# Can you decorate a council house



## Shannyxox

I'm looking for a place to live, either private rent, or council. And I was wondering, can you decorate a council house? Like paint it and stuff? I have heard you cann if you have lived ther for a certain amount of time, But my friends mum painted hers after about 3months of living there.. :shrug:? xx


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## lauram_92

I am pretty sure you can decorate it however you want, because it's yours. I think you can only buy it after you live there for a few years :shrug:


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## KaceysMummy

You can decorate it as long as its not temporary accommodation. 
We got vouchers from the council for B&Q when we moved in to help decorate it - depends on state of place and how much needs done I think. 
The council don't re-decorate it or that, so we moved into the previous peoples decor - which wasn't so nice... You have to carpet the place too.
Hope you get somewhere soon :) xx


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## xCookieDough

*Are you having much luck finding a place yet hun? I'm still searching its a nightmare isn't it!*


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## lauram_92

KaceysMummy said:


> You can decorate it as long as its not temporary accommodation.
> We got vouchers from the council for B&Q when we moved in to help decorate it - depends on state of place and how much needs done I think.
> The council don't re-decorate it or that, so we moved into the previous peoples decor - which wasn't so nice... You have to carpet the place too.
> Hope you get somewhere soon :) xx

Yeah my friend got I think it was £250 decorating allowance, but it was vouchers so she couldn't spend it anywhere other than B&Q.
When she moved in I think she pulled up all the carpets - or they were already pulled up. Not 100% sure. Someone said to me they make you pull up your carpets etc before you leave :shrug:


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## Shannyxox

xCookieDough said:


> *Are you having much luck finding a place yet hun? I'm still searching its a nightmare isn't it!*

Nope no luck yet :(! No private rented place seams to accept housing benefit, And all the council houses are in ough places:( It defiantly is a nightmare, Me and OH are thinking about maybe just renting without HB if we still haven't had any luck in the next few months, And thats going to be hard! Best of luck in finding a place hun x


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## xgem27x

I think you can decorate, especially if its one of the council houses thats quite outdated decor, because the council see it as an improvement, and can even offer money to help pay costs in certain situations

We have lots of new build council flats here though and the rules are you can't decoraate because they want to keep them all cream carpets and cream walls, which is so silly if people are moving into them and plan on living there long term :/ xx


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## rileybaby

Im not sure about council house but private renting depends on your landlord, my mums landlord said she could do whatever she wanted to the place :flow:


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## LauraBee

We moved in here when it was newly built 14 years ago. We've decorated it many many times. Certain construction things aren't allowed unless they add value to the property. No rules on decor as far as I'm aware though :thumbup:


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## holly2234

You can normally do what you want to a council house. Private i think is up to the landlord. I never asked my landlord! Ive just kept it all magnolia because it was all painted literally the month before we moved in and we have better things to spend money on at the moment :)


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## xgem27x

We private rent, and when we moved in everything was cream, we asked to decorate, which the landlord said we could so we tried to paint it a soft green, which turned out to be lime green (now one of the colours of the twins room its that bright haha!) and then we realised cream carpets are TERRIBLE with babies lol, so we did a massive transformation haha!

I think the landlord would have a heart attack if he saw how different it looks! :haha: Oh well, he's never come round since we moved in!!

Heres before and after pics... excuse mess in 1st pic... excuse me being a tard in 2nd pic :thumbup::haha:
 



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## stephx

Shannyxox said:


> xCookieDough said:
> 
> 
> *Are you having much luck finding a place yet hun? I'm still searching its a nightmare isn't it!*
> 
> Nope no luck yet :(! No private rented place seams to accept housing benefit, And all the council houses are in ough places:( It defiantly is a nightmare, Me and OH are thinking about maybe just renting without HB if we still haven't had any luck in the next few months, And thats going to be hard! Best of luck in finding a place hun xClick to expand...


You realise the landlord wouldn't know if you were claiming HB unless you told him? :shrug:
Xx


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## xgem27x

stephx said:


> Shannyxox said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> xCookieDough said:
> 
> 
> *Are you having much luck finding a place yet hun? I'm still searching its a nightmare isn't it!*
> 
> Nope no luck yet :(! No private rented place seams to accept housing benefit, And all the council houses are in ough places:( It defiantly is a nightmare, Me and OH are thinking about maybe just renting without HB if we still haven't had any luck in the next few months, And thats going to be hard! Best of luck in finding a place hun xClick to expand...
> 
> 
> You realise the landlord wouldn't know if you were claiming HB unless you told him? :shrug:
> XxClick to expand...

