Upgrading to a bigger council house

tommygirl3

Would appreciate helpful responses to one of my family member's query, before they approach their council.

The facts:
- non married couple with 3 kids (1 girl, 2 boys)
- expecting planned baby #4 next summer
- currently live in a 3 bedroom semi with big garden just outside of London (their subsidized rent is circa £380pcm vs £800pcm similar private rental)
- joint annual income around £60k+ £5/10k depending on overtime/bonus
- 7 yrs ago they were expecting their 1st baby. However they mislead the council in order to secure a council house - they stated they were not living together (they were privately renting a house together) and that their parents were kicking them out (they had been cohabiting for a couple of yrs immediately prior).

They are now hoping to upgrade and apply for a bigger house locally.

I'm interested to know what options are available for them and the likelihood of swapping for a bigger property. I understand there are house exchanges with elderly ppl who would like to downsize.

*****************
Edit: I personally am opposed to them potentially lying again to get a bigger house. But am interested in their options apart from rent privately (which if they did in the first place, I doubt they'd be planning so many kids).

casperlarue

On an income of 60K plus I'm surprised they got any kind of subsidised housing. A 3 bed semi is plenty big enough for them, my OH was the youngest of 7 kids in a 3 bed house

Advice...tell them to stop breeding or use their income to pay the rent on a bigger property

nearlyrich

Yes they have plenty of room for another baby we had six children in a 3 bed with parents in the box room.

poppysarah

They could check their council's criteria for moving up to a bigger properties.
Some councils are spending lots of money building bigger council houses.

If they like where they live though perhaps they could buy it and put an extension on?

BitterAndTwisted

It all depends on the local authority's policies. From what you have described they don't actually need a bigger property and could quite easily accommodate a fourth child in a three-bed. They should be aware that large properties are few and far between in most areas, especially since LA's have an obligation to house those most in need. Those most in need are people with families who are currently threatened with homelessness and not necessarily those who just fancy a bit more room.

jojo_2012_2

7years @ £60k and still not bothered saving for a deposit? This is one of the many problems with social housing. Time to move these out and give some other people a chance.

BitterAndTwisted

Eh, the OP didn't say that they had no deposit or savings. Perhaps one way of getting their hands on a larger property is to do a mutual exchange. They appear to have a facility for lying/misleading so they should be able to find a way of getting what they want without having to pay a market-rent or buying.

I'd be interested to know where "just outside on London" an LA rent is as low as £380 a month. On that income and with that rent they should be rolling in cash.

tommygirl3

They live in Letchworth.

lighting_up_the_chalice

As they first got a council house with just the one child (on the way), I presume, in a high demand area like Letchworth, that was a 2 bed. So, whatever they did to get from the 2 bed to the 3 bed might be the best option?

However, if past performance is anything to go by, I fear that they may have a violent relationship breakdown which necessitates her being urgently re-housed, closely followed by a touching reconciliation in the new, 4 bed house. The changes in the localism bill might make this their final undoing. But that's just Karma!

suljka

tommygirl3 wrote: »

Would appreciate helpful responses to one of my family member's query, before they approach their council.

The facts:
- non married couple with 3 kids (1 girl, 2 boys)
- expecting planned baby #4 next summer
- currently live in a 3 bedroom semi with big garden just outside of London (their subsidized rent is circa £380pcm vs £800pcm similar private rental)
- joint annual income around £60k+ £5/10k depending on overtime/bonus
- 7 yrs ago they were expecting their 1st baby. However they mislead the council in order to secure a council house - they stated they were not living together (they were privately renting a house together) and that their parents were kicking them out (they had been cohabiting for a couple of yrs immediately prior).

They are now hoping to upgrade and apply for a bigger house locally.

I'm interested to know what options are available for them and the likelihood of swapping for a bigger property. I understand there are house exchanges with elderly ppl who would like to downsize.

*****************
Edit: I personally am opposed to them potentially lying again to get a bigger house. But am interested in their options apart from rent privately (which if they did in the first place, I doubt they'd be planning so many kids).

Sorry, am I missing something? The OP seems to be the only one who actually has a problem with his relatives blatantly lying to get the council house in the first place...
I'm as tolerant as the next person and do realise that in the real world sometimes a white lie is told to no harm... but surely that's not the case here!!!
These people have lied to get the property in the first place, then went on having more and more kids whereas most couples now days are struggling just starting a family because of prohibitive costs of housing...

How about this for an answer - maybe thay should go back to the council and come clean about deceiving them in the first place and see how council responds to that?! They bound to offer them a bigger place - after all everyone loves being taken for a ride!

outofmoney

They should think themselves lucky for a start. We have 4 kids (3 are teenagers) and we have been waiting nearly 12 years now to get any kind of social housing.

They won't be entitled to a 4 bed. If the baby is a girl, then it can share with the other girl. If it is a boy, then it can share with her until she reaches the age of 11.

However, even then, they will say he can share with the adults until he is 11.

So whichever way you look at it, they will not be entitled for another 11 years at least.