Loss of Council House on Death of Parents

moneyistooshorttomention

In her position, I would think it best for her to make sure that she has that promise to rehouse her when her father dies in writing.

With that promise currently just having been a verbal one - then it could be reneged on. If it is in writing, then it should be secure.

In that written promise letter - then she needs to have details given, if possible, of what that promise to rehouse her will involve, eg:

- how many choices she will have of alternative accommodation
- when she will be expected to move to it

etc.

This exact same situation happened to someone I know. They hadnt actually been promised they would be rehoused come the time from what I can see. However, they were rehoused in a one bedroom flat perfectly satisfactorily and all was fine.

I imagine your friend is in the agegroup (ie over 55) that she would have extra choice as well. She would probably be able to choose from an ordinary standard flat on the one hand or retirement accommodation on the other hand. With her concerns re who her neighbours will be - then she might be best to minimise her chances of getting ones she doesnt want - by going for retirement accommodation (with that - all the neighbours will also be over 55 and far less likely to be an antisocial neighbour of any type). Troublemakers of any description do tend, on the whole, to be in a younger agegroup than this (waits for a poster to come along and refer to someone who used to be a normal neighbour, but has now got well-advanced dementia and is hurling abuse at everyone around them......) but it will minimise the chances of trouble.

Mojisola

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

In her position, I would think it best for her to make sure that she has that promise to rehouse her when her father dies in writing.

With that promise currently just having been a verbal one - then it could be reneged on. If it is in writing, then it should be secure.

This is good advice.

It might also settle her mind if she can look on the council's website and see what kind of properties would be available for her.

She has saved the taxpayer a heap of money by caring for her parents at home - I hope she can find somewhere nice to live and enjoy the rest of her life.

sassyblue

ska_lover wrote: »

There is far too much of bleeding heart liberalism which has landed us in the current situation, and it isn't a jot to do with racism (although I am sure a complete stranger will be along in a minute to tell me exactly what is going on in my head..) it is about simple mathematics and economics. Too many people - not enough houses/jobs (or doctors/dentists etc) to go round.

People are scared to death of agreeing as the liberalists will point the racism finger, but it is very short sighted to think that. If tens of thousands of british people suddenly appeared, I would think the same. It is hugely concerning, and as the general public going along with it, I worry for our future generations massively

I feel hugely sorry for the OP to loose her mother and her home is almost too much to bear thinking about.

I agree with this, there are simply too many demands on the benefit system.

jackyann

Just to put the council / social housing situation into perspective: I am of a generation that assumed a council house tenancy was a choice and was for life, and could be handed on.
Times have changed because our society has not seen investing in affordable housing as a priority. It was in the 30s & post-war, and certainly where I grew up, was not seen as a stigma or only for poor people.
I have sympathy with people of my generation or older who suddenly find that the world has changed - it is not always easy to keep up if you have, like OP's friend, been busy caring. Some people do have difficulty understanding new rules.
I am glad that the friend has OP to help & advise her.

floss2

jackyann wrote: »

...Times have changed because our society has not seen investing in affordable housing as a priority.....

No, it has been GOVERNMENT who decided that it was not a priority, who pocketed the monies raised from the sale of council homes across the nation, and who would not allow councils to build new replacements until quite recently.

That is why there is such a gap in provision of affordable social housing.

Brighton_belle

floss2 wrote: »

No, it has been GOVERNMENT who decided that it was not a priority, who pocketed the monies raised from the sale of council homes across the nation, and who would not allow councils to build new replacements until quite recently.

That is why there is such a gap in provision of affordable social housing.

I was a council housing (allocation) dept employee in the late 80's and it was very obvious to us this was going to be a horrendous problem caused by the Conservative Gov't of the day. We were already facing it then and were powerless to do anything. Our voices were just swallowed up in the dark along with the lives of families we were forced to put into B&B for 2years.
However, as usual it takes us collectively years and years to wake up and realise the long term problems any government policy can have over short term gain .

jackyann

Oh floss2 - we elected that government (well, maybe you & I didn't, but the electorate spoke decidedly) and yes Brightonbelle, it was totally obvious.
We see the results all the time, sadly.

jellyhead

marmitepotato wrote: »

It's a big ask of an 80 year old to give up every thing she loves. It's a big ask to move 45 years of married life, to decide what has to go to the local auctions and what you are going to take with you. Moving is difficult enough at any age, let alone when you are old and tottery on you feet. Yes, I know her house is needed for a family, but how many of you would move so readily if you were in her position?

It is a big ask, yes. It must be very sad to leave the place where you feel the spirit of your husband is

My Gran did it, but she was only 65 iirc and she had one of her children living with her in the 2-bed she moved to. She was less than a mile from her old home, and could still see the same friends, use the same shops and go to bingo at the same church hall.

A few years later when she had a fall she had to move again, into sheltered housing. Her little 2-bed was too small to be made accessible for her. My little 2-bed is the same - the stairs are awkward at the top, the landing and the bottom of the stairs are tiny with no room for manoeuvre and certainly no way of transferring from a chair into a stairlift, and the rooms are much too small for the possibility of installing some sort of lift. You'd be able to do it in a 3-bed, but not in these tiny 2 up 2 downs.

So, my husband and I will have to look at finding somewhere without stairs before my husband's mobility is too much of a problem. It will be sad to leave the house where my children grew up though.

Moving into sheltered housing was the best thing for my gran though. She had a flat with no stairs, a shower room where she could sit on a chair, room for a wheelchair in the hallway so she could get in and out of her front door, and no front doorstep either. The communal centre had a washing machine which meant lots of people hanging around to have a chat and a game of cards in the daytime. She lived there happily for 20 years.

marmitepotato

Just a bit of an update on my MIL. We took her to look at the flat. The front room, dining room and kitchen are all one room. There is a large bedroom and bathroom, and also a decent hall way. Everything is brand new, ecological in every way possible. Loads of power points on every wall, as well as telephone points. A combi boiler, double glazing......well it's a lovely flat and MIL will be taking it .

OH and I are now turning out the house with the guidence of MIL. Not sure ow long it will take to empty the house of stuff, but MIL admitted that the stairs were very difficult for her and also she has had a few falls in the garden and her neighbour has had to pick her up. Deep down she knew that she had to move, it was just getting her to admit to it.


Her new flat is about 100 yards away from her old home on the very same road. I am sure that once she has got used to living there she will be very happy with her new flat.

seven-day-weekend

Great news, hope she will be very happy there!