Can we get a grant?

itzmee

We've just bought a house (FTBs) and the prop is ex-council, built around 1970 and still has the original electric points (but does have a new fuse box). The plug sockets are so badly done - spurs leading to spurs, pull cord switches in all the bedrooms, and the vendors even tiled over the original electric cooker point even though they told us there was a cooker point behind their gas cooker!! Anyway, my question is does anyone know if we could claim a grant from the council to help out with the costs of rewiring the house. We both work so no benefits, but I do have young children.

Thanks

raymond

Sorry to be blunt, but I seriously hope not. Why should I pay taxes to rewire a house you just bought

Mark7799

This can vary from Council to Council - the only way to find out is to contact yours.

Poppycat

It would depend on various factors, income, how bad it need doing etc

There may be a chance for a home renovation grant its means tested. Also there's a grant called the Home assistance grant.

It could take younks though to get anything even when work need urgently doing.

Only way of finding out is contacting your local council.

raymond

What a mess this country is in ... people cannot get operations on the NHS, most dentists going private yet our taxes can be used to rewire other peoples houses !

Next thing you know we will be paying people NOT to work ... whoops sorry we already do

Poppycat

Grants have always been there case, they meant to help people in need, even wealthy people can in some cases get them.

There are preconditions for grants, if you move after some many years you pay X amount back.

We can all be picky on things if we want too, like the vast amounts money not paid because of VAT avoidance scheme, huge amounts of money on court costs etc, I can go on.

I ain't defending the Op, mealy that this money can help some people improve there homes so that they are fit for human habitation. Not all of us can afford to bring our homes up to even a basic standard.

Only yesterday I heard that most of the money that has gone on the health service, paid for wages, drugs etc. Only a very small percentage actually went on patient care.

myrnahaz

Ring your local council and ask them - they'll be able to tell you over the phone, or send you the relevant information. Or log onto their website. Ours told us we could only have a grant if we were on benefits (we're not) and/or had never had a grant on the property before (the last owners had one).

Dora_the_Explorer_5

Presumably the price of the property reflected the state it was in, which was why the OP bought it. Good idea, apply for a grant.............it will only mean the council will have less money to spend on vital services for older people but hey - that's life.