First time flat occupant - What grants are available?

charlies-aunt

Please try applying for a Community Support Grant - you can get a claim form from your local council - if you are eligible for Housing Benefit, you may get help with essential items (bed, sofa etc). Its a discretionary payment so there are no hard and fast rules regarding entitlement so you there is no guarantee as to what you will get but it costs nothing to apply.

Have you tried the Ebay local deals tracker?-here is the MSE link http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/local-ebay-deals/

Locally, lots of people will let things go for a few quid and let the buyer have the hassle of collection than trying to sell them privately.

Finally - put the word out amongst family, friends and colleagues that you are setting up your own home - lots of people get a new three piece for Christmas and would be glad to pass their old-but-good one on. Accept everything gratefully - if its not to your taste, you can bin it later but its amazing what a bit of paint can do to beautify slightly tatty furniture

princessdon

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

No-one is given priority because of another persons circumstances. EVERY area gives priority to those who are under-occupied. He got the flat because no-one with a priority placed a bid. Clearly not as high demand as you would suggest. This lack of demand is further evidenced by how easy it was for YOU to secure the flat when you weren't even registered. Looks like they couldn't give it away!

As a matter of interest, which LA is this covered by?

Ashington is northumberland county council.

nannytone_2

i know for a FACT that 6 people, who are currently under occupying placed a bid on the flat.

if what you say is correct, why were none of them offered it?

charlies-aunt

nannytone wrote: »

i know for a FACT that 6 people, who are currently under occupying placed a bid on the flat.

if what you say is correct, why were none of them offered it?

There are lots of reaons why they were offered it - even they may be underoccupying and they may be top of the housing list ---- they would not get offered it if they:_

(a) have failed their pre-leaving checks (i.e. condition of property)

or

(b) have high rent arrears at their previous property that they have made no attempt to pay

or

(c) or a member of their household who excluded from living in certain locations (i.e.!!!!!philes would not be housed near primary schools)

or

(d) require major adaptations that the housing association will not fund (because they have already adapted the previous property)

or

(e) have bid on a property that is heavily adapted and they have no need for such adaptations

or

(f) have bid on an age restricted property (50+) but they aren't the right age (46)

or

(g) fail the affordability checks

and so on and so forth

nannytone_2

charlies-aunt wrote: »

There are lots of reaons why they were offered it - even they may be underoccupying and they may be top of the housing list ---- they would not get offered it if they:_

(a) have failed their pre-leaving checks (i.e. condition of property)

or

(b) have high rent arrears at their previous property that they have made no attempt to pay

or

(c) or a member of their household who excluded from living in certain locations (i.e.!!!!!philes would not be housed near primary schools)

or

(d) require major adaptations that the housing association will not fund (because they have already adapted the previous property)

or

(e) have bid on a property that is heavily adapted and they have no need for such adaptations

or

(f) have bid on an age restricted property (50+) but they aren't the right age (46)

or

(g) fail the affordability checks

and so on and so forth

NONE of those restrictions apply.
all checks are done by the council before anyone is allowed to bid.
they are all single people, 5 currently living in 2 bed social housing and 1 currently in a 3 bed.
no adaptations required, no adaptations at the current properties. no rent arrears, no anti social behaviour and no age exvlusions on the new property.

they have no been given ANY priority when bidding and so a 22 year old man, who was living with his parents was allocated the property because the 6 i have mentioned, are all 'adequately' housed.

so chalice can keep spouting that under occupiers are given priority as much as they like!

what is supposed to happen and what actually happens, are very different things!