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Secondary education

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Original poster

address of convenience

81 replies

UK19989345621 · 14/05/2019 15:24

We have been struggling with the acquisition of address of convenience for local secondary school
They simply refused us because we own another property in 22 miles away and they are saying is viable to travel everyday

We have now appeal next week and I am bit confused what to do

Anyone got any advise please

OP posts:
TeenTimesTwo · 14/05/2019 15:42

Well, by you referring to it as an 'address of convenience' it rather implies you are gaming the system...

Why aren't you in the property 22miles away and applying from there?

TeenTimesTwo · 14/05/2019 15:45

Oh. Just seen on another thread you wrote 'accusation' rather than the 'acquisition' you wrote here. Smile

So they are accusing you of renting(?) at closer address rather than using existing property 22 miles away.

What are the circumstances in more detail. Were you living 22 miles away, are you now renting or bought closer? When did this happen. Why? What would be the commute time from old house?

Tingface · 14/05/2019 15:46

What do the rules on your LA’s website about second properties say?

StickOfRhubarb · 14/05/2019 15:49

Well, that’s a inventive way of putting it! Bravo!

Even if you had a fake address closer to,the school you want, that wouldn’t help you at an appeal. It might help you on the waiting list but appeals are not the same thing.

You need to appeal for the school you want. So if the school does Mandarin at GCSE and your child is learning mandarin or has a chess club and your child is a chess player.

StickOfRhubarb · 14/05/2019 15:52

Oh, accusation not acquisition? So you do have another property?

Do you live in it?
Have you rented out your other house?
Have you moved your doctor and dentist and address on your primary school contacts list?
Why haven’t you sle the other house that is not convenient?

TeenTimesTwo · 14/05/2019 15:53

I'm guessing the OP wants to say at appeal that the closer address is valid, and if the council had used it then the DC would have got in as part of the first round. (i.e. an error in admissions process).

Thus if the OP wants help here they need to explain the circumstances around them having 2 addresses.

StickOfRhubarb · 14/05/2019 15:56

Yes I think that too now. I thought ‘struggling with the acquisition of the address of convenience ‘ meant he was trying and failing to get an address of convenience.

TeenTimesTwo · 14/05/2019 16:00

Yes, 2 similar words to very different meanings. Smile

Original poster
UK19989345621 · 14/05/2019 16:19

Hi Guys,
Sorry for typographical, Yes "accusation" on my case.

We tried to sell our property from Apr 2018 and still no luck to get offer near asking price despite changing the price and estate agents ! so our last option was renting a property near to the school/area we wanted to live and rent out our owned property ( all tenancy agreements been shared with admission team )

Now they are accusing of coming back to own property we still own and rented 22 miles away!

The fact is my child can't commute 22 miles and we are wont be able to give him a lift which is 88 miles a day!

Now I really don't know what to expect from the appeal!

Hope this gives you a better idea about our circumstances

OP posts:
TeenTimesTwo · 14/05/2019 16:24

Umm. So you pretty much are renting for school purposes only then?

If it were 100 miles and a job move that would be one thing.
But instead of staying put until your house sold, you have rented it out and rented near to the school you want?
It doesn't sound entirely convincing from an appeals point of view to me, but I'm not an expert.

What does the LA say about using a rented address and owning another? Some are very strict. How long are the two tenancy agreements?

StickOfRhubarb · 14/05/2019 16:25

Do you live in it?
Have you rented out your other house?
Have you moved your doctor and dentist and address on your primary school contacts list?

LIZS · 14/05/2019 16:28

I don't think they are suggesting you could commute 22miles, although some kids do, but that the original address is the one determined as the one to be used for allocations so you should have applied for closer schools. Did you miss out on distance?

Original poster
UK19989345621 · 14/05/2019 16:29

The move wasn't just for school, I have also moved my job/office, We were tired of London and that area wasn't safe at all for our family!
so this area suits us too !

The tenancy is for a year and landlord willing to extend

OP posts:
TeenTimesTwo · 14/05/2019 16:32

So what is the commute time from existing owned house to school.
I honestly can't tell if it is going to be 25 mins or 2 hrs.

Original poster
UK19989345621 · 14/05/2019 16:32

Yes all moved before the deadline of the school admission
Also primary changed

They just don't want to accept we are living here! they keep saying we will go back after we get the place and commute!

OP posts:
Original poster
UK19989345621 · 14/05/2019 16:33

By car can takes 25 min but public transport more than 2 hours

OP posts:
TeenTimesTwo · 14/05/2019 16:33

What are the LA rules on this?

Original poster
UK19989345621 · 14/05/2019 16:34

The fact is we are living in rental property 500 meters from a school we applied!

OP posts:
Original poster
UK19989345621 · 14/05/2019 16:35

What does LA stand for (

OP posts:
TopBitchoftheWitches · 14/05/2019 16:36

I travel 10 x 4 10 mile journeys a day to get my children to school and back. It takes 20 mins, not sure on your timings by car tbh !

Original poster
UK19989345621 · 14/05/2019 16:36

if you mean Local Authority , They are saying this public school having their own protocol and own admission , however all communication was via LA admission but they just forwarded my emails to the school

OP posts:
TopBitchoftheWitches · 14/05/2019 16:37

Not 10 x 4 ! I mean 4 x 4 10 miles journeys each day so 40 miles Blush

TeenTimesTwo · 14/05/2019 16:37

But the fact is also that you own another property only 25 minutes away.
With so many people renting just to get a place at a desirable school and then moving back home and commuting, many LAs have put in rules to prevent this.
If e.g. the LA says 'if you still own a home within 50miles that has previously been the family home and are now renting, then we will use the owned house as the address', then you don't have a leg to stand on.

AlunWynsKnee · 14/05/2019 16:40

How close you are in your rented house is irrelevant. They don't believe it is your permanent address so they're not going to use it for distance purposes.

OP posts: