Council house

[Kelsey22]

Any advice
was offered a council property on 31st July and was stated in email they do not expect it back before September due to doing remedial work I rang today as our current housing situation is getting worse and the lady on the phone was fairly rude I explained our current situation and was wondering if there was an update on the property and she said there’s no update but you was only offered it two weeks ago and can take 2-3 months I said we won’t be waiting 2 month we have been awarded the property due our current situation we can’t wait that long. Before any one comes at me i understand people waiting a lot longer than that but this is all new to me and never done this before so I am unsure of the steps I am just stressing know whether or not they can withdraw the offer because I said we can’t wait 3 months.

OP it does take a while, just hold on. And stick two fingers up to the twats on MN who think that getting a council house means you have to be eternally grateful. If you are suffering DV ring womens aid.

Not eternally grateful but polite would do

Our neighbour recently died. They had been a tenant for over 50 years.
The family were given a few weeks to clear belongings
Then the housing association came to assess what work needs doing before they can hand the keys to the next tenant.
The workers are currently renovating inside (we can hear them).
I don't know if they also need to check the structural integrity of the garage, clear the garden and fix the boundary fence / gates.

After 50+ years tenancy there is a lot to do especially as our neighbour hadn't even been upstairs in the last 10 years.

This is why it takes so long.

Ime they wouldn't withdraw because you've said you can't wait that long.

But it may be worth you contacting them by email to clarify your position - I.e. that you do still want the property.

This is because if you turn down a property at this stage without reasonable grounds there is a risk you could be reclassified as making yourself intentionally homeless.

These factors are due to housing and homelessness policy and legislation - the people you phone and email can't change them - nor can their direct bosses.

Please try to be patient and hang in there with as much patience as you can towards the council housing teams you speak to.

@itsmeits that will not make a difference. Housing teams are under incredible pressure to turn properties around and relet with in target times. The stats are recorded and sent to the respective boards, and the data is also sent to the government. An email from a perspective new tenant will not make a difference. There is no advantage to them to go slowly

@Rusticanella there were many complaints about the workmanship during the renovations and when SH tenants post about the same on here they are told to shut up and be grateful

Home owners would never put up with inexperienced contractors

You will have to wait if you want the property. If you say you" can't " wait, you may regret it. Hang on and be patient? Are you vulnerable, hence being unable to wait? Fleeing DV?

@JenniferBooth that may be the case. But had nothing to do with the fire. The compartmentalisation failed due to the cladding. This wouldn't have been done by councils repairs/void teams, this would have been decided upon at planning and development stage.

I can promise you homeowners have to put up with crappy contractors/builders especially since Brexit!

I hope you enjoy your new home. It used to be that HA’s and local authorities removed all the flooring from previous tenancies and this is not replaced. So it may be worth thinking about new flooring as a priority for warmth and comfort when you move in

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/pedants_corner/5143590-we-was?page=1

I was offered mine at the beginning of October, finally moved in mid January. They pushed the date back several times, often with very little warning. Luckily I had family to stay with whilst I was waiting.

Remember the women at the end of the phone is a worker .. you won’t get more demanding it ..

I would also say a friend of mine went round to the property she was waiting on and spoke to the workmen .. She was warned the offer would be withdrawn if she harassed them .. I have no idea how she behaved towards the workmen but remember these people are here to help you .

if you can’t stay in your current accommodation you are probably looking at B&b

Where are you living now?
Why can’t you wait? The reason might entitle you to help or temporary accommodation.
They can’t get the house ready any quicker, and the chances are this is your best and soonest option. If you turn this down there won’t be anything quicker.

Just be glad you got something op people in my town get given tents and sleeping bags because they are single and childless.
They are told they are not a priority because they dont have children.
Im lucky very very fucking lucky to have got a flat but it took me years of hostels sleeping rough hotels sofa surfing begging housing for help etc.
Still took me a month to get biding but i had a charity to help me along the way.

Friend of mine was told the same back in 1991

DH and i were living in a bedsit between July 1992 and October 1994 which is when we got this ONE bedroom flat which we had to fight for (no bidding system then so we had to go in and argue our case) despite it only having ONE bedroom Again...no kids

Took me 18 months of biding and with help from a charity i got a call still took 4 weeks to get the keys but i didnt care it was mine and it was home.
I still have my flat years later some would say no way because its on a housing estate but i love it.
What i went though to get was worth it it proves to me that if you single man or woman without kids you gonna find it hard.
With kids you are the priority and dont really have to fight as hard its not fair we get treated differently.

WTF?

I think you did the wrong thing telling the lady on the phone you wouldn't wait. That was never going to make things faster for you, it only make you look rude and demanding.

So, what did you mean exactly, when you said you "would not be waiting?"
What other options do you have?
I understand it is frustrating but it sounds as if you were rude to the woman on the phone. That is not going to help you.
And yes, people who are awarded council housing ARE very lucky and I think should be grateful. The length of the waiting lists should tell you that.

You may have to wait 3 months, you're getting a council house and it's being sorted for you. You're very lucky to have this. 3 months isn't long to wait.

Lucky? Most of MN wouldn't buy a house near council houses let alone live in one.

This.

What is the reason you cannot stay where you are now? If you or your kids are at risk (eg fear of violence or high amount of disrepair that is affecting your health) then you could call council homeless dept and explain you have no where safe to live. Maybe they will put you in temporary accommodation (poss 1 room b&b) until properly ready.

Void turnaround time (the time it takes an empty property to be ready to let) can take a while, it's sometime hard to predict how many properties will be empty at the same time and they can't magic up new workmen (apart from contractors at great cost) so sometimes there is a wait. Getting all right trades in the right order can also be complex.

Yep The hypocrisy stinks.