I've been offered a council house!

mummymoo

ive actually been offered a council house (whinging pays off i guess) the problem is ive been looking and looking for a house to rent for MONTHS (january!) my landlord has sold the house im in and ive just found one and payed deposit due to move in thursday a beautyful 4 bed house that even accepts rent allowance, ive schools registered, addresses changed on everything, moving van booked ive everything sorted! and now today i get offered a council house that is nowhere near where i am, if i take it i will need to change all schools (pre school and primary) and addresses etc, the house is '3 bedroom' but it is actually a 2 bed house that has been converted into a 3 bed by dividing a room, i have a boy and a girl and a bump! im not sure if it will be suitable for 3 children and ive not seen what it is actually like on the inside, it is in a nice place tho and im very VERY lucky to be even offered a house after only 1.5 years on waiting list, if i turn it down will i be allowed to get rent allowance still? or if i take it would i be entitled to apply for a transfer if it is a cramped space?

fussyonion

Hang on. You've just been offered a house and now you're considering refusing it or move in and then transfer somewhere else?
You would PREFER to take the rent allowance house?
Are you mad?
You've been offered a stable home for life and you aren't happy about it....I don't know what to say. I'm gobsmacked.

nc19

fussyonion wrote: »

Hang on. You've just been offered a house and now you're considering refusing it or move in and then transfer somewhere else?
You would PREFER to take the rent allowance house?
Are you mad?
You've been offered a stable home for life and you aren't happy about it....I don't know what to say. I'm gobsmacked.

Maybe if you were in this persons position your gob would remain unsmacked

if I had the choice I would choose RA over a council house too.

fussyonion

nc19 wrote: »

Maybe if you were in this persons position your gob would remain unsmacked

if I had the choice I would choose RA over a council house too.

I have been in a similar position.

I was on Rent Allowance. And I know full well how hard it is to get a Landlord to accept it, so nobody on Rent Allowance would actively choose to be on it over a council home.

The OP went on the Housing List because she wanted to be housed.
She has been offered somewhere now and she's debating that she might not take it because it's not where she wants to live.

She would have chosen what areas she wanted to live in when she first applied to the Housing List.
I swear to God, some people just want want want.

TimeToShine

I agree with fussyonion but I also empathise with the OP to some extent. If the LL accepts RA and she doesn't cause any trouble for the foreseeable future then she pretty much has a stable home.

A chat with the LL might be in order to see what the likelihood of an "unexpected circumstance" arising is that would result in him having to move back in to the old house.

fussyonion

TimeToShine wrote: »

I agree with fussyonion but I also empathise with the OP to some extent. If the LL accepts RA and she doesn't cause any trouble for the foreseeable future then she pretty much has a stable home.

A chat with the LL might be in order to see what the likelihood of an "unexpected circumstance" arising is that would result in him having to move back in to the old house.

Rent Allowance is not stable. Every year a Rent Review form is sent to RA tenants and almost every year, or every two years, the Allowance is cut.
What's going to happen next year if the Allowance is cut and the LL refuses to lower his rent?

The OP is going to have to look for somewhere else. I reckon then she'll regret not taking the council home.

If she took the council home, she'd have a stable and secure home for her children. She could also return to work and not fear that a LL is going to turn up one day and say he's selling up.

My point is that RA is not secure and a council home is.
And moreover, she applied for council housing and now she's been offered a place. I don't understand why someone would turn it down. I don't think her reasons are good enough, to be honest.

I was offered a council home in an area that I didn't choose as my number one preference but I was so thankful for somewhere that I made the most of it and the relief of not being on RA anymore was priceless.

padma

As its only June, you do have the summer to sort out schools. You can also cancel the moving date to the date you move in to the council house. I'm sure the man with the van will oblige. Get on the phone to the new landlord and have a chat with him about getting different tenants in.

Having a council house is security for life. Having a landlord you are prone to market rates and it may become the case further down the line of him upping the rent on you yearly.

