Anyone familiar with local authority housing/homelessness procedures etc?

LocoLoco

Hi, I just wondered if anyone has experience in dealing with local authorities as we've had an unusual offer and I'm wondering if I was too hasty to turn it down?

We're in a private rental at the moment, myself and son, he has multiple disabilities so all income is via Universal Credit apart from a very small amount I get doing a bit of admin from home.  We've been on the housing list for a while but we're not in desperate need as many are so no luck as yet.

We've been offered the opportunity to take a flat in a different area to the one we're in currently (nicer area and a nicer property by the sound of things) but the flat is part of a block that the local authority are planning to sell at some time.  They don't know when yet so they're offering the property on a six month contract rather than their usual five year one.  Once we're given notice to quit (which could be after six months or they may renew it, they can't say just yet) we'd have to go back to bidding for properties as we are at the moment, although we'd have a higher priority due to them serving notice.

I've said no as my first thought was just us being homeless in six months time and having to take whatever we could get which might not be suitable for my son, plus we have a cat.  The local area there is out of our range price wise plus so few landlords accept benefits I think it unlikely we could rent privately again over there.

However, I've thought about it more over the afternoon and wonder if I've been hasty.  It may be that they renew after six months (and possibly keep renewing for a long time; they had no specific time frame for selling up).  We would be eligible for housing then as we'll be in the system so something else should be available (there are suitable properties most weeks on our local system, we just aren't high enough up the list to qualify for them).  It would mean possibly two moves in a relatively short space of time which is a pain and expensive, but equally we won't have to pay a deposit and the rent is cheaper so overall it would pay for itself at some stage.

It's an unusual situation and I wondered if anyone else has had something similar.   Would it be mad to even consider it or would the opportunity to get into the local authority system be worth a bit of uncertainty and possibly two moves quite close together?  I'd appreciate anyone else's thoughts or experience of something like this.

Thanks in advance

AlexMac

There's no right or wrong reply, so it will be interesting to see what others think?  

I don't have recent personal experience or knowledge, but my view would be to take up the offer of a new flat despite your misgiving about the short tenancy.  As you say, it may well take the Council longer to dispose of the block, and there's an element of getting your feet under the table; seizing the opportunity and all that.  Presumably, if the Council did terminate your tenancy, they would then regard you as being statutorily homeless, which would increase your priority and eligibility for re-housing?  I don't speak from recent experience, but I know that when one of my past tenants (we have a little rental flat) became eligible for a Council home, I had to go through the ridiculous palaver of serving her notice and actually taking her to Court to get a baliff eviction order, because the final criteria to get her the new house was the threat of legally imposed homelessness. I did all this at her request as she'd been a good tenant.  She's now happily settled, years on, in a really nice place. 

Moving twice in a short period is not a deal-breaker in my view.  My mum and I probably lived in 50+ different places until I was six years old, and some were pretty grim from her description.  I rememeber however how delighted she was when she was finally allocated a Council Flat.  It was in what many people would now consider a very undesirable area, but to her it was heaven, after living in a caravan, tied accomodation, B&Bs and various hostels or Homeless Persons' Units for years.  It was the making of me too, because it meant I had stability and a settled school; so education and eventually, a decent job and now, 60-70 years later, my own home in a lovely area.   I am all too aware how absurd it is that Councils sold off much of the best properties over the past 40 years without investing the proceeds (or enough new money) in building Social Housing and how difficult it is for people now to get affordable rentals.

One thing to consider if you do move, is, once settled, to make constact with one of your local "Ward Councillors" in the new area; preferably one from a "majority" party (the political party which runs the Council) if you have a choice.  They are not open to lobbying (or shouldn't be) but you could go along to their "surgery" if, by then they are having one, or if not, ust email them.  You could begin with a compliment and thanks; say you wanted to thank the (named?) Council staff in their Housing Department for the service you received during the allocation and tenancy process.  A bit of "constructive creeping" never hurt, and they rarely get thanks or congratulations; just complaints.  You could then add that you know the tenancy is likely to be temporary and that the Council staff have said they will let you know if you are to be evicted, but that in view of your son's condition you'd welcome the longest possible notice; any on-the -record or off-the-record warning of how the disposal negotiation is going, and when or if the sale is likely. Don't push it, but if you do make contact in a positive way, you'll be on their radar in the hopefully unlikely event that you are treated badly or unfairly in the future or have to complain.  I guess you already know that the Councillors (who you and other local people) elect are the "non-executive directors" who give strategic leadership to the Housing and other staff; so their ultimate, albeit indirect, bosses?   Get the contact from the Town Hall website or from 
https://www.writetothem.com/

You don't mention your son's age, whether he's in school, or whether that's a factor to take into account, along with access to other health or social care services if that's a factor, but I guess you've thought that through.

