Been offered a council house advice needed

travelchick

Hello all,

I was offered a council house yesterday I dont have the keys but went and had a good look around the outside. The house will need a lot of work but thats ok im not scared of getting myself dirty, the kitchen is about 30 years old (its lime green!) but i can deal with that however the garden is 120ft long but hasnt been tended to in a very long time. its so thick with undergroth that you cant get more than 5ft in before you get stuck.
Does anyone know if the council have an obligation to make the garden safe? i only got a small way in and found a street lamp in the garden so god knows what else is in there.
I have 3 young children and am going to need to be able to use the garden but I cant afford to pay someone to do that garden, and its def going to need someone professional to clear it.
I dont want it to seem im being ungratful this house is a tip and will take forever to fix but i have the time and its only cosmetics but the garden in beyound me.
Does anyone know what the council's obligation towards handing the house over to me in a fuctioning condition and where i stand with the garden?

Thanks for any advice

Travel
xxx

silvercar

What are the implications of turning the house down? Would you be offered another one?

MrsE_2

travelchick wrote: »

Hello all,

I was offered a council house yesterday I dont have the keys but went and had a good look around the outside. The house will need a lot of work but thats ok im not scared of getting myself dirty, the kitchen is about 30 years old (its lime green!) but i can deal with that however the garden is 120ft long but hasnt been tended to in a very long time. its so thick with undergroth that you cant get more than 5ft in before you get stuck.
Does anyone know if the council have an obligation to make the garden safe? i only got a small way in and found a street lamp in the garden so god knows what else is in there.
I have 3 young children and am going to need to be able to use the garden but I cant afford to pay someone to do that garden, and its def going to need someone professional to clear it.
I dont want it to seem im being ungratful this house is a tip and will take forever to fix but i have the time and its only cosmetics but the garden in beyound me.
Does anyone know what the council's obligation towards handing the house over to me in a fuctioning condition and where i stand with the garden?

Thanks for any advice

Travel
xxx

BEFORE you even think about turning it down, think what the odds are of being offered a council house (not flat) with 120 foot garden again;)

SouthCoast

Grab it!

Clear a small part of the garden for the kids and fence the rest off.
We will all need to grow our own fruit and veg and keep our own chickens.

love2save

Would love a garden that size! My house and garden was an horrendous mess when I moved in 24 years ago....I did the garden a bit at a time, it took months of hard work...it is surprising what you can achieve when you have too. Good Luck, it will all be worth it in the end

MissMoneypenny

When I was a teenager, my parents bought a house with a very overgrown garden - of 1 acre:eek: We felled trees (all of us hanging on to the rope as the trees were chopped) and cleared the overgrowth, bit by bit. We even found a garden pond with fish still in it and a wooden bridge going over it. I have many happy memories of clearing that land:D

You could buy some pig wire and stakes and just clear the first bit and fence that so it is safe for your children. Then as you clear the next bit, just move the fencing stakes and pig wire back. Get the house sorted first, then just chip away at the garden. What a great garden that 120ft will be for your children to play in.

travelchick

Thank you, for your advice,

Please keep it coming its good to get all your great ideas

I dont want to turn the house down, my ex husband is in the army and when he left the army hand me my marching orders.
I dont want to live with the fear of not getting a roof over our head before the children and I are evicted.
My ex hubby has said he will do what he can with a chainsaw to try and make the garden good, I dont mind it taking a while after all im going ot be there forever lol.

Not sure about veggies or chickens something weird about having sunday dinner all growing at the end of the garden lol although maybe i will consider being a bit greener when its all done?

xxx

demented_2

Hi, I would go for it, as a you probably will not be offered a house with a garden that size again. Just take your time with clearing the garden up. It will be worth it in the end. Just think of all the space your children will have to play in and you could keep your eye on them, you could also turn some of it into a veg garden, also as someone else said have some chickens, thats if the council of course will let you, I can't think why you couldn't have any chickens, NOT Cockrels obviously. More room for any pets that your children might want to have more room for the dog or cat to exersize it. Go for it, much better than being offered a flat with no garden, or a house with just a small hankerchief sized garden. I would accept it, if i were you. Good luck anyway.

Running_Horse

HSS rent a power digger to get it cleared.

http://www.hss.com/g/62516/Power-Digger-Petrol.html

I know from experience there are cheaper and better local hire companies.

Instead of a decorating party, invite round several burly chaps with the offer of free beer and food for anyone who helps clear the garden?

pinkshoes

I'd say accept the house and sort out the garden yourself!! Sort out a small bit first and fence it off for the kids to play in, then over time you can sort the rest out! You'll probably not get offered such an amazing amount of space ever again, so would kick yourself if you turned it down.

Just think, if you had to rent privately, it'd cost you a fortune, so that money you're going to save can be spent doing the garden up. Save up, hire a skip, and invite round some muscular friends to shift any big items, cut the grass etc...

duchy

If you don't have any muscular friends-but come on exOH is Army-he must have !! Offer free beer and food and you'll probably get half a regiment round
Grab it quick before they change their minds !!!