housing register points system

rosiesmummy

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this site and not sure if this is where I should be posting, but maybe you can help me...

My partner and I were evicted (due to having a baby - landlord had no-children policy) and couldn't afford to stay find new accomodation in London so ended up homeless and living in a hostel in Cambs. Which is where we are now - four months on. We have been told we have 245 points on the housing register, and we assumed this was a lot as it is more than other families here have. Anyway, we have kept quiet and not complained despite poor conditions here, because we are grateful to have a roof over us at all, and know the council has many other people like us. We thought by keeping everything friendly we might be housed faster than the people who complain all the time.
This is not the case. People keep being moved before us, and yesterday we saw last month's list of those who were rehomed - three familes with just 80 points were given homes that matched our specifications in our top village choice.

Could anyone explain how the points system works - is it actually the highest points is placed first or does it go by length of waiting only?

Also, what differences are there between housing associations and council housing? Is one better than the other?

Thankyou for any advice,

Angela, Rosie's Mummy

rushnowt

Hiya Angela, i'm sorry i can't help you with the points system etc, however it's always been my understanding that those who are constantly hassling the council do tend to be housed quicker, i know it sounds bizarre, but i was like you many years ago and in need of housing and was the quiet one who waited patiently and got no-where, until eventually i could take no more and dropped on them and said i was not leaving until they found me some where, a bit extreme i agree but it worked. and a set of keys were handed to me that day. So please keep nagging them.

Secondly some people prefer housing association properties as they tend to be but not always in smaller groups i.e not on a large estate, they can even be just one house on an average terrace row, but it does vary, but my advice would be to if you haven't already get your name down on all the housing association lists as well to cover all bases.

Good luck :-*

Ted_Hutchinson

North Lincs Housing points system explained

Each Authority will have a housing points policy similar (but maybe not the same) as the above. In my village one council house has been left empty for months as apparently no one wants to live here (no public transport or jobs). It might be worth your while investigating empty council properties in your area and enquiring what is happening to them and when. I suspect the empty house in our village has simply been forgotten, or is waiting for redecoration. I'm sure if someone went to the council with your points total and suggested they would redecorate it themselves if they could move in straight away, the council would be handing over the keys.

I agree that hassling your local housing office will probably move the situation on, as may speaking with your local councillor.

rosiesmummy

Thankyou for the encouraging advice... I'm just not good at being forceful about these things - I feel that I ought to be grateful they housed us here - and there are good things about the homeless shelter - it is only £11 a week rent. But we feel like prisoners - we can't afford to go out anywhere and the room starts closing in on us... I've tried to make it better by cooking group meals for our 'neighbours' but we can't afford to do that often and they don't offer to chip in...

Can't face Christmas in here.

Maybe I'll head down to the council offices tomorrow and ask them what they plan to do about a vacant house in my Mum's village - it was a warden's home in the sheltered accomodation, but they have decided to have an emergency warden instead... do you really think they might consider letting us have it?

Any other tips to get moved faster?

Fran

Hi rosiesmummy,

Contact Shelter in your area and ask for advice. Click here for Shelter Website.

wilf55

pester the council but in a nice way every single day that way they wont forget you and will think that you are nice

it works because they realise that you desperatly need a house not officially works but none the less it does

hiya its mrs xxx again just wondering if there is any movement ...its really getting me down in here and there was soo much noise last night

etc etc etc

Morglin

Could your GP write to them asking them to rehouse you as soon as possible? Doctor's letters sometimes move things along.

Other than that, it's the "squeaky wheels that usually get oiled first", so I'd phone them at least 3 times a week, and tell them how stressed you are and how long is it going to be etc.,

Always be polite though.

If people with less points are being housed before you, then I would certainly ask why this is happening, and if you don't get a satisfactory answer, ask your local councillor to help you.

Lin

dmg24

wilf55 wrote: »

pester the council but in a nice way every single day that way they wont forget you and will think that you are nice

it works because they realise that you desperatly need a house not officially works but none the less it does

hiya its mrs xxx again just wondering if there is any movement ...its really getting me down in here and there was soo much noise last night

etc etc etc

Hopefully rosiesmummy has found a new home by now ... her post was three years ago!!!!!

Anthillmob

rosiesmummy wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this site and not sure if this is where I should be posting, but maybe you can help me...

My partner and I were evicted (due to having a baby - landlord had no-children policy) and couldn't afford to stay find new accomodation in London so ended up homeless and living in a hostel in Cambs. Which is where we are now - four months on. We have been told we have 245 points on the housing register, and we assumed this was a lot as it is more than other families here have. Anyway, we have kept quiet and not complained despite poor conditions here, because we are grateful to have a roof over us at all, and know the council has many other people like us. We thought by keeping everything friendly we might be housed faster than the people who complain all the time.
This is not the case. People keep being moved before us, and yesterday we saw last month's list of those who were rehomed - three familes with just 80 points were given homes that matched our specifications in our top village choice.

Could anyone explain how the points system works - is it actually the highest points is placed first or does it go by length of waiting only?

Also, what differences are there between housing associations and council housing? Is one better than the other?

Thankyou for any advice,

Angela, Rosie's Mummy

i feel so sorry for you. we are in no way in the same predicament but there will soon be 4 of us living in a one bed council flat. we have 80 points and have been told we need 90 to get a 2 bed.

however i havent a clue how the points syetm works and it does seem unfair when you log in to see how your bid went and the property was given to someone not in the band the property was advertised as prioritised to and they have 30 points! makes me so angry.

i put us down on the housing list for the borough i work in and work for and they told me that as we both work we wouldnt be considered and got shoved at the very bottom of the list.

i think each local authority make up their own rules.

good luck. get onto your mp perhaps, and doctors etc.

dmg24

Why are people still offering advice for a three year old thread?!!!

Anthillmob

i offered mine/my whinge before realising the thread was years old.

im a fool!