If all else fails, and after more thought, you could also try the old "toss a coin" truth test trick?  Do that, and as the coin comes down, the lurch in your stomach (or subconscious) should tell you whether fate has led you to the right or wrong choice!

And wahtever that choice is, the very best of luck for the future!

LocoLoco

Alex Mac, thank you so much for that reply.  Your perspective is helpful and I can understand your mum's delight at settling somewhere after a lot of moving around.  We have done two house moves in six months before and it is a pain, but doable, as you say.  I am assuming that the council would assist us in finding another home once they want us out of that one as it would make no sense for them to make it harder for us to go?  But it's an unusual situation; I think I'll try to speak to them again tomorrow and ask a few more questions about the process.

The advice about Ward Councillors is good; thank you, I'd never even heard of them before so wouldn't have thought of that.

My son's 18 and would usually be eligible for support from social services but we've been shielding since March so haven't been in contact with them which would make starting afresh somewhere new easier from that point of view. 

Oddly enough just before checking messages on here I decided to throw a coin and if it came up heads, go for it, tails, stay put.  It was heads.  So I think I might try to have another chat with them tomorrow and ask a few more questions and see where that takes me.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply; I really appreciate it

ripplyuk

I’d take it, without hesitation. Is the offer still open to you? 

I know it’s a hassle having to move twice but you’ll be a council tenant already so you’ll have high priority. I doubt the council will even sell until they can rehouse all the tenants because it’ll cost them far more if they have to put you up in a b&b long-term. 

It also means you won’t have to worry about the cat. It’s hard finding private landlords that accept pets. 

carefullycautious

Stability would be the deciding factor. No more worrying about being moved on if landlord decides to sell or want property back.
Also you are able to do a mutual exchange if you want to move areas for any reason

tealady

Have to agree with AlexMac. Keeping in contact with ward Councillors is a good idea. I have dealt with Councillors and MP's and found both to be helpful when approached politely.
Having worked for both National and Local government I can say that compliments are far rarer than complaints. I tended to give the "complainers" the basic info, the complimenters I would go the extra mile for. 
Having said that, personally ,if I were renting I would rather take my chance with a Council as a landlord rather than a private landlord. 
Whatever you decide, hope it goes well.

Mrsn

I think on balance it might long term
work in your favour. If they give you notice then they will have a duty to find something else therefore your banding will be naturally higher and hopefully then able to find something more permanent.

Only you know what will be best for you and your son in terms of your individual needs but in my option it’s definitely worth considering.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Aranyani

ripplyuk said:

I’d take it, without hesitation. Is the offer still open to you? 

I know it’s a hassle having to move twice but you’ll be a council tenant already so you’ll have high priority. 

Are you sure about that?  They are offering a 6 month tenancy so when that is up surely they will just be the same as any other applicant?

leypt1

Do you know what the council's policy is on refusals, e.g. how many offers you can turn down before you become lower priority? Worth bearing this in mind for your decision!
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/social-housing/applying-for-social-housing/refusing-an-unsuitable-council-home/#:~:text=If you still want to,think the home is unsuitable.

LocoLoco

Thank you, everyone, for all of these replies, very helpful.  I managed to speak to the lady again late yesterday afternoon and the property had been offered to someone else (lesson for me to say "can I think about it" rather than "no" straight away) but we spoke more about the property itself  and there would have been problems for us regarding parking and access as well, due to my son's needs so it wouldn't have been suitable, even for a short time.

Leypt1, yes, the refusal process can be worrying.  With our current local authority (I don't know if it's the same everywhere) it's refusal after a viewing that can create a problem, although even with that I think if it's to do with disability requirements there is some flexibility.  The lady I spoke to also said that because of the unusual nature of the tenancy agreement they were being more flexible with the usual rules so it shouldn't create a long term problem for us (I hope!).  I think what I might do in future is ring before I bid and check suitability and that should reduce the risk of bidding on something that turns out to be unsuitable.

Your responses have all been helpful, especially re Ward Councillors and compliments rather than complaints, I'd never have thought of that so will keep it in mind for the future.  Thank you all again for your thoughts and suggestions.

ripplyuk

Aranyani said:

ripplyuk said:

I’d take it, without hesitation. Is the offer still open to you? 

I know it’s a hassle having to move twice but you’ll be a council tenant already so you’ll have high priority. 

Are you sure about that?  They are offering a 6 month tenancy so when that is up surely they will just be the same as any other applicant?

It doesn’t matter what length the tenancy is. If the council is the landlord, then they are a council tenant.