If it was my choice I know where I'd be going. You say the new council house is in a fine area, happy days. Enjoy YOUR new home.

fussyonion

Just to add to the OP's questions:

You have two refusals. If you refuse one, who knows how long you'll be waiting before your next offer?
If you don't give good enough reasons for refusing, your Rent Allowance will be stopped and you'll be removed from the Housing List and you would have to reapply a year later.

If you take the council home, you can only apply for a transfer when you've been living in the new place for two years.

Waiting 1 and a half years for a council property isn't a wait at all and OP, I reckon you're really fortunate to be offered somewhere so quickly.
You said the home is in a really nice place.

Why not look at it as a fresh start for you and your family?
A lot of people who are offered council homes are given properties in areas they don't actually like.

mummymoo

everyone ive asked has said the house is very very small, it wouldnt be a stable home if im having to move out again because it is 4 people living in what was a 2 bedroom house, i love the area, if the house had been originally a 3 bed house i would take it no problem, and the house i have payed deposit on, the landlord owns his own house and will without a doubt accept rent allowance, he has agreed to a long term let as i already have my children in school here, im not asking to move into this council house and immediately apply for a bigger house im talking in the long run what would be my better option here

smelly sock

mummymoo wrote: »

ive actually been offered a council house (whinging pays off i guess) the problem is ive been looking and looking for a house to rent for MONTHS (january!) my landlord has sold the house im in and ive just found one and payed deposit due to move in thursday a beautyful 4 bed house that even accepts rent allowance, ive schools registered, addresses changed on everything, moving van booked ive everything sorted! and now today i get offered a council house that is nowhere near where i am, if i take it i will need to change all schools (pre school and primary) and addresses etc, the house is '3 bedroom' but it is actually a 2 bed house that has been converted into a 3 bed by dividing a room, i have a boy and a girl and a bump! im not sure if it will be suitable for 3 children and ive not seen what it is actually like on the inside, it is in a nice place tho and im very VERY lucky to be even offered a house after only 1.5 years on waiting list, if i turn it down will i be allowed to get rent allowance still? or if i take it would i be entitled to apply for a transfer if it is a cramped space?

Take it. Your on to the gravy train from the minute you get it and from the impression I get from your post your one of them who expects everything for nothing and think it is your entitlement. You'll never have to consider getting a job, and at the moment you are probably getting more every week and month in silly payments for your kids than you would if you actually got a job.

"The cheek of them only offering me a small 3 bed".

Best of luck, enjoy the gravy train.

TimeToShine

In the long run obviously the council house is the better choice.

Better off moving your kids now while they're in playschool/early primary than doing it later.

fussyonion

mummymoo wrote: »

everyone ive asked has said the house is very very small, it wouldnt be a stable home if im having to move out again because it is 4 people living in what was a 2 bedroom house, i love the area, if the house had been originally a 3 bed house i would take it no problem, and the house i have payed deposit on, the landlord owns his own house and will without a doubt accept rent allowance, he has agreed to a long term let as i already have my children in school here, im not asking to move into this council house and immediately apply for a bigger house im talking in the long run what would be my better option here

How many children did you have when you applied for housing?

If you had two girls, for example, at the time you applied, then you'd have been down for a two bed house.

I don't understand how the council are offering you a house that doesn't seem to fit your needs.
Did you inform the council of your pregnancy/subsequent children?

And if your Rent Allowance is cut, you'll have to ask your LL to reduce his rent.
Are you saying he'll do that no problem for the forseeable future?

padma

for the long term, I'd move in to the council house, then when baby is born go chat to the council about a slightly bigger home for the changing environment. This puts you in a much better position than refusing, staying on rent allowance and going back down on the waiting list, meanwhile thousands going to a landlord.

nc19

fussyonion wrote: »

I have been in a similar position.

I was on Rent Allowance. And I know full well how hard it is to get a Landlord to accept it, so nobody on Rent Allowance would actively choose to be on it over a council home.

The OP went on the Housing List because she wanted to be housed.
She has been offered somewhere now and she's debating that she might not take it because it's not where she wants to live.

She would have chosen what areas she wanted to live in when she first applied to the Housing List.
I swear to God, some people just want want want.

