Shivster

Has anyone had any experience with housing assocations as a cheaper rent alternative for those of us going back skint?

Big Pete

How come your skint then ?

Dont think it makes much odds if its Housing associations , Council , or even private although private a lot more fussy,

Also hell of a backlist for council and housing assoc ones , so would need to prove your homeless before you even get a chance in some areas .

Shivster

Because I'm getting divorced! I did have money when I sold my house in England way back when but went through it in moving country twice and will spend what little I have left getting myself back to England.

Big Pete

oh i see , bad news well good luck ..
try to think of a angle to jump the que or they will say you made yourself homeless and put you bottom of list ..

anyways hope you find something ..

lollyno1

been back 5 months would still be homeless if it wasn't for the fact that Ive bought a house.

Im living with my mum whose 70 and my 15yr old son in two bed ground floor flat. We are not considered to be overcroweded! I have my name down on housing associations but not a thing. The council up here have a weird system where by they put out on their website houses, flats etc that are becoming vacant, then you have to bid. not im monetary terms though. In the time ive been back there have been two house in the area i require.

Good luck in your housing search.

gettingthere

quite honestly forget it, if you have not been "habitually" resident in the UK for the last 26 weeks even if you are in "housing need" the state has no obligation to house you and remember you cant claim any benefits either so I would suggest come back with a job to go to, stay with family/friends or rent

Sorry cant be more helpful but if u PM me then I can tell you some of the shortcuts if you want

brightonbelle

Hi, the good news is that housing association/societies/council rent works out a helluva lot cheaper than privately renting in some areas. For example, I am 15 miles outside of Cambridge in a 2 bed terrace house. To rent private equivelant in nice area of Cambridge would be over £900 pcm. In home town next door is privately rented at £650 pcm. My rent is £265

However, a lot of my family live up north where its still cheaper to get social housing...but not by such a difference. Aunt rents a flat thats about £60 cheaper per month than a private flat.

Now for the bad news. I split with ex hence the need for social housing. It took me 4 years to get this house...and thats going back 10 yrs. I got put in a one bed flat (me and daughter) as this was deemed suitable for our needs...and it wasnt bad, but it wasnt good either! Having said that my wait was long, I have known of people who have not had that long a wait...they just happened to be in areas where there was a greater supply of social housing.

You would have a long wait if you bunked in with family or friends as you wouldnt be in urgent need. In the past families could "evict" you citing arguements or not paying board etc...that way you could jump to the top of the queue ie it was a delibrate ploy. Alternatively, you privately rent a place too small for your needs and get landlord to not renew your tenancy. Social housing landlords wised up and now they put you into emergency accomodation (i speak from experience! mine was a homeless families hostel...bloody awful.....others got put into the b&bs that specialised in homelessness....worse!!).

If you are classed as in emergency need then if you are offered accomodation then you cant refuse it without jepordising your position in the queue. The system works by lets say a 3 bed house comes up. Someone whose been waiting years in a 2 bed flat gets the house. Someone whose been waiting in a 1 bed flat moves into the now vacant 2 bed flat. You get "offered" the 1 bed flat. Turn it down and it could take forever to get another offer.


It depends on the area your aiming for. If its an area with high supply of social housing then maybe its worth getting put into emergency accomodation if its for a short time period and any kids are young enough not to be affected by it.

But if the supply is low or turnover is low then I would privately rent a place, go on the social waiting lists and wait it out. If necessary, rent a slightly larger place and get a lodger in to help pay the rent. In my area a 3 bed is only £80 more pcm yet the going rent for lodgers is £280. Alternativly, if you could afford it, do a half rent half buy shared ownership purchase.

sorry to point out the negative side. I can however say that despite the homeless hostel, the crappy flat and the long wait.....I have a lovely house in a great area....and I have the security that I can never lose it. Yes its dead money in paying rent...but once daughter goes off to uni, in moves a lodger, and I live here rent free I am aware of how lucky I am. A turn of fate and I could have been stuck in that flat, never haven been given the offer of a transfer. Life would have been totally different.

good luck in whatever decisions you make.

Ty

Shivster

Thanks for all the realistic answers. Reason I mentioned it is that the house I owned had a housing assoc property next door. It was in a great area and it was the shared ownership deal. The woman was a nurse and I think it was a Assoc that just dealt with NHS workers which doesn't apply to me but it got me thinking.

Initially I'll be kipping at my sisters (God help me!) but I haven't rented in the UK in 20 years so have no clue what the hell goes on now. I'm trying to get a 2nd job over here in the run up to going back so I can save as much as I can.

