So, I'm in the US and people post on RYL all the time talking about council housing and such and I have no bloody clue what they mean.
Can someone bother to explain it to me? Cause I'm feeling rather dense about it.
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
So are there traditional apartments with private landlords and all that?
Like I own 2 houses and I rent them out to people and they pay me directly.
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
No Ween, I mean if you're not low income or whatever, can you just rent directly?
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
You can rent houses but the idea of a council property is that the rent you pay on it is significantly less than it would otherwise cost you to rent from a private landlord. Or that's the theory.
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
Anyone, regardless of financial situation can apply for council (local authority) housing, the landlord is the council and there are more rights there than with a private sector landlord. The council can't kick out tenants easily and so long as they're paying the rent (whether that be by benefits or earned income) and behaving nicely, all is well. Private landlords can evict tenants horribly easily which can leave alot of people in the lurch.
The right to buy council housing is not everywhere, some councils have pressured housing status which means no one can buy their council house.
Waiting lists are very long, ten years in some cases but if someone becoems homeless and it's not something of their own doing, then the council is obliged to house them in a B&B for 14 days before moving them on to emergency accommodation which can be anywhere within a local authority (so hundreds of square miles) and will remain there until somewhere permenant comes up. Being homeless does not entitle someone to the first house that appears, only 50% of housing goes to those who are homeless.
The council aren't out to make a huge profit per se, so the rent is usually less; housing benefit can be awarded to go towards rent in a private property or in a council or housing association property (like council, but independently run); benefit can be paid direct to the claimant or to the landlord.
18.11 28.4 6.5 22.31
My heart just needs his smile, that i can't forget, like so melancholy a kiss.
I was just about to say everything Shona (Le Almighty Kitten) said..
She pretty much summed it up!
It doesn't matter how much you're earning, you're still entitled to a council house.
When you apply for a council house you're put into a "band". Band A is the top priority, you're moved directly to the top of the list. Band B is similar to Band A, but not as prioritised..i think the last Band is D? Which means you could be on the list for years unless of course your circumstances change.
I've just applied for housing. It's such a long drawn out process, although it's much better than what it used to be when my mother/father applied in 2004.
You now have to bid for a house or flat. I'm not entirely sure of how it works yet, so i can't really go into detail as it hasn't been completely explained to me.
To bid you have a pack sent out to you, it explains it and gives you as number, you then go onto the website (different for each local authority) and look at the properties and 'bid' (basically sign up on) the ones you like. If you are the person who is highest on the list that bids for that property you get it (i think).
Also, housing benefit can now only be paid direct to private landlords in exceptional circumstances; it should have happened for me but even with a letter from all the agencys involved with me cos of my mental health the council refused.
"Has anyone seen my contact lens? It may be stuckto a tree or a rock or something. Oh boy, I am so grounded" Family Guy
if everyone cared and nobody cried, if everyone loved and nobody lied, if everyone shared and swallowed their pride, we'd see the day that nobody died
My bf's cousin has a little girl, and she couldnt be housed in council housing so they have put her in a private house where the rent was above what they would pay, so on top of the council paying x amount to the landlord she has to pay him another £70 which she cant really afford cos her little girl isnt old enough for her to go to work yet, kinda sucks sometimes.
In The Wake Of All The Terror And The Hell, I Am Constantly Reminded All The Crosses That I Bear. You want to see me burn, I am living fire. You will know me by the scars I bear.
See the pain in my eyes See the scars deep inside My God, I'm down in this hole again. Everyone's asking questions No place is safe I'll forfeit resurrection To escape the pain I hate my life.
Eye'm sorry eye'm ugly, eye'm failing eye'm angry, eye'm fuct up eye'm different
They will, it's not based on financial support necessarily, you could still gain lots of points because of overcrowding, state of disrepair, disability, need to be near support etc.
18.11 28.4 6.5 22.31
My heart just needs his smile, that i can't forget, like so melancholy a kiss.
That's weird about the private renting.
When i went to my local housing association 2 weeks ago, he said i am allocated £550 per month for private rented flats/accomodation, and because i'm on incapacity benefit they'll pay it.
The only downside to that is, if i was to get a private flat, the council would pay £550 upfront, then another £550 for 1 months rent. Before the next months rent is due, i'd have to sign up for housing benefit, but i'd have the £1,100 hanging over my head and i'd have to pay that back out of my benefits.
If i wasn't already in debt i'd probably go for it..but i don't want that much debt hanging over my head now i'm out of work.
I think it differs from area to area to be honest :/
That sounds terribly confusing Laura, it'd be worth talking to a benefit officer again. Some areas have Housing Benefit, others have Local Housing Allowance; they're worked out slightly differently.
18.11 28.4 6.5 22.31
My heart just needs his smile, that i can't forget, like so melancholy a kiss.
It's not that confusing once i had it explained to me 10000 times! Lmao.
Basically, following on from what i said above - because i wouldn't have claimed for Housing Benefit before i moved in (you can only claim when you're in a property), they'd be willing to pay the £1,100 - but i'd have to pay it back in installments out of my benefit money, £5 a fortnight or something.
So..they will pay me housing benefit if i was to move into a private property, but i'd have to pay for the first down payment & 1 months rent.
Er. If that didn't make sense..ignore me..! lol!
This was what i was told though..and, from experience, the council are never that informative, and say one thing when they mean another, so the information i've been given might be completely different if i was to ask again..
One of the things I'm confused about is if council housing is so hard to come by why people don't just say to hell with the council and find private housing?
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
I've never lived in council housing, but I have come across a dodgy letting agent [and made a narrow escape from a very dodgy deal - this was in East London, mind...].
That's one of the things about private housing. Dodgy letting agents. Councils at least have a decent complaints procedure and all.
One of the things I'm confused about is if council housing is so hard to come by why people don't just say to hell with the council and find private housing?
Substantially lower rent, (way below market value) and a guaranteed tenancy agreement.
If you are homeless it can be very difficult to access private accommodation, for starters finding the deposit and first month's rent is more than most can afford. (Assuming finances are a problem and you are on state benefits)
Plus a lot of private landlords will not accept someone who is on benefits.
If you present to your local council housing department as homeless they have a duty to house you.
I have a housing association (similar to council) flat, I have a tenancy for life and pay way less than if I were to rent the same privately.
.gif "rose")
