Council housing list?

[Feff]

This is going to sound as if I'm such a lazy benefit scrounger but I swear I'm not lol!

Does anybody know what sort of things gives you more priority? I've been on the list sines October and just rang, I'm 12 at my highest position. They told me I had 25 points when I rang before but I didn't ask what they were awarded for (assuming benefits, young single mother, unemployed and things like that).

My health visitor said that she would write me a letter to say that me and Elodie living here is causing tension because Elodie isn't good at sleeping in the night which makes my family tired and angry with me (which it does). But I don't think she's sent it because I'm still in the same position I was about 4 weeks ago.

I have a few things I could say which would put me up higher in the list like my house is leaking in 4 places, there is damp on the walls, it's rarely above 15 degrees in here as it's like a cave, there was a slug in the kitchen the other night but I don't want environmental health coming to my house because my mam would be furious with me, which I understand!

I could say about me and my mam arguing all the time but I don't want it to sound naff? It's 2 months into 2014 and my mam already isn't talking to me for the fifth time and I have no idea why it's like she has bi polar where she's fine with me and we're best friends but in seconds she can change so she's screaming at me over nothing, it's not fair to Elodie to live like this because it's starting to effect her too.

Has anybody got any advice? Sorry if it doesn't make sense I'm just so stressed out and upset so needed to get it all out somewhere

 

[suzib76]

Whether you are single or I. Benefits isn't relevant it's you need to be housed. Basically you don't become priority unless you are homeless.

 

[Kate&Lucas]

If you look on the website for your council it should have a list of their priorities and points etc.
Keep on at the HV as well, make sure she has sent a letter.

Really you've not been on the list all that long. I was on it just over a year and my area has no shortage of houses - for a long time I was the only person on the list, they just weren't in a hurry to get me off it.
Your mum shouldn't be living like that or letting you live like that. I hope you get somewhere soon.

 

[Abigailly]

You have a roof over your head. That automatically makes you much lower priority. The only way you're going to get any higher is if your mum kicks you out.

As far as I know women and kids tend to go into a shelter before they get a house. Honestly, you've been on the list no time at all. We have no shortage of houses and people tend to be on it a year or 2.

Could you look into a private let? Councils now do schemes to help with the initial deposit.

 

[Feff]

Whether you are single or I. Benefits isn't relevant it's you need to be housed. Basically you don't become priority unless you are homeless.

Do you know why I would have the points that I have then please?

 

[Feff]

If you look on the website for your council it should have a list of their priorities and points etc.
Keep on at the HV as well, make sure she has sent a letter.

Really you've not been on the list all that long. I was on it just over a year and my area has no shortage of houses - for a long time I was the only person on the list, they just weren't in a hurry to get me off it.
Your mum shouldn't be living like that or letting you live like that. I hope you get somewhere soon.

It doesn't say on the website, my council are useless lol! Ill phone later or go up to baby clinic next week

I know, i know that it could be so much worse it's just hard living here! That's awful! she can't really afford to change it tbh, she's in the process of fixing the roof though. Thanks x

 

[Feff]

You have a roof over your head. That automatically makes you much lower priority. The only way you're going to get any higher is if your mum kicks you out.

As far as I know women and kids tend to go into a shelter before they get a house. Honestly, you've been on the list no time at all. We have no shortage of houses and people tend to be on it a year or 2.

Could you look into a private let? Councils now do schemes to help with the initial deposit.

I looked into it but everyone I phoned said I couldn't even with a guarantor as I'm not 18 x

 

[highhopes19]

We was on the list for nearly 2 years! Before we reached maximum points because my mum and dad were evicting us as out relationship completely broke down, even then you go to the bottom of the people with that amount of points so we was looking at atleast another year so would of been 3 years in total, bare in mind if you are thrown out you may not be housed straight away you could be put in hostels or bnbs until temp accommodation comes up. Temp accommodation you could be there for anything from weeks to years it's not really as temporary as it sounds .

Only reason we got a place much sooner than most was because we applied for somewhere in a village where my oh grew up so they go on local connection only xx

 

[highhopes19]

I can really really sympathise I know what it's like try to look at the positives which I know when I was in that situation I couldn't really think of many but looking back now a positive was I could save some money by or buy some of the bits we needed for when we did get a place.

By the time we got a place we had near enough brought everything we needed already apart from the big things like a sofa x

 

[Feff]

We was on the list for nearly 2 years! Before we reached maximum points because my mum and dad were evicting us as out relationship completely broke down, even then you go to the bottom of the people with that amount of points so we was looking at atleast another year so would of been 3 years in total, bare in mind if you are thrown out you may not be housed straight away you could be put in hostels or bnbs until temp accommodation comes up. Temp accommodation you could be there for anything from weeks to years it's not really as temporary as it sounds .