Norm71

We go back 3 weeks next Tuesday. I was told by our local housing that if we hadn't been in the country for 5 years we didn't stand a hope in hell. However, we have been, or should I say my parents have been banging on doors since we knew we would be going back. There maybe a way around it and we have alsorts of appointments once we hit the tarmac. So although we have been told we can put our names down but the chances are slim to none we will be pounding the pavement until we can sort something out. We get into Newcastle at 11.40am and our first appointment is 1pm. It ain't going to be easy and its going to take a lot of pushing and shoving to, at least try to get somewhere.

Shivster

Good luck with it Norm. Let us know how you get on.

I'm furiously looking for a second job so I can try and save up three months rent for the UK so maybe they'll go easier on the credit check if my US bank statements won't cut it.

megansmummy

im back in the Uk & trying to find somwwhere to live. Ive applied for loads of houses in both cardiff & blaenau gwent (where mum lives).\ Both areas say the waiting list is up to 7 years long. Housing associations much the same. Ive applied to loads & bascially said my mum is kicking me out. I dont think i will get far though as im not actually homeless

Ideally i want cardiff but ive been told that council arnt taking on anyone outside cardiff as i have no connection there. This is annoying as i spent 10 years there when i studied. Im now having to probably to rent privately which means more money again & will probably get a shabby 1 bed flat &then get on list as il then be a cardiff tenant!

Its not easy as i thought but i hope i will get something soon

Good luck to you!

Shivster

Sorry to hear that. Especially as you had a kiddie. What about retraining for a job where they offer housing like the NHS or Govt workers?

megansmummy

Not really something i want tbh!

Im going to go private then get my name on the housing list. Prob the best way forward!

brightonbelle

Megansmummy,

Theres ususally a residency criteria for the city areas, and that could be anything from 2-5 years (ironically used to work in council housing and benefits years ago...before I became homeless)

The option you have pointed out is logical...rent privately in Cardiff and wait...you might be able to get on the council list but wouldnt actually be considered for any property until your residency time had been met. btw, if you have one child then a 1 bed flat is not deemed overcrowded as council rules state a lounge can be used by adult(s) as a bedroom. Interestingly, housing assocs and societies differ...they only go by bedrooms so you could move faster up their list in a 1 bed.

Having got a property in your mums area, you may find it quicker to go on the housing exchange register for Cardiff. (you literally exchange with someone who wants to move to your area)


If you got a keyworker job in Cardiff you may be able to do a swap...in that an empty property comes up in cardiff, and you move in releasing your place. its an exchange without the pain of having to wait to find someone. keyworkers can include professionals within nhs, education etc...but also some support workers

You may find it quicker because of family connection to go for housing in your mothers area. You may not have to meet any residency criteria time. Its one thing being on the waiting list...its another thing being in the top section to actually be considered for property. Theres two ways accomodation is allocated. First way is the old way. Done on points and length of waiting. Problem with this is just coz you reach the top doesnt mean your next in line. If you need a two bed flat and a 3 bed house comes up...it goes to the highest eligable applicant based on needs...they could be number 172! But then you could be applicant 172 and the property is a flat and everyone above you needs houses/bungalows etc...so you get it. The other problem with this system is....everyday someone with an extra priority need can jump to the top of the queue, and down you go again. So say theres a 2 bed flat, your top of the queue. Someone in 100th place, single parent and child has an urgent health need..and theyd get the flat.

That system is unfair and auditing has shown up favours....people pulling family/friends/connection strings to jump the queue...case of who you know. Thankfully, councils now have an independant bod on their housing panel/or strict auditing....so allthough it still happens its rarer...and if any underhandness gets found out, tenancy is ended, and on one occaision that was two years after they moved in..but they got it by deception so that was it (not talking about maximising your situation and getting all the points your entitled to...this was a case of a family whose finances could have allowed them to rent privately..they lied about their income and bragged about buying the house with a discount and selling on)

The new system is bidding. All the housing is combined...council, association, society etc. Theres only one list to get on. Your awarded either gold silver or bronze category...or extra priority, priority, general needs. Different properties will be in different bands which restricts who can apply. The system is much clearer..you can see how many people are bidding for the property and the date they were accepted onto the list. Ususally the bidder with the oldest date "wins"..unless a high priority bid for it (the old queue jumping is still there..coz housing will allways be done on need/urgency rather than soley wait time). But if you get "jumped" you can immediately start bidding on something else. This system also allows people to complain if they feel their bid unfairly lost, or some elses unfairly won.

hopefully, if your in an area of more supply less demand it will be quick for you.

Ty

Nu-Shooz

Housing Ass have massive waiting lists. My mother works for one. She also said that it's who you know, to get in there first.