Can homeowner get a council/HA property ?

antrobus

danlewi2 wrote: »

No - as you would be financially assessed by the council

Basically, yes.

My local council will reject applications from anyone with savings over £40,000. Amongst other things.

Other councils may differ. But I don't believe that anyone who sold their own home would qualify.

KxMx

If a bungalow is out of her price range then what would stop her buying a ground floor flat?

Sometimes what we'd like to do and what we can afford don't meet in the middle!

PasturesNew

In some areas there are spare OAP bungalows, so if you're able to wait up to a year or so it's quite possible.

In other areas, one might not be able to do that.

The only way to find out is to register and see how many "bid".... and see who they're going to.

Nobody is prevented from registering... you just get "stopped" due to other criteria, potentially, of ever being the "winner".

theartfullodger

I view the whole cunning plan as unpleasantly exploitative of others in need of housing & the taxpayer but....

The mum would need to read the "Housing allocation" policy of the particular council they wished to live in.

Two examples:
- Slough you have to have lived there 5 years.
- Wokingham pretty much anyone can go on the housing register....

... and register. And see what reply she gets (assume months for response).

But even if allowed on register (many aren't) that doesn't fix the supply of the cheap, tax-payer subsidised, scarce housing. Mum would be given points and/or a band of priority. Then, at some point, possibly years or decades in the future she would be offered what the council consider suitable: Which might not match the wee bungalow with flowers round the front door she was fondly looking forward to. But some councils (and housing associations which share the same housing register) may have property zoned for over 50s, over 55, over 60 etc etc so she might get "lucky".

Sincerely hope mum buys herself a older-persons sheltered housing flat with her money. How privileged she must feel to have such a valuable asset!

Artful, 70 as it happens.

sevenhills

Mgman1965 wrote: »

Subsidised as in council rents are always cheaper than the rent for an equal private rented.
If this is a way of getting a council property personally I think it's a downright cheek

They are not neccessarily 'subsidised', but they are cheaper because there is no one making a profit from them and historically councils get the building land free or almost free.



I have a friend with his own house with 5 children, he could not afford a larger house, so he ended up getting a council house.

Pixie5740

Mgman1965 wrote: »

Subsidised as in council rents are always cheaper than the rent for an equal private rented.

So not subsidised then. It's just rent set by a not for profit organisaton rather than a private landlord who is in it to make a profit.

Mgman1965 wrote: »

If this is a way of getting a council property personally I think it's a downright cheek

I didn't say this plan would work just that it's not impossible for home owners to get social housing if they have specific needs that mean their current home is no longer suitable for them.

It's a high risk strategy to sell your home, move into unsuitable private rental accommodation assuming she can find a landlord who will want to let an unsuitable property to her, and then hope that not only will the council agree to house you but they have bungalows available to house a single old lady, not even nice bungalows in a nice area just any available bungalows. It's not the dumbest plan we've ever had on the forum but it probably makes the top ten.

Somewhere like the kind of property Murphybear rents that's specifically for the older tenant sounds more like what the mother needs rather than some cockamamie plan to get a council bungalow that may never exist.

ProDave

I actually know a couple that owned their own house, but due to disabilities getting worse were finding it hard to get upstairs and the house would not fit a stair lift.

They tried to sell it in 2008 just as the market crashed and it would not sell.

I don't know how, but they ended up renting a housing association bungalow while at the same time letting their own house. I can only assume there is a lot less demand (or more supply) of social housing up here in the Highlands.

Murphybear

Pixie5740 wrote: »

So not subsidised then. It's just rent set by a not for profit organisaton rather than a private landlord who is in it to make a profit.



I didn't say this plan would work just that it's not impossible for home owners to get social housing if they have specific needs that mean their current home is no longer suitable for them.

It's a high risk strategy to sell your home, move into unsuitable private rental accommodation assuming she can find a landlord who will want to let an unsuitable property to her, and then hope that not only will the council agree to house you but they have bungalows available to house a single old lady, not even nice bungalows in a nice area just any available bungalows. It's not the dumbest plan we've ever had on the forum but it probably makes the top ten.

Somewhere like the kind of property Murphybear rents that's specifically for the older tenant sounds more like what the mother needs rather than some cockamamie plan to get a council bungalow that may never exist.

Few other benefits. We've made some new friends and have gone out for meals with them. There are social events organised, we had a games evening which was a hoot. Not having any family we normally spend Xmas day alone (with the cat). This year we have organised a group Xmas lunch, have 7 people so far. Sheltered accommodation have direct links to the fire station so in case of a fire or alarm help is available immediately. As long as your HA qualifies the over 60s can get a tv licence for £7.50 (I didnt know that until we moved here, it was a nice little bonus). Our place is quiet, no screaming teenagers or kids

Balabalabala_and_Volare

Mgman1965 wrote: »

Two colleagues discussing this at work today, I think a no no, but if possible would be ideal for my MIL.


Colleague was saying her elderly mother who owns her own house cant manage the stairs very well now, but if they sell the house cant afford a bungalow.


So she says plan is for mum to sell her house, move into equally unsuitable private rented, and then go to council and get onto the council house waiting list using her poor health to bump up the list for a council bungalow.


so plan is basically, sell own house, private rent unsuitable house to get council bungalow, have nice comfortable retirement living in subsidised council bungalow living of money from house sale and pension.


Sounds to easy to me to be workable.

The short answer to your question is... YES.

It does, as has already been suggested, depend on the allocation policy applicable in your area, but those are all publicly available to read and most are online.

In most cases, the rather convoluted and dishonest ploy of selling then renting something equally unsuitable is an unnecessary step. If the house you live in doesn't meet your needs, then you will be treated the same from a medical priority point of view regardless of tenure.

Of course, the capitol from any sale would almost certainly mean that she would have to fund her own rent rather than rely on Housing Benefit. That would be the case even if she came up with another duplicitous ploy to "rid herself" of those proceeds via overly generous gifts to her equally sly family members. But hay-ho.

datlex

Councils will make adaptions to a private home for elderly people to help them stay in their home. An occupational therapist should come out and do an assessment. This can be extra bannisters. You can also get a stairlift fitted on a loan basis.