My Cuz

lelasuzi

If this in the wrong place I`m sorry. Story is, my cuz got married 15 years ago. They got a 3 bed council house. Her hubby converted the tiny bedroom into theirs. So in effect its now a 2 bed. Then he ran off with the milkman. Honest, I`m not joking. She has Fybromyalgia and lives in bed. She has a walk in shower and stairlift. Yesterday she got a letter from the council asking if she would be prepared to move to a one bed. She was hysterical. If she isnt prepared to move she will have to pay more rent from her benefits. Is this true? Must add she had 2 kids when she got the house but they are grown up now and have own houses.

anselld

Assuming the proposed 1bed has suitable access and facilities, what is the problem? Why should the taxpayer continue to fund a 2/3 bed?

tbs624

Did the Council give consent for the smallest bedroom to be incorporated into one of the other bedrooms?

There is no need for your cousin to "become hysterical" - the one bedder may well have already been adapted for someone with health/mobility issues.Have you/she/her adult children asked to see what the potential alternative properties are like?

There are families on housing waiting lists up and down the country - is it right that your cousin continues to occupy a social housing property which is bigger than she actually needs?

19lottie82

I don't see what the problem is here. Why does she need a 2 bed place? Especially if she is bed bound?

tbs624

19lottie82 wrote: »

I don't see what the problem is here. Why does she need a 2 bed place? Especially if she is bed bound?

The OP's cousin *may* well be entitled to have a 2 bedroomed property is she is registered disabled and needs to have a carer stay overnight from time to time. I think th e issue *may* be that that the current property has "lost" a bedroom becuase of the work the T's ex-partner undertook ( but the Council will still have it recorded as a 3 bedroom property) and/or that the Councl doesn't have full details on the extent of the Ts disability

Werdnal

If the letter from the council is "asking" whether she wants to move, then surely the logical answer is to say "NO" not to get hysterical!

Write a letter back, detailing her medical needs and stating the in her current condition, even if a suitable 1 bed property was available and totally adapted for her needs, the physical upheaval and effort of moving would be detrimental to her health. Get a Drs letter if need be to support this. My brother had fibromyalgia, and although not something that can be cured, it can improve over time (a little bit like ME) and symptoms do subside, so in the future, she may be in a situation where a move is possible.

So long as she is a good, regularly paying tenant who does not cause the council any grief, they have no reason to come banging on the door and evict her. Just explain her situation, which they are probably totally unaware of. On paper she is just a statistic - a single person taking up a much needed 3 bed property!

bris

What's a cuz, ok don't answer that, but leave the text speak on the phones.

Werdnal

bris wrote: »

What's a cuz, ok don't answer that, but leave the text speak on the phones.

Why be so rude?!?

BitterAndTwisted

I think your relative is over-reacting. It's my understanding that Local Authorities often come up with these proposals but they are offers only. Some might even be prepared to throw in an inducement to make their proposal more attractive but I've never heard of anyone being forced to move to a smaller property if they are unwilling

savingmummy

I see no problem with being offered a one bedroomed place unless she has a live in carer.

princeofpounds

Why be so rude?!?

I found it pretty annoying too, to be honest. If you can be bothered to spell fybromyalgia the word sticks out like a sore thumb.