I need a bit of help understanding the overcrowdiung issue! I rang the housing this morning and was told that I would be eligiable for priority because I have a 10 year old boy (11 this year) and a 6 year old girl in the same bedroom. So I went along to the housing office and was told no I couldn't have priority because my youngest has to be at least 10 years old (how stupid is that). Anyway, I came home and re-checked their policy and found this, note the part I have put in bold.

9.1 An applicant can ask to be assessed for overcrowding priority if they need a 2
bedroom or larger property to resolve their housing need and:
a. they are overcrowded by the standards set out in the table at 9.5 below; or
b. people of opposite sex who do not normally live together as husband and
wife or civil partners have to share a room and at least one of them is over
ten years old; or
c. they are statutorily overcrowded in accordance with the tables set out at 9.6
below.

Now is it me or does that not say that only one of them has to be over ten? Nowhere can I find that it says the youngest has to be over ten? Now when I questioned the man I spoke to at the housing office he said he had spoken to an 'expert' in rehousing therefore he must be right that the youngest has to be over ten.

This is confusing, help!!!

Thanks :D

Expert means he spends a lot of time on it. Doesn't mean he's right. He isn't.

Well, "at least one of them is over ten years old" seems clear enough to me.

I'd be inclined to print out the appropriate bit of the policy, go back to housing and point it out to whoever you speak to. If they insist both children have to be over 10, ask to see their manager - if the policy has changed, then the document should have been updated.

If you are single then another interpretation is perhaps that they would expect your daughter to share with you and your lad have his own room?

There are two adults and the two children.

hun u are in ttled too priority housing.I phoned them a bit ago cos i have 2 boys age 10,and 6 and a baby girl. Asked if i was eligile for priority they said no cos my daughter is not 1.But will be once she is 1 ,we are in a 2 bed home and need a 3. x

We were in a similar situation and were told by Housing that, due to the shortage of housing, they will count living rooms and dining rooms as additional sleeping areas.

We got priority because my 2 son's aged 13 and 20 are sharing a small bedroom and the officer that came said priority can be awarded if there is'nt enough floor space, we live a small 2 bedroom, looking for a 3.

I dunno if rules have changed recently as before I was in a 1 bed place with my DD who is 1 and was told I would not be eligible for priority, as even after the age of 10 when she is considered a 'full person' (counts as nothing until 1 then 1/2 a person 1-9), as a one bed flat can house 3 adults as the living room can be used.
However these rules recently or are due to change as I got priority and am now in a 2 bed place.


Oh and beware, these type of threads always seem to cause some sad case to come out of the woodwoek and moan about council housing/ too many kids/ don't have them/ we pay for your housing type posts.

:-)

Oh and beware, these type of threads always seem to cause some sad case to come out of the woodwoek and moan about council housing/ too many kids/ don't have them/ we pay for your housing type posts.
:-)

Although that type of comment wouldn't be particularly useful to the OP, you can see where they'd be coming from. I wouldn't have children at the moment as I live in a small flat, the largest space I can afford. So until I can afford to move, my broodiness will have to be kept under wraps.

Well sorry to burst your bubble but not everything is THAT straight forward.

Well sorry to burst your bubble but not everything is THAT straight forward.

i totally agree. cos if it was id be in a house now with my bloke and 8month old. as it is im still livin with my parents and i want to move out but find it so difficult to find help in doing so.
but one thing is for sure, i wouldnt change my son for anything :)

Although that type of comment wouldn't be particularly useful to the OP, you can see where they'd be coming from. I wouldn't have children at the moment as I live in a small flat, the largest space I can afford. So until I can afford to move, my broodiness will have to be kept under wraps.

Absolutely agree.

Absolutely agree.

And what about those who fall pregnant using contraception, or have kids already/are pregnanct already and due to changes in circumstances, cannot afford to buy or rent privately anymore?

Not everything is black and white and posts like the one you have quoted/agreed with irritate the hell out of me.

I absolutely agree that the comment isnt helpful to the OP and that in her situation she should keep her broodiness under wraps.

I was just agreeing with what she had said. You are easily irritated

I absolutely agree that the comment isnt helpful to the OP and that in her situation she should keep her broodiness under wraps.

I was just agreeing with what she had said. You are easily irritated

Well this post is slightly clearer than your last one.