RA - once you can get a landlord to accept RA you can choose EXACTLY where you live and how you live in terms of working class/middle class areas and therefore how you live in terms of anti social behaviour and the likelihood of it.

LOH - You get what you're given to an extent.



any council estate in my local area is not somewhere I would choose to live let alone bring kids up in.

So, if OP found a nice house in a nice area on RA and the council have a smaller house in a worse area why would she take it?

TimeToShine

fussyonion wrote: »

How many children did you have when you applied for housing?

If you had two girls, for example, at the time you applied, then you'd have been down for a two bed house.

I don't understand how the council are offering you a house that doesn't seem to fit your needs.
Did you inform the council of your pregnancy/subsequent children?

And if your Rent Allowance is cut, you'll have to ask your LL to reduce his rent.
Are you saying he'll do that no problem for the forseeable future?

It is a 3 bedroom, it has just been "converted".

TBH I am teetering dangerously towards the entitled train of thought the more I think about it. Schools seem to be the big issue and there's 3 months for that.

padma

nc19 wrote: »

RA - once you can get a landlord to accept RA you can choose EXACTLY where you live and how you live in terms of working class/middle class areas and therefore how you live in terms of anti social behaviour and the likelihood of it.

LOH - You get what you're given to an extent.



any council estate in my local area is not somewhere I would choose to live let alone bring kids up in.

So, if OP found a nice house in a nice area on RA and the council have a smaller house in a worse area why would she take it?

The OP has said though that it is in a really Nice place, also she hasn't seen it, so who knows it may have had an extension or something worked to it. It could be lovely.

smelly sock

It more than likely will be in a nice spot. Where some people have broken their backs to get mortgages and pay them while others are just handed everything. Mixing social housing with private housing is a good idea but doesn't work well in reality.

padma

Owning your own house and living in a council house are two different things.

Rasmus

Going for the council house is the most secure option for your children. Rent allowance will continue to go down and you can't entirely rely on a private rental situation. When you are on your feet and making better money, you can always choose a neighbourhood that is more convenient or that you like better. The only issue I would raise is with the council and that is you should inform them of your new arrival as they have assessed you on two children. They might want to house you somewhere else, in which case you would still need to move somewhere else in the meantime.

Zamboni

mummymoo wrote: »

ive actually been offered a council house (whinging pays off i guess) the problem is ive been looking and looking for a house to rent for MONTHS (january!) my landlord has sold the house im in and ive just found one and payed deposit due to move in thursday a beautyful 4 bed house that even accepts rent allowance, ive schools registered, addresses changed on everything, moving van booked ive everything sorted! and now today i get offered a council house that is nowhere near where i am, if i take it i will need to change all schools (pre school and primary) and addresses etc, the house is '3 bedroom' but it is actually a 2 bed house that has been converted into a 3 bed by dividing a room, i have a boy and a girl and a bump! im not sure if it will be suitable for 3 children and ive not seen what it is actually like on the inside, it is in a nice place tho and im very VERY lucky to be even offered a house after only 1.5 years on waiting list, if i turn it down will i be allowed to get rent allowance still? or if i take it would i be entitled to apply for a transfer if it is a cramped space?

Take it.
One generation ago is was not uncommon to have up to 13 people living in a small 2 bed house.
You will manage.
Give your kids the stability they need to get a good education and get out of the welfare trap and prevent inter-generational state dependency.
Best of luck.

ameee

padma wrote: »

Owning your own house and living in a council house are two different things.

Except not paying property tax its much the same, a house for life that you can do up and change to your taste. After a few years you can buy it at a discounted price if you can afford it.

Op I think you are crazy your landlord could sell up or go bust anytime and you would have to leave and uproot your kids. To have long term security for your children should be the most important thing in the world not having a bigger house.

