6 bedroom houses, I never knew that, I have heard of councils knocking 2 houses into 1 but it does'nt often happen.

TDWP, you are coming across as realy quite shallow!

I have heard of 4 bed homes, but in many councils they are very few and far between.

Disenchanted, what do you mean, which thread?

Shallow? Pffft.

Haven't read all of the posts.

I am quite torn about this, but i think I lean further towards the 'she should move' side. However, I do think that she should be rehoused in the same area.

Technically I underoccupy this house, and did when I was offered it, but the reason we were offered it was because the estate was recovering from HUGE anti social behaviour problems, and had agreed with current tennants that they would not rehouse anyone in this house with teenagers, and that anyone offered it had to have an good record as a tennant.

As I said, technically, we underoccupy by one room. I did recently try and swap to a 3 bed in the same area, but although the lady with the 3 bed was desperate for a 4 bed and desperate for this area, she refused the swap because my house needs work.
I am not prepared to do a shed load of work on this and then swap, not until my kids leave home anyway.

Also meant to add, that when xp recently signed the tennancy of this house over to me, I was told that upon my death, if one of my children is over 18 and still living at home, they will be allowed to stay in the house for as long as they like.

So, Ds for example could end up living here in a 4 bed on his own. That is silly. I am not saying they should turf him out on his ear, but they should make him at least downsize.

Devil, my parents woprked every hour they could in the hope of buying their own home- then mum was told give up work or never have children after several stillbirths . (it worked obv, as I was next pregnancy). After the early baby years they started saving again- putting much into a pension plsn partly in the hope of a nice bungalow, they paid in literally every penny they were allowed, had it reviewed regularly by independent financial advisors.... then the plan failed and being subject to American law they have not seen a penny since, the case goes to court on April 8th but they have been told there is little hope and they won't see a single penny. Dad works now cleaning out sausage and burger factories despite having no feeling in one l;eg due to a botched op, Mum isn't well enough to work (I think it's as a result of all those lost babies personally).

Some people just get handed shit and have to make the best of it, without access to councila ccomodation they'd be homeless.

Peachy

Good luck for the hearing

Peachy I did say, more than once, that social housing is a great thing for those that need it.

But I am sure I'm not the only one who thinks that some people take advantage of it.

As someone who has 4 children and is still waiting for 3/4 bed house, i think 6 bedrooms is a little too big for an adult and 1 child..shes being rehoused so not being left homeless. We only have 2 bedrooms, me and dh have to share our room with two girls in bunks, 2yo and 6yo! So you can guess what my take on this is! And does she pay the rent or does the council pay it? I bet it isnt cheap to run a 6 bed house either.

i think this woman should move.
there seem to be times when asking somone to ove is not right. this does notseem to be one ofb those cases

Def moved, but somewhere nearby. It would be unreasonable of the council to expect them to up sticks and start up somewhere else. It would be very disruptive for the child amongst many other things. New school, new friends, new home, etc etc..

And besides, how can it be fair to have all that space, provided by the council, when I know of people who live in private rented accommodation, 2children 2 adults in a twobed flat, because that is what they can afford, they earn what they earn, and make what they have right for them......

maybe the council therefore should be providing their home? 3/4bed? Wouldn't we all like another guestroom/study?!
But they are happy, supporting themselves, living according to their means, however meagre.

But- having said all that - some people do need the support with housing, and should get it! I just definitely think that if there is a change in circumstance, in this case number of people living there, then those accepting government/council support should accept they may have to be rehoused.

TheDevilWearsPrimark yes people do take advantage of it..those that have lots of kids, fail to get jobs, get everything for free! I on the other hand have always worked so has dh, and we provide for our children..i wish that we could afford to buy our own house but short of winning the lottery..i dont think its ever likely to happen? If you have social housing, then you have to be prepared to move to make room for those that need the space your occupying, when my children have left home i will be glad to move into a bungalow..so that families can make better use of my house..i think its very selfish to do otherwise.

sleeycat, I know someone who half rents (from council) and half buys thier home, her and her partner dont work they have 4 children and live on benefits, and even thier mortgage gets paid so you are right its not just council tenants

I just wish I could get housing benefit for my georgian terrace, I'm just jealous thats all.

But in all seriousness, the majority of my family came from nothing and have done well for themselves, een with disabilities, so I can't stand to hear people complaining about what they get.

Their mortgage gets paid? We had one of those houses and even when DH was far too ill to work we didn't get the mortgage paid, just the rent portion (DH has been back at work for years, but sadly not in time to savce house- we rent privately now).

very unusual to be able to claim mortgage payments?

Of course there are people who misuse the system- lots of people on our estate had been housed whilst poorly off and never moved on when they had quite good incomes and drove nice cars etc.

would it be a shared ownership home?

i thought they would pay the interest on the mortgage after a certain period, but not the principal itself.

I think that there should be a maximum size of social housing of say 2 or 3 beds (which is more than most private renters or buyers can afford these days) and if you have loads of children you just put up with the lack of space, in the same way as a private renter would have to.

That way this 6 bedroomed house, and others like it, could be used for housing for 2 families.

I don't really agree with throwing the elderly out of their homes, underoccupied or not. But if people were moved into smaller houses when their children left home, (so most would be in their 40's or 50's at this point) then the issue wouldn't arise. I think this has particular attractions because it means they could be housed in apartments freeing up houses with gardens for those with young children.

I'd abolish this whole notion of being able to pass on your tenancy to a child - nope - if you want it - you go on the list and have a fair chance along with everyone else who would like to live there.

Does anyone know the health, mental, education implications that come with overcrowding!! Usually results in delayed development..which usually affects the younger more vunerable children..also behaviour is affected as a lack of own space. This has certainly affected ds2 as, we have many problems which i feel have been because of a lack of space. We just get on with things and have done for the last 5 yrs, hoping to be rehoused soon!! Not to mention the effect it has had on mine and dhs relationship.

soapbox no, that is unfair on the children.

the lady who had this palce before me had 5 children. she moved to a 4beroom house down the road. she actually slept on the sofa for quite a few years so her children could sleep in the bedrooms in beds.

there is no way you can fit two normal sized beds in the bedrooms here. dd2+3 share a room and have bunkbeds, dd1 has a mid sleeper. for a while i had all 3 dd's in one room. dd1+2 in bunks and dd3 in her cot. i had to move their wardrobe into my room and their toys into the hallway. there was no room to play in their rooms.

we do need mroe space, and yes in an ideal world i would still be on the housing ladder and would be in the house we had aimed to buy in MK, which was in a bad area, but 4 bedrooms with a decent garden. but we arent. we lost our flat, and whilst we went into private renting to sort out the mortage(sold the flat to pay debts, the plan was to keep some by for a deposit then move in with a new mortage) dh fell seriously ill and now we are in social housing. qhich is where we will stay. as the flat we sold for £85k 6years ago is now worth close to £170k. there is no way, we as unskilled workers can get back on the housing ladder. dh is starting an OU course in the summer, and i will train alongside working as well. but for us the housing ladder is well out of reach.

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kickersonymhead, i was 18 when i owned my own home. i'm only 28now.

Misdee - it is no more unfair on the children than the family with the same number of children having to make do with their privately rented or mortgaged property.

I think the resources should be diverted to accomodating as many families as possible and restricting the number of bedrooms enables more families to be housed.

I know loads of families who have 4 children in a 3 bed house - 2 children in each room (often on bunk beds) mum and dad in the other room.

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Sorry Misdee - that sounded very personal to your particular situation, which it was not meant to.