Council Mutual Exchange , Bedroom Tax & what is allowed??

Morlock

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

And that's a Council house???:eek::eek:

It can't be, there is no government supplied 50" flat screen TV and Sky box, nor any ashtrays or empty booze bottles.

[Deleted User]

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

And that's a Council house???:eek::eek:

Yup! .....

Morlock

cazzap06 wrote: »

Yup! .....

Shocking isn't it? Council tenants actually put time and effort into creating a nice home, it shouldn't be allowed.

letthemeatcake

I can see the council getting in a flap about the cost of having to restore the stairs back to normal as they would deem them not safe for young kids.

Why not stay where you are. It will be a nice, spacious property to do child minding in. You could use all that open space for a large soft play room. You aren't going to get that sort of space in a 2 bed!

[Deleted User]

I don't want the space anymore! lol

I was thinking maybe older children , mine were teens when we moved in and they loved the space etc

It is a lovely home & I feel so grateful to have had it , it was a home swap itself from a 2 bedroom with my teen girls sharing which wasn't really working

So I do feel SO fortunate as it is 'unique' and full of character and I have loved living there...

I just want a Granny cottage now to settle into and for it to be win / win all round and I DO have dreams even about my new place and the decor etc as I like home decor - I painted the floor boards and painted the mural and can't wait to decorate the new place if I get one , just want my little child friendly home and will be a very happy bunny as will whoever gets mine! :j

Morlock

letthemeatcake wrote: »

I can see the council getting in a flap about the cost of having to restore the stairs back to normal as they would deem them not safe for young kids.

What makes you think that the council didn't put the staircase in themselves?

[Deleted User]

It's ok - Have had the council inspector round to inspect the whole property as adjustments were made before I moved in and he said it's fine & did supporting wall checks etc & said as long as I don't ask for anything to be done to the loft room it is fine to use

I will be due another inspection of course so will see what they say but it's all on record and I may have to change back some light fittings etc but the core of the house is still good and a few minor adjustments before the new family move in

seven-day-weekend

cazzap06 wrote: »

I'm sorry , but my kindness for others DOES have a limit ... As I said I will be HAPPY the day I hand over the keys for the new family to enjoy my current place and I do want to see / know it is being filled with a family to enjoy it...

I do want to open up my home to special needs children , albeit a job , it will benefit the community in some ways surely as does me taking my Grandson to give my daughter some respite the council would otherwise have to pay for

But do I REALLY have to sleep on a settee in my own house just for another family , am doing my utmost for everyones happiness but sorry MY GRANDSONS HAPPINESS and my families happiness comes first before the other strangers that I supposedly have to sleep on the settee for

I am being as kind as I can along with looking after my own family and am not Mother Theresa or a sacrificial lamb , so sorry , no that is going the extra mile too far and to be honest expecting too much of a human being for the good of society when a simple box room plus caring for others as much as I can is all I can do at this point

I agree, I wouldn't want to do it either, but you can't necessarily expect the Council to see it like that if you want to downsize, and to allocate you a place that is still too big. These are public resources we are talking about, if they were private ones it would be different.

If it really means that much to you, go into the private sector, or you, your daughter and your grandson all apply for a place together.

There is of course always they chance that your council might have a surplus of small two-bedroom places and that someone in one of these will want to exchange with you.

I really hope it all gets sorted for you.

nannytone_2

until a month ado, i lived in a 2 bed property. i luckily managed to downsize.
at almost exactly the same time, my eldest grandson (8) said ' nanny, i dont want to sleep with you anymore'
thats fine.
the choice is either he or i will sleep on the sofa.
why isnt this an option for you OP?

JimmyTheWig

cazzap06 wrote: »

I use the word need because I feel he needs a bedroom , and this is what I am going for and it is a nice feeling to be happy in your home!

I think the problem is that a "need" in terms of the system has to be a "verifiable need".
My Nan could claim that she looks after her 16 great-grandchildren from time to time. And so needs a 9 bedroom house. The council would have no way of verifying whether this was true or not. And I can't see them giving her a 9 bedroom house just because she says so.

It doesn't matter whether you think you need a two bedroom place. It doesn't matter whether the people on here think you need a two bedroom place. The rules are what are important and the rules say you don't need a two bedroom place.
Because the rules say you don't need to have your grandchild come and stay with you.

Even if he does come and stay with you, you could, for example,
(a) stay where you are
(b) go into private rented accomodation
(c) swap to a one-bed and sleep on a sofa-bed when he stays.

I understand that you don't want to do any of the above, but you don't _need_ a two bed when you _could_ do one of the above.


But what seems crazy is that you swapping to a two bed place sounds like a better solution for the council than you staying where you are.
So hopefully they will use their discretion and allow you to swap to a two-bed. Especially if yours is a three+ bed, which I don't think that you've confirmed yet.


So speak to the council about it.
When you do I suggest
1. you don't tell them that you _need_ something that you know that their system will say that you don't need.
2. you concentrate on how it is better for the council if you swap to a two-bed than if you don't swap at all.