You dont know how lucky you are only waiting such a short time for a house.
You are aware I hope that the government are trying to change the law so people on ra are taken off the housing list altogether so if you dont take this house you will be stuck on rent allowance forever subject to to the whims of landlords and yearly welfare cuts and changes. Take the house and count your blessings.

mummymoo

its not been extended tho as ive said its one bedroom that has been divided to make it a 2 bedroom because the people that lived before me had another child, so it was originally given as a council house for a family with 1 child, i will have 3! ive also been told that the down stairs kitchen living area is all open plan, im concerned about our sanity lol i have told the council that i am expecting but i dont know if they have taken note of it, i dont even know if im alowed to see the house? and also i DONT get everything handed to me because some people seem to think i do just because ive been offered a house, i barely get by with what i have, im very lucky to be offered a council house

Mrs OBumble

Is there any chance that the father of your bump will be joining in your domestic bliss any time soon? If not, then a 3brm should be more than adequate, even if the children's bedrooms are small: they're kids, they will adapt to whatever space they have.

And no, your impending No 3 will not be taken account of in the allocation until it actually pops its head out and turns into a human being. At the moment you're a sole parent with two kids and that is what it is based on.

You should be able to view the house before deciding, contact the council to ask about it.

Day Lewin

Many of us grew up in small three -bed houses with very large families: the baby shares the parents room for the first little while anyway...other kids in bunks, they have a shelf each...it really is do-able, and millions have done it!
and a permanent address is very stable for kids and still offers possibilities of being offered a larger home as your family grows

Whereas Rent Allowance always feels like a stopgap. Take the house, make it your welcoming home, - large or small.
Kids all over the world grow up in huts and trailers and 2-room flats - and they turn out fine! (if they are taught right behaviour)

Bird-in-the-hand, etc - I say take it.

TimeToShine

Would you not actually look at the place before you decide?

You sound like a woman who has her mind made up regardless of what advice she's given.

andreac

mummymoo wrote: »

its not been extended tho as ive said its one bedroom that has been divided to make it a 2 bedroom because the people that lived before me had another child, so it was originally given as a council house for a family with 1 child, i will have 3! ive also been told that the down stairs kitchen living area is all open plan, im concerned about our sanity lol i have told the council that i am expecting but i dont know if they have taken note of it, i dont even know if im alowed to see the house? and also i DONT get everything handed to me because some people seem to think i do just because ive been offered a house, i barely get by with what i have, im very lucky to be offered a council house

I thought it was a 2 bed turned into a 3 bed though? Thats what you said in your first post?

TimeToShine

andreac wrote: »

I thought it was a 2 bed turned into a 3 bed though? Thats what you said in your first post?

She means the second of the two bedrooms was divided into two bedrooms.

fussyonion

The OP obviously can't see the valid points everyone's making, so I reckon she should turn down the council house and let the council give it to someone who will actually appreciate it.

andreac

TimeToShine wrote: »

She means the second of the two bedrooms was divided into two bedrooms.

Ok, i see what you mean now.

alias no.9

mummymoo wrote: »

its not been extended tho as ive said its one bedroom that has been divided to make it a 2 bedroom because the people that lived before me had another child, so it was originally given as a council house for a family with 1 child, i will have 3! ive also been told that the down stairs kitchen living area is all open plan, im concerned about our sanity lol i have told the council that i am expecting but i dont know if they have taken note of it, i dont even know if im alowed to see the house? and also i DONT get everything handed to me because some people seem to think i do just because ive been offered a house, i barely get by with what i have, im very lucky to be offered a council house

What makes you think there has to be separate bedroom for every child or that the house was originally for a family with one child? The subdivision may have been due to having children of different gender rather than just having 2 children and the fact that it was possible suggests that it was a fairly substantial room in the first place.
Security of tenure is far more important than children not sharing a room. I shared a room as a kid, I have 3 boys under 6 sharing a room right now even though they could each have their own room because it's fantastic for their social interaction.
Refusing the council house is very risky for reasons already outlined, take it and you can still make your case for something bigger without ever having to accept anything worse or having a move forced upon you and your family at the landlords whim or misfortune.

The_Morrigan

fussyonion wrote: »

The OP obviously can't see the valid points everyone's making, so I reckon she should turn down the council house and let the council give it to someone who will actually appreciate it.

Can you stop taking potshots at the OP, she came here for advice, not judgment.