Council Housing.

kellemeek

Hi there,

I currently live with my partner and have a little boy, i am due to have a baby in June and wanted to know if anyone knew the way the council allocated houses.


They have only given me 10 points. That will get me nothing, Not even a one bedroomed flat in a run down area.


My query is that i am not very happy where i am (due to things being nicked and drug users )and suffer with post natal depression.


Does anyone know if i could get a house on medical grounds (due to depression? to be near my mum who gives me so much support because my partner works all day. I am at my wits end because the council dont want to know.


If anyone could offer some advice because i really dont know what to do anymore.


Thanking you


Kelly

Ted_Hutchinson

There is detailed housing allocation points system here which will give you an idea. It would be worth asking if your Local Authority has their scheme online or allow you to have a copy.

I think that your mental health condition should have some impact on the points allocation but I feel you would have to be suicidal before it made a significant impact.

helpless_3

Ask your GP if he/she would support your housing application on medical grounds (tell them how much it's getting you down, your worries about coping with the new baby etc, your need to be nearer to family support). If you can get a supporting letter it will get you some medical points. Do you have any specialist help with regard to your depression? If you have a CPN or social worker they can help you to get 'special needs' points in some cases.

foreverskint

Hi there,


I got an extra 10 points due to PND, however whilst this bought my total yo to 35 points it still meant that I would be waiting years for a transfer from a 3 roomed house. I mean kitchen/livingroom bathroom and bedroom. This was a housing association, and in the end we were lucky enough to find an exchange.

The problem is that they don't count the babies in the lack of bedspace points allocation, so you could be waiting a long time. Your only hope is if you are made homeless by your current landlord, and then you could end up in temporary accomodation for a long time.

Sorry to sound so down on it all but it's better to know the truth. I don't know what area you are in, it may be different where you are, but from what I can gather from speaking to others it's pretty much the same everywhere. I have a friend in a two bed house which it really small, with 3 boys from 2-10 sharing a bedroom, and she still can't get a bigger place.

P.M me if you want any supprot re your PND. or just fancy a rant.:D

bluemoon_3

It all depends where you live/want to live.

It's worth getting in touch with your local authority for a copy of their points system, since they can vary widely from council to council.

I wish you luck. DH and I had to make the difficult decision to move an hour and a half (by car) away from family, in order to have any chance on a council list (we lived in London before, and we were basically told we had no chance of ever being housed, even though we had mid-high points). Luckily we fell on our feet and got a nice house with a garden on a quiet street, fairly quickly (3 months), but we had to sacrifice proximity to family, and start new in an unfamilar area.

It really depends if you're in/want a high-demand area. Perhaps you could phone the housing department and ask how long you could expect to wait based on your points total?

If you can get a letter from your doctor supporting your claim that your current housing situation is making your condition worse, and also if he or she is prepared to claim any sort of urgency, you could very well get more points. However, if you're in a high demand area, it may still not be enough.

If you're already in council or HA housing, you could see if you could swap with someone else. The council should have a list of people who want to swap. It may not get you a bigger place (but you never know . . .), but it could get you closer to your mother, at least.

Alternatively, if you're already in council or HA housing and are willing to move further afield, there's the http://www.homes.org.uk/ site, which has people who want to swap, or it also lists council/HA properties to rent (though I would exercise caution, because the properties could be 'low-demand').

Just throwing out some ideas. I know how difficult it can be when it seems as though you have no choice.

Best of luck.

Savvy_Sue

Agree with what's been said above, but it is also worth contacting any local HAs and getting on their lists too. Sometimes they have a common 'list' with the council, but may have some properties which can be allocated according to different criteria.

Some HAs also do 'part-buy, part-let' schemes - not just the new scheme announced by the govt - so that might be worth enquiring about.

Best of luck, and do talk to your midwife about what can be done to help prevent or lessen the impact of PND, and see if you can find a local support group as well.

Fran

Yes as above, also check to see if your authority has some kind of fast track system whereby you can rent properties in need of decoration or repair (again though often in the non-popular areas, it depends where your mum lives).

Sarahsaver

kellee have things been nicked from you personally? If so that may give you more points. I have a friend who was burgled then harassed by the burglar's family, she got rehoused because of this. Good luck.

pingua

Hi ,
We have been on the council waiting list since Feb 04. We live with husbands father in 2 bed house. Two children,three adults and five large dogs. We have 145 points and are still waiting. Not too sure how they have worked the points out. I know for a fact that people already in adequate housing have been moved to different areas for whatever reasons.
We have often tried to work out their system but as you can tell have failed.


Not happy.

Kimberley

I know someone who was so desperate for a house as she was in an estate that she made out she had to move back home with her mum due to depression..A few weeks later her mum told the council she was chucking her out which made her homeless with a small toddler..she went into a hostel and 3 weeks after that was given a new property which wasn't on an estate. I know it sounds wrong, but if you live with your boyfriend, you could always get him to say he's chucking you out..you never know..

Savvy_Sue

pingua wrote:

We have been on the council waiting list since Feb 04. We live with husbands father in 2 bed house. Two children,three adults and five large dogs. We have 145 points and are still waiting. Not too sure how they have worked the points out. I know for a fact that people already in adequate housing have been moved to different areas for whatever reasons.
We have often tried to work out their system but as you can tell have failed.

I'm afraid the dogs, whatever their size, don't get you any points ... However the age and sex of the children are taken into account, but so are the number of 'living' rooms you currently have, AFAIK. So if you're in a 2 bed, 2 reception room house and the children are still under 12, then the argument will go that you can convert the dining room into a bedroom and eat in the lounge or kitchen.

Please don't tell me this is impractical in your case, I'm only telling you how the system sometimes works.

You get extra points for anyone with health problems, so if your health or your FIL's health deteriorates as a result of you all being there, it's worth getting a doctor's letter sent to the council.