Family outgrow Sheffield council house (Panorama - 4 May 2011)

[Scozzie]

I dont like people living in Council housing that dont use all the bedrooms, l know a lot of people doing this.

 

I know of a woman in York who has a council flat right i the town centre. He has been there for 20 years and sub lets the 2 bedrooms she doesn't use. I know this because I nearly moved in..... until I witnessed the lack of hygiene my would be housemates had. eugh.

[relost]

If you are earning less than the limit ( i think it was near to 50k per year), then you will be eligible for child tax credits. So yes. You could get more money when you have a baby

 

Really, I honestly wasn't aware of that... If your figure is correct and my partner manages to start earning another 14k a year by time we have a child, then we won't get anything. He should be earning a little more by then, but not quite that much.

 

I feel a bit of a hypocrite now... , but I suppose I have put into the system for years, so maybe I am entitled? Thing is, I would never have expected anything more. I don't like the thought of having a baby and adding the help into the equation- as in, "Oh let's have one, cos we will get X extra anyway once the baby is born". It just goes against what I believe

[0742Sheff]

Really, I honestly wasn't aware of that... If your figure is correct and my partner manages to start earning another 14k a year by time we have a child, then we won't get anything. He should be earning a little more by then, but not quite that much.

 

I feel a bit of a hypocrite now... , but I suppose I have put into the system for years, so maybe I am entitled? Thing is, I would never have expected anything more. I don't like the thought of having a baby and adding the help into the equation- as in, "Oh let's have one, cos we will get X extra anyway once the baby is born". It just goes against what I believe

 

There used to be a one off payment/investment when your child was born as well. I think it was a £500 investment. I can't remember now. It was a looong time ago.

Bare in mind the more you earn the less child tax credit you will recieve. A few years ago i did my tax return and it came to over 30k. Because i had gone over 29k our child tax credit dropped to almost nothing.

[suzan]

Just a thought, was the house in such a bad condition when he first accepted it? Or did it eventually get bad and the landlord wouldn't sort it? Just wondering why he accepted it if it was so bad.... Or was it a case of him needing a landlord that took DSS and so he was having a hard time, and just accepted anything? xx

 

When he viewed the house he wasnt shown the cellar, so didnt know until he had to go to the meter down there, he then told the landlord but he said it was ok, even though he didnt take a look at it.

My son was ill most of the time he lived there, with a constant cough and cold, and when he used to visit me he had 5 pairs of socks on and it took him a few hours to get warm cos he was that cold. If you watched the programme and saw him you would have seen how cold it was when he breathed.

These landlords shouldnt be allowed to get away with things like this.

[foxydebs]

I can completely believe this. I did find some of the statistics and points made a bit hard to swallow. The woman in Sheffields lads reckoned they were bidding every week on all suitable properties- yet why have they not yet been offered anything?

 

I was given my first council property at age 18 ( 1999) - at a time when you didn't have to bid. I kept this for a little over a year until my abusive relationship broke down and I was left in debt and being stalked by my ex. I made the decision to give the property back to the council. I went back to my parents, paid off my debts etc.

 

I stayed home for 3-4 years and then in 2002 I applied to several housing associations as my parents had made the decision to sell up and move to Cornwall. Within a year I was offered a flat with Chevin housing association which I accepted. ALmost 2 years later myself and my partner were attacked by some youths who kept setting the bin shed part of the building on fire- after we reported them, so we made the decision to move into private rented.

 

After 3 years there me and my then partner split up and I began to bid again on Sheffield and Rotherham council properties as I was struggling to pay rent on my own on private rent whilst learning to drive for my progression at work, even though I was earning £17k. (end of 2007)

 

I was offered a flat in Westfield near Crystal Peaks, which I had actually bidded on by accident. I turned this down as I would have had to give up my cats, due to this being a flat with no external access. 2 months later I was offered one in Rotherham that I had bidded for.

 

I stayed in this property 2008 until April 2011. My partner moved in with me at the end of 2009, who also works, and we were looking to get a 2 bedroom property as we want to start trying for children next year. We were quite resigned to the fact that if we could not get an exchange(hard to get someone wanting to downsize into our 1 bed flat), we would end up having to go for private rent at the end of 2011/ start of 2012 due to having no deposit and not being in a position to buy.