This is true, the landlord needn't know where the money comes from, just as long as its paid on time! 

A lot of people say no HB because of the stereotype that comes with it, you get a lot of rough families, who live off JSA and housing benefit, and they destory peoples homes and then just bugger off!

Maybe if the landlord met you first and liked you, the fact you will be claiming HB wont bother them iykwim xx


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## KaceysMummy

lauram_92 said:


> KaceysMummy said:
> 
> 
> You can decorate it as long as its not temporary accommodation.
> We got vouchers from the council for B&Q when we moved in to help decorate it - depends on state of place and how much needs done I think.
> The council don't re-decorate it or that, so we moved into the previous peoples decor - which wasn't so nice... You have to carpet the place too.
> Hope you get somewhere soon :) xx
> 
> Yeah my friend got I think it was £250 decorating allowance, but it was vouchers so she couldn't spend it anywhere other than B&Q.
> When she moved in I think she pulled up all the carpets - or they were already pulled up. Not 100% sure. Someone said to me they make you pull up your carpets etc before you leave :shrug:Click to expand...

Yeah it's just B&Q you can spend them in and B&Q can only accept them for certain things too. The council came check we had decorated too, which I thought was weird but suppose people could buy paint, sell it on if they really wanted too...
When we moved in there was no carpets - I got told if previous people don't take them, council remove them in the 'clear up process' to avoid them getting dumped. x


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## mayb_baby

Here you can decorate most private and all council


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## 10.11.12

OT but Gem what a huge change! that room looks sooo much better.


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## annawrigley

I wish I could decorate :( All I've done is put a mirror up in my room and I keep meaning to ask if I can put a shelf up in Noah's room but that's it!


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## xCookieDough

stephx said:


> Shannyxox said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> xCookieDough said:
> 
> 
> *Are you having much luck finding a place yet hun? I'm still searching its a nightmare isn't it!*
> 
> Nope no luck yet :(! No private rented place seams to accept housing benefit, And all the council houses are in ough places:( It defiantly is a nightmare, Me and OH are thinking about maybe just renting without HB if we still haven't had any luck in the next few months, And thats going to be hard! Best of luck in finding a place hun xClick to expand...
> 
> 
> You realise the landlord wouldn't know if you were claiming HB unless you told him? :shrug:
> XxClick to expand...

*See I never mentioned about HB when I call up to ask, with the landlord here they always ask me, so what work do you do, do you have a certain amount of income over bla bla amount, then I have to fess up as some will want proof! *


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## stephx

xCookieDough said:


> stephx said:
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> 
> 
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> Shannyxox said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> xCookieDough said:
> 
> 
> *Are you having much luck finding a place yet hun? I'm still searching its a nightmare isn't it!*
> 
> Nope no luck yet :(! No private rented place seams to accept housing benefit, And all the council houses are in ough places:( It defiantly is a nightmare, Me and OH are thinking about maybe just renting without HB if we still haven't had any luck in the next few months, And thats going to be hard! Best of luck in finding a place hun xClick to expand...
> 
> 
> You realise the landlord wouldn't know if you were claiming HB unless you told him? :shrug:
> XxClick to expand...
> 
> *See I never mentioned about HB when I call up to ask, with the landlord here they always ask me, so what work do you do, do you have a certain amount of income over bla bla amount, then I have to fess up as some will want proof! *Click to expand...

yea that true, I just lie about that bit :shhh:

but the OP said she was just thinking about renting without using HB.. so im guessing her OH works? So yeah she could just say they wont be claiming :shrug:


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## Shannyxox

Thanks girls :)
I will just ask when/if I move in to a council place. With the whole housing benefit thing, I dont want to like and worry abut getting court out iykwim? I would much better like a private rented place, its just so hard to find!x


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## bbyno1

We private rent and arnt allowed to decorate.
My mum has a council house and is allowed..


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## xgem27x

10.11.12 said:


> OT but Gem what a huge change! that room looks sooo much better.

Thanks! :flow:

We keep it so much cleaner and tidier now, and with wood floor if the twins spill anything we can just wipe it up! xx


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