Housing, Council Housing Options

[Brad]

Recently I have decided to go on the housing register. After private renting for many years I decided to go on the council housing list as rent is a fair bit cheaper etc. Now for the last 2 months I have been "bidding" on properties to no avail. I have come to the conclusion that as I'm not pregnant, a drunk, a drugged up scumbag and the fact that I have a job means I've got no chance in **** of getting a house.

The website where you "bid" has 2 properties a week maximum where 300+ people bid and the points system is a joke and means people like me do not get a look in!

[pinkfluffyclouds]

Recently I have decided to go on the housing register. After private renting for many years I decided to go on the council housing list as rent is a fair bit cheaper etc. Now for the last 2 months I have been "bidding" on properties to no avail. I have come to the conclusion that as I'm not pregnant, a drunk, a drugged up scumbag and the fact that I have a job means I've got no chance in **** of getting a house.

The website where you "bid" has 2 properties a week maximum where 300+ people bid and the points system is a joke and means people like me do not get a look in!

Unfortunately when the Tories were in power and had Maggie at the helm they decided to sell the council house stock to any tenant that had the means to buy. I live on a road of 20 and out of those 12 are privately owned. Now we are seeing a shortage in housing and all the new housing being built seems to be aimed at older people who are retired or are in the town centre. Obviously having a child puts you up the ladder and also being in trouble with the law and then becoming a good citizen does seem to be rewarded with a nice flat to live in. What went against us when we were on the housing list was that we were married. I was told if I was a single parent I would have been housed a lot more quickly....

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Recently I have decided to go on the housing register. After private renting for many years I decided to go on the council housing list as rent is a fair bit cheaper etc. Now for the last 2 months I have been "bidding" on properties to no avail. I have come to the conclusion that as I'm not pregnant, a drunk, a drugged up scumbag and the fact that I have a job means I've got no chance in **** of getting a house.

The website where you "bid" has 2 properties a week maximum where 300+ people bid and the points system is a joke and means people like me do not get a look in!

Why should you get a property Brad when you work and can spend all your income on renting a property. Now for one you sound like you are not a pregnant teenager, a drug addict or an alcoholic and they deserve housing more than you because they need to be located near to the Doctors surgeries, needle clinics and chemists. Good luck in getting a house. You are of course completely wasting your time.

[Bloggo]

Unfortunately when the Tories were in power and had Maggie at the helm they decided to sell the council house stock to any tenant that had the means to buy. I live on a road of 20 and out of those 12 are privately owned. Now we are seeing a shortage in housing and all the new housing being built seems to be aimed at older people who are retired or are in the town centre. Obviously having a child puts you up the ladder and also being in trouble with the law and then becoming a good citizen does seem to be rewarded with a nice flat to live in. What went against us when we were on the housing list was that we were married. I was told if I was a single parent I would have been housed a lot more quickly....

Write to your MP and tell him that you are fed up with living in a society that rewards the criminal, workshy and lazy above those that take responsibility for their actions. Unless you make a noise about this then nothing will change.

[Andy Capp]

Becoming pregnant, a drunk, a drugged up scumbag would help you, but be aware your 'nice flat' is likely to be amongst similar people.

[Rosewinelover]

Recently I have decided to go on the housing register. After private renting for many years I decided to go on the council housing list as rent is a fair bit cheaper etc. Now for the last 2 months I have been "bidding" on properties to no avail. I have come to the conclusion that as I'm not pregnant, a drunk, a drugged up scumbag and the fact that I have a job means I've got no chance in **** of getting a house.

The website where you "bid" has 2 properties a week maximum where 300+ people bid and the points system is a joke and means people like me do not get a look in!

Drugged up scumbag? Nice. I love how some people in society see all drug users as scum......Really grown up way of thinking

Even if you were pregnant (strange thought), then you would most likely be in a B and B for a while, then a bedsit, and eventually a 1 bedroom flat, maybe when the baby turns 1 or 2.

You already know the answer you already said it...you have a job. You can pay rent. Council houses are there for people who really need it, not for when you decide you want to pay lower rent. It is not even that cheaper in most cases. We need to stop wasting our time worrying about what other people get instead of us, I have now, because it was driving me mad knowing alot of people get given stuff on a plate, and I work my a r s e to have a good life. BUT the only people living the highlife are the people cheating the system. A person living in a council flat, being paid dole/income support is struggling, not living, they are surviving.

If you want, leave your job, make yourself homeless, then go through the system the proper way - come back and tell us how your getting on in your dingy flat, surrounded by alchoholics, drug users, screaming babies etc.....

[Brad]

Drugged up scumbag? Nice. I love how some people in society see all drug users as scum......Really grown up way of thinking

Even if you were pregnant (strange thought), then you would most likely be in a B and B for a while, then a bedsit, and eventually a 1 bedroom flat, maybe when the baby turns 1 or 2.

You already know the answer you already said it...you have a job. You can pay rent. Council houses are there for people who really need it, not for when you decide you want to pay lower rent. It is not even that cheaper in most cases. We need to stop wasting our time worrying about what other people get instead of us, I have now, because it was driving me mad knowing alot of people get given stuff on a plate, and I work my a r s e to have a good life. BUT the only people living the highlife are the people cheating the system. A person living in a council flat, being paid dole/income support is struggling, not living, they are surviving.

