Council Housing : How long ca I expect to be waiting.

howdidthishappen

I am bankrupt but my DH isnt and we are still paying our rent at the moment, its just i feel if we dont find somewhere cheaper to live very soon DH is also going to have to go bankrupt as with such high rent we cant afford to pay full amounts to utilities every month so are falling behind with them.
we are currently paying our rent arrears off at £100 a month and when they are clear it will free our bond up again meaning we can seriously look for somewhere cheaper privately but its going to be at least 8 months untill then i just cant see a way out of this massive hole

pinkshoes

Which area are you in??? £600 a month would only get you a 1 bed flat in a horrible area or a grotty bed sit in many areas!!

Have you gone through all your finances with a fine tooth comb? Second job?

howdidthishappen

we are in leeds £600 gets us a lovely newish 3 bed semi at the minute for a reasonable 2 bed house in same sort of area we are looking at between 475 and 550

there is absolutally no room for movement in our budget, we are unfortunately tied into contracts for sky and broadband which i just want to get rid of, a second job would have to be extreamly well paid to make any difference due to higher tax on second job and fall in benefits if we earnt more

sammyjammy

As has been said it all depends on the area, my brother and his wife applied for a council house when my niece was 2, they were constantly having to move on after six month contracts and poor landlords, they eventually ended up homeless and in emergency accommodation, they finally got a (horrible!) council house last year, my niece is now 15 and her brother and sister 13 and 9.

They live in Cornwall

Broken_hearted

We've been on the list years disabled family with two young children, in the end we just pulled ourself through by going without everything.

barnaby-bear

howdidthishappen wrote: »

We had an 18 month old DD

Why bid on 3-beds which would be classed as oversized? Every family with two kids will be higher up the list. If you are on a low income £600 (more like room rather than 1-bed flat in my area) would be covered by HB/LHA, you should be entitled to plenty of help - childcare/CB/working tax credits/family tax credits etc if on a low income. Have you considered doing a proper budget on the DFW board?

SingleSue

The fact you are bidding on a 3 bed may be where you are failing as another poster said, you are only actually entitled to a 2 bed property.

Have you tried bidding for a 2 bedroom?

Other than that...good luck but be prepared for a longish wait.

Zelie

howdidthishappen wrote: »

a second job would have to be extreamly well paid to make any difference due to higher tax on second job and fall in benefits if we earnt more

What higher tax? There is no higher tax for a second job, it's still basic rate 20% The 40% taxation does not kick in until you are earning serious money and given the figures you've quoted I doubt you are anywhere near that. Even if it causes a drop in benefits a second job may be the way to go if earnings outstrip the lost benefits.

RecoveringAlcoholic

a lovely newish 3 bed semi

Time for a reality check.

Captain_Mainwaring_2

Paparika wrote: »

expect a long wait

You have all the disadvantage non nationals who take priority over nationals, not my words but the words of my local council. (Bristol City Council)

Then you have the young, very young who still get their council flat if they knock out enough children (the ones who do it just to get the flat)

And then you have the ones that are ill who need their homes adapted for them but unfortunately there is no money for them, nor is there available housing for them.

And people like me single mums who have divorced their partners because of the battery and abuse we got, we get put with our children in blocks of flats that are run down, lifts don't work so you need to bump your buggy/child/shopping up and down the stairs thank god my son can use his own two feet.

I'm desperate to get out of where i live, very close to town, fantastic brand new shopping centre less than a stone's throw away, wanna swap? yes?
ahh better read my thread here first.. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1185783

.......and then you have us silly !!!!!!!s you perhaps run self employed business who get absolutely no help or support whatever happens, no one steps in and says "hey, stop the interest on the business loan at a reasonable rate so these guys don't go broke", or "tell you what, times are tough, we are going to help you with a new VAT Scheme" , no, all we get is sleepless nights wondering where the next supernoodle is coming from, while people get to argue and choose, yes, choose, their counclil housing.