urgent advice needed, regarding minimum room sizes

skylight

Sofa bed or the kids can share the larger room and you have the smaller one for the time being. At least that way you also get some space for a few years and move on to the sofa afterwards.

Councils only have a duty to house you as per your circumstances now and not the future. This applies to council housing and also their private rental scheme. They do not have a bottomless pit of rescources nor do they have council homes to offer; as you have found out with them helping privately. There is also a limited number of private landlords that go via the council.

If its a nice area, that is far better than a larger house in a dump. I promise you that! (As I have said before) I have 5 kids in a 2-bed house. Its small and cramped. But its home and its on a great estate. I can let the kids go out to play on their own, walk to friends houses and feel safe here. I could move to a larger house thats affordable for me but they are all on terrible estates where I wouldn't be able to let the kids play outside ever. You make the best of what you've got.

Really, if this is your last offer of help you don't have much of a choice. At least this property is a nice one.

Pimlico

It sounds as if you are being a bit precious over space, if the 1st Bedroom is 15 sq. m. then you don't qualify for a second bedroom for 2 Adults & a child. On a personal front - if it's a nice house rip their arm off & make it work.

Pimlico

iamana1ias wrote: »

Makes you wonder how all those Victorians survived bringing up 10-12 children in their 2-up, 2-down.....................

My mum & dad slept in the living room, we weren't particularly poor either (or Victorian for that matter, I'll get me hat).

Sambucus_Nigra

Bunk beds?

ILW

Just tell them you want a bigger house because you deserve it.

Funny how picky some get when others are paying.

Sambucus_Nigra

ILW wrote: »

Just tell them you want a bigger house because you deserve it.

Funny how picky some get when others are paying.

It's a private rent - not council.....

ILW

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

It's a private rent - not council.....

It appears it is is being paid for with housing benefit, otherwise the OP could get any house they fancied.

JimmyTheWig

we_are_always_skint wrote: »

i also know once im in there im stuck and i have to look at the bigger picture that we may be there indefinately.

Are you able to address the debts that you mentioned? if not, have you been on the Debt-Free Wannabe board - they might be able to help.
My point is that once the debts are dealt with then you will be in a better position.

So take this place - it's the best on offer. Cope as best you can for now. Focus on those debts and then move to a better place when you can.

we_are_always_skint

ILW wrote: »

Just tell them you want a bigger house because you deserve it.

Funny how picky some get when others are paying.

i pay my own rent thanks, im just not in a position to pass any credit checks with letting agents due to previous bad credit - ever heard the saying if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all?

thanks everyone else for the constructive advice, im going to ring them now

Svenena

Bear in mind you won't have to stay there until the kids leave home. If the only thing stopping you from getting another private rental is a poor credit history, once that clears you will be able to move somewhere bigger. If you keep your credit clean for a couple of years, a private landlord may be willing to take you on, even with the history.