wise mumsnetters need advice re housing

[doormat]

Please wise mumsnetters can you help us with this problem we have

we were council tenants until it was transferred to local estate management board
basically we have been knocked back on extension for bedroom and bathroom for ds2,
the council said that it would cost us £9000 out of our pockets
a few months back we were offered totally crappy house with a lift in it
a lift would not be suitable in the house we are now in as it is would be illegal
social services now want to move us to a house that is suitable when one comes available
have been in touch with contact a family and they advised to make formal complaint (which I did in oct and had no reply)and then if not satisfied go to local ombudsman

sorry for boring you all but there is a snag

tbh we dont really want to move as we have a nice 4 bed house, the neighbours are great plus I still have the right to buy (it will be between £17,000 and £40,000 to buy this house with me being tenant for over 21 yrs)
dh thinks we should buy this place and get extension done ourselves which would cost around £20,000 (would we be entitled to a grant if we were homeowners)
plus a major factor about not moving from here is the fact that ds2 is loved around here and he is not bullied, which may happen if we move and I dont want him to suffer in that way

just dont know what to do
has anyone else been in this position
any advice would be gratefully received, either good or bad
thanx

I've no experience of this, but I would be very tempted to buy the house, especially at that price ! You love the house, the area and the neighbours, I'd buy it and do the work (providing you can afford it). I know you'd be spending double on the extension by going that route BUT it won't be 'empty' money, it'll be an investment and will raise the value of what will be your own property.

I am with your DH - buy and then do the work yourself if you can afford it. Do you not want to do this?

Thats a pretty cheap house, I dont know where in the country you are but it sounds to me that you would be better off buying the house. The council could move you anywhere and would probably be very difficult to get them to move you again if you were not happy.
How much would your repayments be, probably not much more than your rent at that price.

Hi, i agree with the others, buy and do the work. we are getting an extension done on our home, with a pyhsio room, big bathroom and bedroom, and its not costing £20,000. shop around local builders it can make a big difference. Do you have any rooms you can use downstairs until you can afford the extension?

We are going through getting a grant now to have a stairlift and upstairs toilet put in for DD. From talking to the OT she says that they have helped towards the building of a downstairs extension for a family who owned their house??

We are in Hampshire, don't know whether it is different in other areas?

thanx girls we live in merseyside, have gone to landlord and have discount of £26,000,
will take advice and get builders estimates for extension, will also ask OT about home improvement grants, then ask about mortgage
I do want to buy but have to think about ds2 needs as he will need a downstairs bedroom and bathroom as he is getting so much bigger.

anymore advice would be welcome