Substitute service family accomodation

doctorm

I am due to to move to an area where there is a lack of married quarters so we have been told we are eligible for SSFA.
I am aware that I am only required to pay the rent that I would if I we're in an MQ, which would currently be the rate for type V accomodation ( around £400 per month).

We are given the option of finding our own house to rent and informing defence estates so they can authorise it.
My question is, what is the maximum the army will pay towards the rent, I do not want to pay more than £400 so in order to find a house which is suitable (i.e. not too expensive or not too cheap) I need to know the maximum contribution the army will pay.

Thanks

Bargainbabe_2

Have you spoken to the DE for that area? They should be able to give you all the info you need

doctorm

Bargainbabe wrote: »

Have you spoken to the DE for that area? They should be able to give you all the info you need

Not yet, we wont require the accomodation until next summer. Before I speak to DE I want to have as much info as possible to ensure we get the best we're entitiled to.

toejam_3

Hi
We are in a SSFA and we were told to look for properties that were "new build" as they are classed as grade 1 accom and as we have three children we were told to look for a four bedroom with a limit of £650 for rent ... we pay around £350 inc garage.

Bigun28

The one thing to bear in mind with SSFA is that you will pay top rent under DHE standards. Whereas a FMQ may be Grade 2, 3 or 4 for example, all SSFA, regardless of standard, is classed as Grade 1 which will cost you more, maybe as much as £100 per month or more.

At times a little unfair (in my opinion) since you are being 'pushed' into SSFA (and hence paying more) through no fault of your own and due to lack of FMQ.

Trying_to_be_good

But isn't it charged as Grade 1 because it's of the same standard? If DE do get their act together over the next ten years, and all SFA is Grade 1 and 2, lots of people's monthly charges will be higher, but so will the standard of accommodation (we've just moved out of a Grade 3 SFA, and whilst the low 'rent' was nice, I'd've preferred to have a shower that worked, and no mould in the bathroom etc).

You can't please all of the people all of the time!

Bargainbabe_2

doctorm wrote: »

Not yet, we wont require the accomodation until next summer. Before I speak to DE I want to have as much info as possible to ensure we get the best we're entitiled to.

What I am suggesting is, if you speak to the DE of that area, they will be able to give the "ceiling" price for the rent. It does vary from area to area. That type of info is really only available from the DE.

Sparky29

doctorm wrote: »

I am due to to move to an area where there is a lack of married quarters so we have been told we are eligible for SSFA.
I am aware that I am only required to pay the rent that I would if I we're in an MQ, which would currently be the rate for type V accomodation ( around £400 per month).

We are given the option of finding our own house to rent and informing defence estates so they can authorise it.
My question is, what is the maximum the army will pay towards the rent, I do not want to pay more than £400 so in order to find a house which is suitable (i.e. not too expensive or not too cheap) I need to know the maximum contribution the army will pay.

Thanks

I'm in SSFA and whoever pays the bills are paying about £1200 a month rent for a 4 bed detached . I'm paying £317.13 rent, £26.35 for a garage and £109.12 CILOCT (the neighbours are paying £1700 a year council tax :eek:). I don't know what type V is but I was eligible for type D accomodation.

I was shown two properties by someone tasked by DE and told to choose one. I was told that I could find my own property and they would assess it to see if it could be brought on to the scheme because it has to pass certain criteria such as square footage and number of bedrooms. I would have to pay the deposit and it was my problem if the landlord didn't refund it. If there were any faults with the property I would have to sort it out with the landlord/ agent. More hassle than its worth finding your own property. Let DE do it.

As to the ceiling, I was told by the man showing us around that they look at your eligibility and then find a suitable property. I just said that I wanted a house near good schools and they found me two good properties.