 

We were then offered a property with SYHA that we had applied for. We have just moved and are so happy now we finally have our 2 bedroom property.

 

I know some people will say I shouldn't get a council or housing association property as I work and am not in need, or have any disabilities, claim benefits or have any kids- but there are no guidelines to say I shouldn't.

 

I have always worked since leaving school, even when studying-apart from a 6 month period at the age of 18- I have worked hard to progress my career to better myself. I pay full rent and have always done so on all my properties apart from the one I had at 19 as my partner didn't work and my wages at that time were not classed as enough to live on.

 

It may look as though I have had lots of council properties, but I have always paid off any outstanding arrears with rent and council tax, have moved from them for valid or legit reasons and do not expect owt for nowt! I find it hard to believe that her eldest sons struggle as much as they say to get a property with the council

 

I don't find it hard to believe they struggle to get a place, I have been on list about 3 and half years, I work and private rent. I bid on properties every week and never get one, maybe you have just been lucky.

[arctic]

If people want families that big they should be able to provide housing for themsleves and not rely on handouts, unfortunatley it seems alot of people pop the kids out to get their mansion council houses and can live a life on benefits without having to do a days work.

 

Makes me sick, lowlife scrounging scum.

 

Totally agreed. I'm expecting my first baby in 7 months time, I have a good job, earn well but i'm still extremely worried about the costs involved. How do you even begin to have that many children, and not think about where you are living and how that affects them is worrying.

[Badlittlepup]

Totally agreed. I'm expecting my first baby in 7 months time, I have a good job, earn well but i'm still extremely worried about the costs involved. How do you even begin to have that many children, and not think about where you are living and how that affects them is worrying.

 

I agree with you too. If you are somebody who works and rents privately or pays a mortgage if you accidentally get pregnant or have to take in the children of relatives then you have to sort it out and pay for yourself if you want bigger accommodation. Well either that or squash into the accommodation you already have.

 

Yet if you have never paid into the system and always sat on your behind you'll get the size of house you demand as long as you've got kids to stick in the bedrooms.

 

I bet you'lll have to think long and hard before you have baby number 2 but a lot of people don't have to. People will complain and say 'what do you expect us to do, sterilise poor people'. But that's not right, people who aren't on benefits have to ensure they can afford and house their kid before they have them ive with the consequences if they can't.

 

But if you don't work or contribute you get it all handed to you on a plate.

[Badlittlepup]

I don't find it hard to believe they struggle to get a place, I have been on list about 3 and half years, I work and private rent. I bid on properties every week and never get one, maybe you have just been lucky.

 

It's sad really, the way council housing has become homes for the life for the shiftless. I lived in council housing for 2 years when I was 18 and in poor health. But I recovered and moved away and left the flat for someone who needed it. There was an article in the paper recently about a council house in Sheffield where the husband was in prison and his wife was living in a council house with a swimming pool installed from the money from his crimes.

 

Obv she was still staying there while some blameless family who have had the main wage earner made redundant and have lost the home they rent or own will be stuck in homeless accommodation or a bed and breakfast. Oh well. Such is life.

[staninoodle]

The housing departments a law unto itself.

It supposedly has rules and laws,but often bends or changes these as can be seen by anyone who has family bidding on property........"management decision".A term used,when the rules have been waived.

[Ms Macbeth]

The housing departments a law unto itself.

It supposedly has rules and laws,but often bends or changes these as can be seen by anyone who has family bidding on property........"management decision".A term used,when the rules have been waived.

 

Sheffield Council has a Lettings policy, that has to be adhered to by Sheffield Homes. Its here: http://www.sheffieldhomes.org.uk/myHome/MovingHome/FindANewHome.aspx

 

It states that authorised managers may make discretionary decisions. They can award special priority - for example if a family are fleeing domestic violence, or their home has burnt down. In the main, properties are let to the bidders who either fit the priority category (examples are homeless; demolition;overcrowded.) or who have the longest waiting time.

 

If I felt strongly that too many 'management decisions' were being made in an area, I'd contact the management, or my local councillors and ask them why it is happening.

 

Its usually worth finding out why things happen rather than suggest the rules are being broken. I've worked for social housing organisations in the past, and know just how tightly the rules are applied. The programme suggested that housing was at fault, yet at the end they stated that neither of the main complainants had kept their information up to date!