From Council to private renting ....

Jowo_2

NikNox wrote: »

That's right, years ago there was some sort of legal thing around the children's ages if they were of mixed sex, but that doesn't exist anymore. .

The way I understand it, the rules around being eligible for separate bedrooms based upon the age/sex of the children still stand, so too do the rules around over occupation.

However, a social housing landlord is under no actual obligation to offer a new property despite classing a household as over occupied and in need of new bedrooms when they don't have new properties to offer.

In other words, a household can qualify for a larger property but a social housing landlord cannot be forced to provide it if they don't have the stock.

mancitychick

I dont have the answer to your questions op, but I would not give up the security of a council home to rent privately. I did give up my council home when I bought my first home but would never have done so to rent from a private landlord.

NikNox

Jowo wrote: »

The way I understand it, the rules around being eligible for separate bedrooms based upon the age/sex of the children still stand, so too do the rules around over occupation.

However, a social housing landlord is under no actual obligation to offer a new property despite classing a household as over occupied and in need of new bedrooms when they don't have new properties to offer.

In other words, a household can qualify for a larger property but a social housing landlord cannot be forced to provide it if they don't have the stock.

Oh right, so that's why they've suggested that mum, or one of the kids, sleeps downstairs. Their property is fairly big, with a large lounge and kitchen/diner which opens out onto a large garden at the back (not that that counts as living space!), so for all intents and purposes they're not overcrowded in the true sense of the word and have plenty of space. If they were in a 1 up 1 down, then I suppose that would count as being overcrowded. As a comparison, our neighbours are a family of 5 (mum, dad and 3 kids, all under 8) living in a 2 bed council house (ours was a council home but I bought it back in 1996), and they've been told by the very same council as my husband's daughter that they are not a priority and will be waiting at least 5 years to be rehoused! So there's 2 more of them living in the same amount of space that my stepdaughter is living in, and they're looking at a wait of at least 5 years. As it happens they're happy where they are as we do live in a very nice area, and they're also happy to sleep downstairs and the kids occupy upstairs. Their only priority now is contraception!!

NikNox

And, let's face it, when you're getting everything for free, can you really complain? I know I'll get shot down for that statement, but it's true! Sometimes you just have to make the best of a situation, even when you're not on benefits because those who work still struggle financially, and with housing as it's difficult now to get mortgages etc., but when you're on benefits you get everything. Maybe the expectations of those on benefits are just too high!

System

Overcrowding is decided on the number of habitable rooms

Quote from Gateshead Council but I don't see other councils varying much

A habitable room includes a bedroom, living room, dining room, study etc. If you have a kitchen/diner do not include the kitchen area of the room in any measurements.

Which means that a 2 bedroom house is not overcrowded with one adult and 2 children as there are at least 3 habitable rooms.

Errata

She's never going to get a private let as she won't pass the credit reference.

allen35

(QUOTE) She'd be more likely to be placed into temporary accommodation in that scenario (i.e. B&B, a flat or hostel type place) for a considerable amount of time before being rehoused by the Council again.

Unfortunatley the council wouldn't have an obligation to re-house her as she would of intentionally made herself homeless by not paying rent and would have to look again at private rent.

allen35

Errata wrote: »

She's never going to get a private let as she won't pass the credit reference.

I imagine there are landlords who don't bother with this, especially in less than suitable properties/areas.

NikNox

!!!!!! wrote: »

Overcrowding is decided on the number of habitable rooms

Quote from Gateshead Council but I don't see other councils varying much

Which means that a 2 bedroom house is not overcrowded with one adult and 2 children as there are at least 3 habitable rooms.

Our council is the same, I checked. And there's the option of converting the big bedroom into 2 bedrooms, which we did in our house and made 2 good sized rooms out of 1. Our neighbours have been told that if they wish to do this in their house the council will help to fund it, which is fair enough. I'm sure if she wanted to look into that it would be the better option. Besides, sleeping downstairs on a good sofa bed wouldn't be much of a hardship would it? And, she could probably get a loan from the DWP for a sofabed!!

NikNox

allen35 wrote: »

I imagine there are landlords who don't bother with this, especially in less than suitable properties/areas.

But then surely the fact that she's on benefits is going to hinder the search for private rented property anyway, as most landlords are reluctant? And, she wants to move to a nice area, so then I would imagine that (a) properties are more expensive and (b) landlords would want a credit ref.