Only reason we got a place much sooner than most was because we applied for somewhere in a village where my oh grew up so they go on local connection only xx

Oh god that's awful ! When I hear people's stories like yours it makes me feel so naff but it is honestly so hard living here! I know it could be so much worse though xx

 

[xluciex]

It Really does depend on your local area how quick you will be housed, how many people are on the list, if there is enough social housing available, what your need to be housed is, etc.

We've been on the list since October, our current situation is living with my partners parents, his brother also lives here with his partner and their 3 month old girl. Me & my partner both work, but as I will be going back to work part time we will not be able to afford £1200pm rent for private housing and we haven't yet found a landlord/agent that will accept part dss, due to the fact payments being made into the tenants account & people pocketing the money instead of paying their rent!

I'm in London and we are put in bands A,B,C,D

We are currently in band C (overcrowding) identified housing need.

For band A + B (priority) you have to fall in the disabled/life threatening condition/elderly or homeless category etc

Band D (no priority) unless working.

With points I assume more points you have the bigger the priority, maybe call them and ask them how long you should expect to wait based on your current points.

We have been in the council every week since January and calling and bugging the hell out of our housing officer lol, we now have a home assessment officer coming out within the next few weeks to assess our situation if they think our conditions are unsuitable we will be classed as homeless and moved into temp accom.

My best advise would be to keep on at your housing officer, make sure they know who you are, so when a property does come up they will think of you.

At first you maybe put into temp accom, this could be b+b, hostel, bedsit or even a flat/house. They can only put you in a b+b for max 6 weeks if you have a child.

Unfortunately there is a huge demand for social housing these days, & unless you are physically homeless then you could be in for a long wait.

Sorry for the long post!
Good luck hopefully your council won't be as crap as mine and something will come up for you soon xx

 

[Feff]

You'd think you would have been straight out due to overcrowding, it's ridiculous! 1200pm for rent?! Omg! That's beyond, here it's about 400pm? I can't private rent because I'm under 18 but I think it'll be hard for me to due to that reason too

Yeah I think that's how it works, I asked them and they said it's impossible to tell

I phone them at least once every 2 weeks but barely anything changes. We don't have a housing officer, or at least I don't think we do! Someone phoned a few weeks ago and said I'm second for a property near me and if the person in front didn't want it then it was mine, I'm assuming that I didn't get it though as I haven't been contacted again

I don't want environmental health to come here because I know my mam would hit the roof! :/

Thank you, I hope you get somewhere soon! xx

 

[xluciex]

I know it's ridiculous. Have you tried visiting your council & speaking to someone in person. We have had times were we have had to wait 3/4hrs to be seen, so hoping it will pay off sooner or later lol.

If you are second on the list you must have some priority. We are on a bidding system and each property is getting 400+ bids and we are no where near close to the front grrr lol.

Has your mum written a letter to the council stating by such and such date she wants you out? You don't get on? Stress of a young baby etc....x

 

[Feff]

No but I'm going to try, I need to tbh! Oh god it should soon!

I'm not though that's the thing, I'm twelfth at the highest but they rang me out of no where and said that :/ isn't it stressful! I have no idea what to do

No, she won't do it. She wouldn't do anything like that for me lol I could leave today but she doesn't want Elodie going xx

 

[Vicyi]

We've been on the council list for 6 years now and are still no closer to moving. We are in band B4 due to overcrowding but even when my second daughter was born with health problems it still wasnt enough to put us up a band. I hope you have better luck than we've had.

 

[xluciex]

I would deff go see a housing advisor in person and see how you get on, they might be able to put you forward to a housing association.

You could email citizens advise to see what advise they would give you.

Also look at https://www.sheltercymru.org.uk/get-advice/get-advice-online/

Aww that's not fair...without her evicting you it could be a long road

Got my fingers crossed for ya!xx

 

[stephx]

We were on the list for yeeears.

The thing that finally got us moved up priority was that OH parents spilt up. There were 6 adults and a child in a 3 bed house and because they spilt up that was classed as needing an extra room so they moved us up 2 bands and we were housed in 8 weeks.

it's not a fast process

 

[Feff]

We've been on the council list for 6 years now and are still no closer to moving. We are in band B4 due to overcrowding but even when my second daughter was born with health problems it still wasnt enough to put us up a band. I hope you have better luck than we've had.

That's awful! I hope you get somewhere soon.

 

[Feff]

I would deff go see a housing advisor in person and see how you get on, they might be able to put you forward to a housing association.

You could email citizens advise to see what advise they would give you.

Also look at https://www.sheltercymru.org.uk/get-advice/get-advice-online/

Aww that's not fair...without her evicting you it could be a long road

Got my fingers crossed for ya!xx

Thanks a lot I hope we both get some luck soon! xx

 

[Feff]

We were on the list for yeeears.

The thing that finally got us moved up priority was that OH parents spilt up. There were 6 adults and a child in a 3 bed house and because they spilt up that was classed as needing an extra room so they moved us up 2 bands and we were housed in 8 weeks.

it's not a fast process

Wow, I bet that was hard! I know, seeing as social housing is getting more popular (at least it is where I am) you'd think that they would use a better method! x