How to rent from Council

Den

Hi,

I really need someone's advice how rent a property from Council or not sure how to name it. Please could you share any info that might help us.

Basically we have been renting privately for last eight years but now have 2 kids (boy is 3 years and girl is 3 months). I can afford to rent 1 bedroom flat in my area; there is no option to move to another area because prices in London so high and I don't have a car.
I heard that people can join a Council house scheme and wait for a while depending on the circumstances. I cannot buy anything, so need to think about something, because very soon my 2 kinds will need more space.

I need any information about options available from Council and where should I go, what should I ask to joint the scheme. I know it's not easy and not straight forward, but better to start now.

Many thanks

tee_pee_2

hiya

every local authority is different, but at our you need to go into the housing office and speak to a housing officer, if nec make an appointment so you can have a quality interview. First get on waiting list - for our LA you need 2 ref per person if you do you can use your current landlord and employer.

Find out how many ways you can apply ie we have a prop shop which is like an estate agent, and you have to fill in a sep form to apply.

Base on your circs your housing need will be assessed and the more need you ahve the higher up the list you will go - ie are you overcrowded are there 3/4 of you in a one bed flat. Is living where you are causing you to be depressed? as you could go the drs and if he diagnosed living where you are is bad for your mental health you could also get a med prioirty. to go further up the list. Does any one have a medical prioirt ie whellchair users so needs a downstairs toilet.

If everyone has their own room and you are suitably housed you just want more room, you will not be a prioirty, and you wait may be a while.

It also depends on what area you want, which dictatcs how long you wait ie high demand areas you wait longer.

Your council should have a web site with a housing sub section on it for ther Housing office tel/address. I would def go in and have a chat. The forms are long winded and completing one section wrong can affect your catagory.

But like I say every Council does things a bit dif to each other.

HTH

Good luck

Den

Many thanks tee pee!

Definately we will contact our local Housing department.


- - -
More information: we rent one bedroom flat, and four of us sleep in one room, so think that we are not in the best situation.

tee_pee_2

you will be classed as overcrowded by at least one room, can you afford the rent cos if you fell behind and the ll wanted you out you would be homeless and with 2 small kids you would be a prioirty- only prob is you can;t dictate which area you live in if you are rehoused via the homeless route

Den

Regards your notes: If I have short. assured ten. agreement for 12 months and by the end of it I need to renew or leave, does it classify as Landlord want me out?

lynzpower

Check with your LA. Your LL might have to go through the courts to formally evict you, as otherwise the law says ( crazily in my view) that you are not strictly homeless.

If you cannot afford the rent however, then time to take your budget down to the locao authority, they may then state that its not "reasonable to occupy" ie you cant continue living there if you cant afford it and thus, house you as a priority.

tee_pee_2

Den wrote:

Regards your notes: If I have short. assured ten. agreement for 12 months and by the end of it I need to renew or leave, does it classify as Landlord want me out?

no not unless you apply to renew and he refuses it/

boogiemaster

You will be offered a house where nobody wants to move too and where people want to move away from.
All the good estates have a minimum of 2-5 years waiting list. Where I live in Yorkshire people have been on the list for five years before they got a house.
You are in a house already and are not considered as a priority to the council; you could be on the list for ten years and still not get a house.
Only people that live with their parents and have children are considered for council houses, priority cases are always considered like women that have violent husbands etc homeless.
You live in a one bed roomed flat with your two children so seeing a councillor or maybe an mp could get the ball rolling faster?
Also put an ad in the paper and you just might be lucky, good luck

tee_pee_2

i know there are lots of steroetypical things that LA does not do. YOu do not have to have children to be a priority there are other cirs that are taken into ac and you do not have to be on the list for 10yrs, and if you LA has a property shop, it works on a first come basis.

I am a housing officer so I am not talking out of my ars*

All LA are different as OP pointed out

boogiemaster

You won’t get a three bedroom house if you’re on your own where I live you will get offered a bungalow.
In Halifax people with children seem to get council houses more quickly than someone on their own, the local council told me that good areas always have a big waiting list.
My cousin has been told it’s a five year waiting list to get a house on my estate, so I’m only going by what I’ve been told.
My housing officer was useless and I got a house through the back door route, my mom said to the housing officer you are useless and my son has got a house.
You won’t give someone that lives on their own a three bedroom house when someone with children needs it.
I also said you could be on the list for ten years, I said could be, I never said had to be, it depends on the area.
A lot of people have the right to buy and most people do buy their council homes, the council houses are becoming scarce.
I’m talking about where I live, if her area is the same as mine then she could have a long waiting list, also she live in London and I’ve seen programs on tv that tell people there is a massive waiting list for all the best areas.
Why do most employees treat council houses like they are something they stepped in, I talked to the workmen and most say they are just council houses so what’s the point in doing a good job?
The council have done jobs to my house that they would have never accepted if it was their house.
You could have said I was wrong instead of insulting me by saying I was talking out of my !!!!!!.

beanielou

You could also try local housing assoc's in the area you want to live in