If you want, leave your job, make yourself homeless, then go through the system the proper way - come back and tell us how your getting on in your dingy flat, surrounded by alchoholics, drug users, screaming babies etc.....

I didn't quite mean all drug users are scum. But your point is valid.

My closest friend from school and his girlfriend decided to have a kid purely to get a flat, then had 2 more to get a house. They really did have kids to get a better property. The company I work for offered him a job after a good recommendation from myself, in which he refused as he will be worse off than the money he is getting from "Incapacity" benefit, although he plays football with my team ...

I guess I will have to keep struggling until I can afford a mortgage or move back in with the parent.. :S!

[Rachel]

Recently I have decided to go on the housing register. After private renting for many years I decided to go on the council housing list as rent is a fair bit cheaper etc. Now for the last 2 months I have been "bidding" on properties to no avail. I have come to the conclusion that as I'm not pregnant, a drunk, a drugged up scumbag and the fact that I have a job means I've got no chance in **** of getting a house.

The website where you "bid" has 2 properties a week maximum where 300+ people bid and the points system is a joke and means people like me do not get a look in!

I sympathise with you. Actually, I bought a small place when I was young, worked 2 jobs & managed to work my way up the property ladder to a comfortable rung, BUT that was my choice. I count myself fortunate that I have always had a job, been in good health & managed to get most of what I needed out of life (though not all that I wanted, perhaps). I have friends that have more children, more hollidays, will pay rent all their lives & consequently have more debt, but they are happy with their lot too, & that's great. What I'm trying to say is that I believe that if people choose to rent or buy, surely they should have the opportunity to do that, especially if they have already proven that they are sound, paying tennants (as I think you have been, from your comments). What irks me are several things.
1. If you live in your own home & life deals you a blow whereby you can't afford your mortgage, you are more likely to end up homeless then rehoused unsuitably than being helped out with your mortgage for a short period, despite this being the cheapest option.
2. If you sell up in latter years, cruise the world & spend your money, you'll likely be offered an OAP's bungalow to rent when you return.
3. Despite offering to sell back my ex-LA house so that it could be rented out again, the housing authority declined.
4. Houses are often allocated to people from out of the area (who's needs are apparently greater?) when actually, there are many local people who want to live & work in the area...surely they should have more "points"?

Don't know what the solution is, just know it all seems grossly unfair at the moment.

PS Not keen on your descption of some tennants, but I understand your frustrations.

[Rosewinelover]

I didn't quite mean all drug users are scum. But your point is valid.

My closest friend from school and his girlfriend decided to have a kid purely to get a flat, then had 2 more to get a house. They really did have kids to get a better property. The company I work for offered him a job after a good recommendation from myself, in which he refused as he will be worse off than the money he is getting from "Incapacity" benefit, although he plays football with my team ...
I guess I will have to keep struggling until I can afford a mortgage or move back in with the parent.. :S!

Then you need to report him for fraud because that is tax payers money his stealing from.

There are plenty of people abusing the system, but the government are cracking down on it. When your child reaches 8yrs old a single parent will not get IS, but the dole. They HAVE to look for work. The government will be changing the system for people on the dole, eventually a person on the dole for many years will have to do some kind of volunteer work. It will be stamped out because as a country we can not afford it.

Something has to change, benefits are for people who need help (I don't mind my money being spent on genuine cases) but for some people it is a way of life. All I know is I work, I pay my tax, I try to do the best I can, me 'worrying' what other people do will get me no where, so I have learnt to now be happy in MY life.

[Rosewinelover]

1. If you live in your own home & life deals you a blow whereby you can't afford your mortgage, you are more likely to end up homeless then rehoused unsuitably than being helped out with your mortgage for a short period, despite this being the cheapest option.

I totally agree. When I was made redundant a while back we didn't know how I was going to pay the mortgage...I ended up getting a loan to cover it whilst I managed to get another job within the same company. When the boiler was faulty I was being quoted over £1000 for a new one, luckily someone I knew found the part (it is an old boiler!) for me and fitted it for under £150. If I was in a council property I would never have the worries and it would all be free, BUT my house is MY home. It is my sons future, pension, etc.

[JeffG]

Write to your MP and tell him that you are fed up with living in a society that rewards the criminal, workshy and lazy above those that take responsibility for their actions.

Much simpler just to send him a copy of the Daily Mail

[Strafin]

I applied to the council once for housing - their advice was get unemployed, and get pregnant as quick as you can.

[NWNREADER]

I applied to the council once for housing - their advice was get unemployed, and get pregnant as quick as you can.

If you had done you would have been so famous you wouldn't have needed to rent......

[GMR]

The council have a lot to answer for. A couple of years ago I knew a young girl who went to the Housing department to see if she could get a place. The Housing officer said she didn't have enough points, so she asked how does one get points? "Get pregnant" she was told in an uncaring manner, so she did and got her own place. And as we all know this isn't an isolated incident. As groups like Sovereign or the Council will tell you; "They don't house adults, they only house children".

[Strafin]

Mmmmm... I think they must have meant my wife!

I'll stop trying then!

[JeffG]

I'll stop trying then!

Don't give up yet! Link