Giving up a housing association for a flat am I doing the right thing???

[Rnh]

I’m currently living in a 2 bedroom house with housing association in not the best of areas in a overcrowded situation with one toilet in the bathroom so nightmare with everyone wanting to use toilet especially when your in the bath. Theres me my husband and my three children ages 4 9 16 I had to give my eldest daughter my bedroom so I have been sleeping in my front room for 4 years not ideal but had to put her first! I recently bidded on a really nice three bedroom flat affordable housing with housing association in kidbrooke village really nice new development lots to do there with the kids lots of parks which I haven’t got where I’m currently living and it’s lovely flat with my own room finally and two toilets and large balcony. But can’t help but think maybe should have waited an extra year or two to bid on a house but the wait was becoming unbearable waiting now for 6 years cramped and the area is much better! Would you have waited an extra couple of years for house or took the flat in nice better area???

No, that sounds sensible! You can always bid to move again in a few years if you really need to, but you need 3 bedrooms now.

The longer you stay in an unsuitable home, the worse it will get. The kids are growing and need their space - and so do you!

I think I would do what you're doing but bear in mind your 16 year old might be gone in the next few years anyway. Kidbrooke is a nice enough area now (don't know where you're from) - has good transport links, shops and good schools. Is it a totally secure tenancy though ie; with the same rights as your current home? Also affordable rents are usually a lot more than a council rent.
If it's Greenwich Council and you're on Band C it will be a long wait for a house.

A flat is just lots of terraced "homes" on top of each other.

You need a bedroom.

Hope you get and enjoy your new flat - sounds an amazing opportunity

Hiya

yes it would be an assured tenancy the rent is a little bit more expensive but I wanted a better area for the kids And better school and more transport and things to do and thinking maybe could turn the spare room in to a guest room eventually if she does leave home but that won’t be for some years yet!

I would never give up a house for a flat i would look for an exchange?

I would probably do it in your circumstances. Good luck!

Hi I previously used to say the same but been on the exchange list for many years and a bunch of let downs no joy whatsoever people just don’t want to move to my area but I love the area and the flat is really nice has a very large balcony waiting so many years so took the opportunity

I’d do it. If it has a large balcony and lots of nearby outdoor parks and things to do it sounds lovely. Plus if it’s sort after it’ll be easier to find a swap then your current home.

I’d take the flat in a heartbeat.
houses are hugely overrated. I hate vacuuming stairs, and sure a garden is nice for the whole 2 weeks a year we get to use it.

To be honest that’s also another reason why I took the flat just so much easier to clean and maintain I do my back in hoovering the stairs everyday lol

Congrats on your new home. You've definitely done the right thing. You could be waiting years for a house - live your life now! I understand a couple of years 'waiting' ie living uncomfortably, but any longer and you're eating into precious time that you could all be happier/more content as a family.

I would have done the same thing. To me the pros far outweigh the cons

I would never give up a house for a flat

I totally would with a family of 5 and it's a 3-bed/2-loo flat in a nicer area vs a 2-bed/1-loo house in a less nice area. Sounds like a no-brainer to me OP. Enjoy having your own bedroom again and being able to bath/use the loo in peace.

I wouldn't OP.

I'm in a flat & while it's a nice good sized flat in a decent enough area, it feels really small compared to any house I've ever had. The bedrooms are probably a comparable size but the living room & kitchen are much smaller... strangely my bathroom is huge!

Things I really miss are a decent sized kitchen that I can actually cook & eat in & a garden.

On really nice days I don't want to go for a day out to the park but it would be nice to be able to sit in the garden for a bit & still be able to do any jobs/laundry that needs doing without feeling trapped in the flat.

How easy will it be to move again in a few years?

I'm currently looking for an exchange but no one wants a flat & I don't have enough points on our housing list (there's no bidding system here it's a points based list - I have 20 but you need 100 to be anywhere near the top & that's mostly allocated to homeless people) to have any chance of getting a house through that. As the kids grow up & leave I'll have even less chance of getting a house & will at best be offered a smaller flat.

Hiya
the funny thing is that the kitchen in the flat is actually a lot bigger then my current kitchen in my house it’s a lovely new kitchen new build flat lots more cupboard space I actually love the kitchen and the large balcony and to be honest I don’t really ever sit in my garden feels abit isolated and abit of a wind tunnel I’m staring to feel I’ve done the best thing and looking really forward to it now :-)))

Definitely go for the flat.

Flat sounds great! We’re a bit snobby about flats in the UK - I have family in Europe and they all live in flats.

I think you have done the right thing! I hope you go for it and are happy there.

I look forward to the low maintenance and cleaning being easier with the flat and it’s already fully decorated fully carpeted throughout and painted so my hubby is happy he hasn’t got to decorate lol

You've definitely done the right thing, and for it to be carpeted and painted throughout, bonus

I don't think pp realise that a 3 bed flat in Kidbrooke village sells for £700k on the private market. They aren't concrete council tower blocks.

I live in the borough so know the area.. still wouldn’t but I’ve lived in flats and would never go back to one but garden is priority for me if that isn’t for the op then it doesn’t matter really but with 3 kids I couldn’t not have a garden I would do a mutual exchange for a bed 3 ground floor flat, but she’s already accepted it anyway so if she declined she would lose her priority so doesn’t matter now either way but I wouldn’t live in Kidbrooke personally..

Yes They are really expenisive privately and I agree it looks very nice and modern from the outside aswell I took my kids to the new local park and had a walk through sutcliffe park and cator park it’s so lovely my kids lloved it so just had to take the opportunity!!

The flat sounds ideal for you in your situation, OP. A very sensible move that should improve your quality of life.

The new Kidbrooke Village looks lovely. Right on top of the main line station into Central London and close to Blackheath. I live in the Borough and I’d love a flat there.