Council Housing Help Needed - Overcrowding/Upgrading

RedRum2014

Hello, I really need some advice about my housing situation. (Its a little bit of a long story)

I live in a 2 bedroomed Ground Floor Flat with my husband and a girl age 7(8 in November) and a boy age 9 (10 in June) I am also currently pregnant (Due August). I am also registered Disabled. My husband and I are also both studying at university.

The place is small, cold, has quite a large damp problem, has a very very long walk from the car park, we have hardly any access to outside as no garden and have to go through 2 doors just to leave the building (this makes it feel like a bit of a prison) and we have a lady above us that's very very noisy and is constantly shouting abuse at her children (swearing at 3/5 yr olds!) there is also a lot of banging noises. My children can hear everything she comes out with because the building quality is bad and the walls are thin. I cant stand my children being subjected to her foul language. I think i have even learnt new swear words from her!

I am trying to find out how likely it is that we will be moved into a 3 bedroom house. We have privately rented before but this was a stressful disaster (and a very expensive one!) so i am very very reluctant to do this again.

We are trying to make the best of the situation. We are constantly cleaning away black mould/damp from the walls and furniture (furniture is being ruined by the damp) this is harder now im pregnant because there is a lot of chemicals that are unsuitable for me to use now. We are also trying to make the best use of the tiny space but its hard. We have also reported the lady upstairs to the children's services but they don't seem to do anything about it!

I have contacted the repairs team about the damp - they dont seem to care
Its really not helping my anxiety issues at all

kimbyanne

To be honest, at the moment at least, I don't think you will have much luck getting moved to a bigger property.

Your two children are still young enough they can share a room and from past experience, even when they reach the age that they "can't" share, it isn't like a bigger house will just become available.

I don't want to sound rude but if your house is too small, why are you having another child?

As for not having a garden, outside space, etc - unfortunately that is just how it is with some flats. Do you have a park nearby?

Re the antisocial behaviour and mould, you just need to keep on at your HA.

RedRum2014

The 3rd child was actually a complete spot of bad luck really. I am disabled, we have a small house and it is really going to get in the way of university. The LAST thing we needed was another baby. I had to have my contraceptive implant removed for health reasons and i was put on another form but something went wrong and i ended up pregnant.

We have come to terms with it and we are looking forward to it and feel no ill will towards the child. Its just a really unfortunate time

System

How long have you been in council housing ? In my area after a year you can do a swap.

Are there any adaptations required for your disability ? We have a wet room due to my daughters disability and level access.

We also have a damp issue but a dehumidifier and opening the windows whenever possible seem to help, you can also get an anti mould paint that really does work.

MAY WANT TO IGNORE ME AS I AM TORY VOTER:p

Cheeky_Monkey

You're not overcrowded. Your 2 children can quite easily sleep in one bedroom and the baby can sleep in your bedroom for quite some time.

RedRum2014

I dont think you understand how small my flat is we quite literally have two box rooms. There is no space for a cot so if we stay here we will have no choice but to co -sleep

RedRum2014

CHRISSYG wrote: »

How long have you been in council housing ? In my area after a year you can do a swap.

Are there any adaptations required for your disability ? We have a wet room due to my daughters disability and level access.

We also have a damp issue but a dehumidifier and opening the windows whenever possible seem to help, you can also get an anti mould paint that really does work.

MAY WANT TO IGNORE ME AS I AM TORY VOTER:p

Thanks for your message. My father is a tory supporter as well so i can stand a *few* lol. We will have been here for three years in September.. I have looked into swapping but no one in their right mind with a 3BR house wants a small, damp 2BR flat. We do have a wetroom and its fully wheelchair accessible. On advice of friends we have many dehumidifier and damp traps but they do not seem to make any useful progress

pmlindyloo

Here is a link about overcrowding:

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/common_problems/overcrowding

Certainly once your son reaches the age of 10 you may be deemed as being overcrowded.

However, it is not as simple as this. Your council may consider that your living room could be used as a bedroom for you and your partner.

Your options are:

Inform the council of the situation when your son turns 10 years old. This may give you some priority when bidding for a larger property.

Rent privately.

Ask for someone from environmental health to visit and assess the damp. Unfortunately most councils have quite stringent regulations about what constitute dampness being a health hazard. In the meantime get your partner to do the cleaning so you are not exposed to any problems healthwise. (Would your doctor write a letter to support you about the dampness?)

Even if you are legally deemed as being overcrowded if there are no suitable properties available then you may have a long wait for a larger house. No solution to this, I'm afraid.

Kevie192

I don't really understand why you think the state should subsidise your life choices by re-homing you into a bigger place?

Can your partner not quit university and go out to earn a wage so you can afford to rent a bigger place privately?

Ultimately, you both chose to go to university and you both chose to have 3 children so it's not really anyone else's fault that you feel you are now overcrowded...

The anti-social behaviour and the damp should be addressed with the police and/or the council. The damp specifically should be referred to environmental health and if it is as bad as you say the council will be forced to do something about it.

SerialRenter

i really wish this "non judgemental" policy was global and not just for the debt free wannabe forum:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/announcement.php?f=76

Something about pregnancy and benefits really draws the trolls out from under their bridges.

Shame really as i thought we were all here to help.

slopemaster

I don't know anything about the other stuff, but you should definitely contact environmental health about the damp.