council offer

[northernoldie34]

need some advice, ive been offered whats known as a direct let from my local council , this is where you cant bid for a property for whatever reason so they give you a dive instead. however i went to view it and my god, it was awful. terrible chuckle brothers plaster job filling in where there once was a fireplace, no carpets bare floor with top slats missing. what looks like a dogs toilet used on the doorway between bedrooms and kitchen as its all yellow, paints coming off and there is stains on the wood floor around it. marks along every wall scuff marks, apprent damp proofing which means the house has damp issues. more dog pee stains in the main bedroom as well as what looks like a machine gun takin to the wall and then crudly filled with polyfilla. mould in smaller bedroom on the wall more dog stains and what looks like pee around the raiditor. a huge disbaled ramp and wet room which i do not need as im not disabled. even the bathroom has damp on the wall. it is disgusting and they expect a child to live there. ive complained and refused it however she has sent it management to be looked as they say theyve "seen it" and it is "suitable accomadtion" look i wouldnt let a seagull live in there. its truly filthy. im of very ill health ive just had brain surgery and im on uc, i cannot afford new carpets, the money to clean that hovel or decorate it . this is insane. am i right to refuse it?

Speak to shelter, they will help advise you regarding the rejection to ensure the council don’t just take you off the list.
We were given a absolute hovel of a place, full of asbestos and it was disgusting, the back garden was overgrown, there was a thin paved area and the rest was weeds and bushes as tall as the fencing.
Supposedly they had given it a deep clean but the place was covered in faeces and all sorts of stains, we bleached everywhere but there was major damp issues and the whole place was just vile.
We were given some vouchers for decorating but it didn’t go far.
The neighbours were horrid and threw all their rubbish into our garden, including beer cans and cigarettes, they also tormented my dog!
We saved like mad and borrowed money into to move back into a private rent, they couldn’t have paid me to stay there

It’s a shame the previous occupants didn’t leave it an a more habitable condition instead of leaving the council to pick up the bill for their mess. Most housing organisations do have their own set of minimum property standards which they aim to adhere too; might be worth asking to see a copy. The social housing provider in our area, whilst it would still need decorating/carpeting, would still ensure it was in a decent state of repair at least.

@YummyBelicious

I think it's astonishing that the majority of comments are around you putting up or shutting up. Every one should be entitled to a clean and healthy come. Just people's others have been passed on terrible propertys doesn't mean you deserve it too, noone does.

There's not alot I can say and there seems some good suggestions above too, but I'm sad this is even a conversation we are having

All the best

thank you. and for anyone else reading these, councils dont give you decorating vouchers anymore. ive been told the card and key meters must stay for 6 weeks then i can change them if i only get accepted and pass a credit check by the energy supplier. ive been even told the same thing by the council yummy, they deem it suitable so there for it is in thier eyes, and yet the person up top who decides these things is on 100k a year while living in a clean plushy 4 bed mansion in darras hall no doubt decideding on weather a poor peasant like me deserves at least a clean damp free home . disgraceful. thank you

@EmpressSuiko

Speak to shelter, they will help advise you regarding the rejection to ensure the council don’t just take you off the list. We were given a absolute hovel of a place, full of asbestos and it was disgusting, the back garden was overgrown, there was a thin paved area and the rest was weeds and bushes as tall as the fencing. Supposedly they had given it a deep clean but the place was covered in faeces and all sorts of stains, we bleached everywhere but there was major damp issues and the whole place was just vile. We were given some vouchers for decorating but it didn’t go far. The neighbours were horrid and threw all their rubbish into our garden, including beer cans and cigarettes, they also tormented my dog! We saved like mad and borrowed money into to move back into a private rent, they couldn’t have paid me to stay there

thats awful!, how can councils try and flog dead horses then expect you to take it. a councils dep clean is a sweeping brush in a 3x3 area. this place ive been offfered looks like it hasnt been cleaned in at least 3 years . manky skirting boards vile marks on the walls floors damp in 3 room raidtors look older than me and the coupbards are the same ones my mam had in 97. its truly a disgrace councils get away with this type of practice and yet never provide you with any paperwork on their own standards etc. i cant even find it on thier website.

Some councils do still give vouchers. It depends where you are.

Sent you a DM, OP

That’s awful op.

What is the reason for not being able to bid on the normal waiting list?

I would find out any consequences of turning it down before I did so, do they have a one refusal policy? Make sure you get the full information before you make a decision.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/7812/138355.pdf This is the decent homes standard op.

If we all just roll over and accept these conditions because 'that's just how it is' or 'everyone else has to take these conditions', then they get away with this becoming the norm.

There’s never cleaning or carpets fitted though. My council house I used to have was an absolute wreck.

They have a rule to lift carpets. And my wallpaper was stripped. It was filthy. And there was damp.

I just had to report the damp for them to come and fix and get carpets and flooring and fill the holes and paint.

@ChoiceMummy

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

hate to tell you, most landlords wont take someone on uc because sadly they have the same mindset as you. we aint all scum, we aint all lazy and some of us are genuinly sick but private landlords dont care they just want you to be working , have immaculate credit know about every little bit of your life and still have someone gaurntee thier own home incase you dont pay the rent. and yet people on benefits or the sick are deemd scum, entitled and lazy arse people who should take filthy hell holes like this cause lets face it i dont deserve anything better right??? ill remember that when im forced to take it and the damp spores get into the unknown inflamation surrounding 3rd layer of my brain and i end up in hospital again

for anyone on this post was interested, my refusal got accepted and im now having a diffrent property givin to me. thank you for all the advice , support and moderate abuse!

I didn't offer any you advice, support or abuse earlier but wanted to say I'm dead pleased to see your update.
Congrats on your new property and best of luck with the move!

Pleased to hear it. Enjoy your new home.

Good luck with your new property op. It's awful that the council expect people to move into totally unsuitable / health hazard properties.
Hope everything works out for you!

Good luck op.

(I thought my comments were helpful and not abusive)

Maybe try being a bit less bitter towards other people (your comments about the council boss in 4 bed house) and you’ll get further. Beggars can’t be choosers and you can’t expect everything handed to you for free on a silver platter. I hope your new home gives you a fresh start for you and your daughter (and cat!)

Good luck.
I've done a new council property for my DPs it took a while but we got there

So glad to hear it! Well done OP for standing your ground.

When people talk about entitlement to clean safe home it does sound like a huge entitlement. Because besides the fact I worked and studied full time since 18 years old, claimed career ladder. Have two autoimmune disorders, I still CLEAN!!!!!! And I pay high private rent, which yes I can afford. But I am not lucky, I’ve worked really hard for it.

OP should see the state of some houses that are selling for 500k in London :D

*climbed :)

Hi OP, what is the different property like?