Going from house asso to private renting?

beyond_skint

I have a few questions. We have a 2 bed guiness trust house, and have been trying to be rehoused for the last 6 yrs without any luck.
So we have found a house to rent private, but I'm scared to move into private mainly because its double the rent each month. Also I'm worried its not so permenant and it won't feel like our home as much.

I guess I'm asking for some advise, would you do it?
Is there any way we could move with the council ever?
Can we get any money for leaving housing asso?


Has anyone ever done it and not looked back/regretted it?

Many thanks I'm sick with worry and really need someone to advise me what to do

BitterAndTwisted

I'd think very, very hard about leaving a secure tenancy for the insecurity of a private let. You could be on the move every six months if you're unlucky. To be honest, I'd put up with an awful lot to rent a property at half of the market-rate. What's your reason for seeking to be rehoused?

poppysarah

Double the rent sounds insane. Stay where you are.

carefullycautious

If you are looking for more space could you exchange your property with someone wishing to downsize, you can do this with you local authority also.

Our council piloted a scheme whereby you can have a portable room added on to create more space.

Let us know the reason why you wish to move?

I would not give up a secure tenancy in todays climate

theartfullodger

Do not give up your Housing Assoc property unless you are utterly utterly desperate...

That the rent will be double is one thing... the real problem is private tenants have no real security of tenure beyond 6 months (ie the Landlord can chick 'em out without giving a reason..). What sort of tenancy do you have - secured, assured ..?? (see...

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/renting_and_leasehold/housing_association_tenancies
)

Any private lett will be an AST...
http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/renting_and_leasehold/private_tenancies/assured_shorthold_tenancies

Have you written to / gone to see/ pleaded with the HA ?? What did they say (in writing ..) in reply??

Brb

It's a hard one to answer as you don't say why you want to move.

I have done exactly what you are considering though.

When my daughter was three we had a HA flat. Nice cheap rent, rather large too (cost small fortune to carpet when we moved in). A year after we had been there they decided to move in a convicted !!!!!phile's wife downstairs. First thing she did was put higher fences and solid wood gate out back. She painted butterflies etc. She would offer to allow my daughter to play in her garden. Two months later I find out she was married to a man at that time serving time for padeophilia (to which he had pled guilty to) he had three months left to serve. I begged and pleaded with HA to move us. The police agreed I should be moved but could not put this in a letter to HA as this man had rights!. It was when the HA said and I quote "you shouldn't have found out" that six weeks later I moved into a private rented house. We've been moving ever since through no fault of our own (1 LL got gf pregnant so wanted house back, 2 LLs have sold up (I was just useful to pay mortgage when house wouldn't sell) and another house full on flooded *sighs deeply*).

Thankful I did find out though, I don't dare thinking about what could have happened if I hadn't (she came over as a sweet little old lady) If we could just have something long term it'd be fab! lottery win so I can buy a house that could not be taken away would be even better haha!

Jowo_2

Do you rely on LHA/housing benefit to pay any of your rent? It's not an assumption on my part that as you live in social housing, you must be on benefits, its just to check whether you are aware of the proposed changes to LHA which affect a lot of those currently in private accommodation (changes that the govt are making to reduce the level of LHA). If you ever need to rely on benefits to pay the rent in the private sector, you need to be confident that the LHA will cover it.

The low rent in social housing should be a springboard into employment whereas the high rent of the private sector can result in a disincentive and create a benefit trap because so much income has to pay towards this basic expense.

I also agree that you have to give serious consideration to losing the lifetime security of tenure that you get from social housing and that despite the reputation for social housing landlords to be poor at repairs, some private landlords can be utterly atrocious and will rather serve notice on the tenant than fix things.

Have you looked into a mutual exchange? If your smaller property is in a nice area/building you could find someone wanting to downsize after their kids have moved out, for example.

PasturesNew

If the HA rent is £350 and the private is £700, that's a full £4200 in your pocket per year, every year, by staying where you are and trying to do a transfer. If you're there 10 years you could have squirrelled away £42,000 (plus interest), which might make it worth closer to £60,000.

Moving out of a cheap HA place is the equivalent of losing about £6,000/year off your salary. For many that's 1/2 or 1/3rd of their income. It's a lot to throw away.

beyond_skint

Hi thank you so much for your responses. We have to move as my 2 children (boy and girl) share my son is 10 next month and my girl is 6. The room is tiny and the estate is horrible.

We are self employed but do get some help with the rent from the council. We pay £73 a week here but the house we are interested in is £650 a ,month. Which we will get about half paid maybe a bit less.

We have been trying to swap get rehoused for the last 6yrs with no luck. The estate is getting known for not being nice so no one will swap and theres 14000 on the waiting list we are band c so theres 2 bands above us and there will always be homeless coming in.
I can't see another way of moving if we dont take this house. Hes said he wont need it for at least 5yrs so its a long let, which is good. And I guess we could always go back on the housing list.

BitterAndTwisted

In my opinion two children of opposite sexes sharing a room is NOT a good enough reason to leave a secure tenancy for the vagaries of a private let. Look at this way: in maybe six years or so your son may not even be living with you any longer. In your position I'd consider sleeping in the living-room to give the two kids their own bedrooms rather than give up a secure tenancy for life.

DO NOT believe anything any landlord tells you about them hoping for a long let. Some will tell you anything to get you in there only to try and sell up in six month's time.

theartfullodger

beyond_skint wrote: »

Hi thank you so much for your responses. We have to move as my 2 children (boy and girl) share my son is 10 next month and my girl is 6. The room is tiny and the estate is horrible.

Have you WRITTEN to the HA explaining this and asking for their rules on siblings sharing (if not do so, keep copy)?? See

http://www.safekids.co.uk/should-children-opposite-sex-share-bedroom.html