Getting a council home in the UK requires priority checks and feedback by the local council. Unless you satisfy specific criteria, you cannot get a council home allotment. However, once you get allotment, a new set of problems rear their head and make you uncomfortable.
Being a resident of England, you have the option of applying for a home through the local council. This option is also called social housing. You can apply for a council home if you are a British citizen or an Irish citizen living in the UK.
However, another vital fact also needs to be considered: more than 200,000 council homes in the UK have a severe housing disrepair problem. The severity of the problem is such that serious health issues have cropped up among tenants who have been living in such council homes.
Council Home Tenants Found In Pathetic Conditions
In March 2021, the ITV News investigation on the social housing sector in the UK became important news. This news report made Britain see the horrific conditions of tenants of Croydon Council who were living at Regina Road, Norwood, South London.
The news led to a widespread investigation into the problem of disrepair, more specifically damp and mould in homes across the country. This coverage even revealed that local authorities and housing associations were responsible for such a sad state of affairs.
Here are some requirements if you fulfil then you will get priority in the local council’s home allocation scheme.
1-You are categorized as legally homeless;
2-You are moving to a local council area because of a disability or suffering from a severe long-term health problem;
3-You are moving because of some kind of hardship; for medical treatment or to take up a new job;
4-You live in a home where many people live, or the home itself is in poor condition.
5-You also need to keep in mind that it may still take a long time to get you a council home even if you get priority. If there is a long waiting list in any council area, then you may not get a home at all.
Why Many Council Homes Can Upset You
Once you get allotted your council home, the biggest challenge can be the problem of disrepair. One in seven council homes does not meet the national standard.
As a result, the most common problem that you would face in a council home is that of damp/mould issue. Your home would feel damp and cold, and you would see mould in your rooms.
This situation can make you feel sick and unsafe. The biggest health challenge that you may experience now would be respiratory problems. If you are suffering from Asthma and bronchitis, it becomes worse in such damp conditions.
What a mould does to your room is it makes it damp. Living in such a home becomes uncomfortable. There is that distinct smell all around you, and it can even destroy the wallpaper in the rooms. Your clothes and furniture also get stained by mould, and you are left wringing your hands in distress.
What Can You Do Now?
What can you do once you find yourself in such a worrying state in your council home? All these problems come under the category of housing disrepair.
What you can do is start thinking of making a housing disrepair claim. If you complained to the local council or the housing association and your problems like damp/mould have not been resolved, it is time to get compensation.
Getting in touch with housing disrepair specialists will get you free advice and consultations. You can also go ahead file a claim. Specialists can then work with you on a ‘no-win-no-fee’ basis. You don’t have to pay any hidden fees, but you do need to pay those claims specialists if they win your particular claims case.
Be proactive in any problem that you face in your council home. Complain and then follow up on that complaint with proof. This evidence will help you rectify all your issues in your home.
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