I can see both sides of the argument, but isnt the bottom line .... there isnt enough local authority housing? ... in their wisdom the flippin council sold them all off at stupidly cheap prices!
With house prices as they are and the shortage of council houses, how are people supposed to set up home together? .... the average first time morgage is £130,000 now

you know what annoys me the most... its seeing houses boarded up for months and months... why not slack the rules a bit and let people have them.. Also isnt there a new rule that if you where born in this country you lose 50 points. And if your white you lose 50 more.. And if your male you have got noooo chance.

you know what annoys me the most... its seeing houses boarded up for months and months... why not slack the rules a bit and let people have them.. Also isnt there a new rule that if you where born in this country you lose 50 points. And if your white you lose 50 more.. And if your male you have got noooo chance.

its the priority system, ... nothing to do with colour, i do agree with your points about houses borded up for months, whats the point? .... i also think bad payers (i mean who just refuse to pay rent) and tenants who wreck the property should be evicted and the houses given to people who will apprechiate it.

I got sick of the council and found private rented housing.
So, it depends on your household income, if you are in work you might find private rental too high (the only perk to council is the price) but there are some good ones out there. I was with Norrow estates for 7 years until 2.5 years ago and only paying £310 pcm.
On benefit it's easier, you just have to find out the approximate amount which is the most they will go up to for your size family.
Sod the council!
I know someone with a 3 y/o a 1 y/o and her partner all in a 1 bed 3rd floor flat and the council won't consider her for rehousing at all yet.

I got sick of the council and found private rented housing.
So, it depends on your household income, if you are in work you might find private rental too high (the only perk to council is the price) but there are some good ones out there. I was with Norrow estates for 7 years until 2.5 years ago and only paying £310 pcm.
On benefit it's easier, you just have to find out the approximate amount which is the most they will go up to for your size family.
Sod the council!
I know someone with a 3 y/o a 1 y/o and her partner all in a 1 bed 3rd floor flat and the council won't consider her for rehousing at all yet.

You should tell your friend then as that can't be right, as I stated in earlier post I wasn't entitled but the rules have/will be changed so I got priority. I had complained twice about it but they said all people in same situation would have same priority. Took about 3 months if that to get rehoused, not somewhere I would have picked but better than that hellhole before.

I have no doubt that it isn't right and I've strongly suggested that she gets some good advice and grows roots in the office until they do something..... however, she isn't actually a friend, an associate so I won't interfere too far.

Ah well only she can sort it then, I hope she does as it is terrible living like that.

I can see both sides of the argument, but isnt the bottom line .... there isnt enough local authority housing? ... in their wisdom the flippin council sold them all off at stupidly cheap prices!


Actually, it was Margaret Thatcher's government that legislated to compel local councils to sell their council houses to sitting tenants at discounted prices.

Sorry if this is a bit long, but I've tried to clarify what is classed as overcrowding.

The lettings policy is here: http://www.sheffieldhomes.org.uk/find-a-new-home/council-housing/lettings-policy
Page 31 sets out what is classed as overcrowding. In a one bedroomed property there can be three people, so if there is a couple and two children under 10, that would = 3 people as between 1 & 10 years old is counted as half.

A two bedroomed property can house 4 people, so for a family of 2 children over 10 and 2 parents - its considered ok. These are by Sheffield overcrowding standards and its set out according to the number of bedrooms.

If you look at the statutory rules laid down by the government, its worked out on the total number of rooms in a property. Room size can also be the measure, so if a shared bedroom is particularly small, even with the right number of rooms, there may be a case for overcrowding.

Being eligible for a bigger property doesn't necessarily mean getting priority to move. There's a shortage of all council properties, but especially 2 + bedroomed houses.

badgemush - I think the roomsize rule probably applied in your case as you said your house is small.

Patchy - you are correct - living rooms are counted.

charlie9865 - you, or you and a partner are classed as 2 people. Your 10 year old is 1 person, and the other 2 children are half each, so equal 1 person. Altogether thats 4 persons. The lettings policy states that 4 people can be in a 2 bedroomed property, so even though you'll be eligible for a 3 bed, you're not overcrowded according to the rules - unless the rooms are smaller than the sizes quoted in the policy.

If anyone is unsure, and feels that the policy isn't being adhered to, then get advice and support from a CAB or Shelter if possible.

Redrobbo - I know Mrs T's government brought in RTB, but I bet it wasn't only tory voters who took full advantage of the discounts. :o