Bidding for a Council house MEGATHREAD

[Leah-Lacie 10]

If it is priority, they give you anything they choose to, as it is supposed to be for the most desperate of people. However, if OP is disabled, they may just take that into account. I know the bidding process gets done away with with priority though x

[Leah-Lacie 10]

It may fall under this:

 

"e. Priorities. Some applicants have an immediate, urgent and planned need

to move because of their specific circumstances. Where this is the case

we will give them priority over other people on the register. Immediate,

urgent and planned housing needs are summarised at Section H and set

out in detail at Section I.

Some people who may be vulnerable will not need priority but will be

offered additional advice and assistance in joining the housing register and

in making bids for advertised properties. Housing will work with the

applicant, their advocates and our partner agencies to provide this advice

and assistance"

[spiritangel1 10]

When i was priority i actually bidded on property and they also did it for me,i turned down 1 though as it was at Beighton and would have taken me over an hour to get to work,i also told them i wouldnt move as there was a drug addict in the next flat ect and i wouldnt have felt safe as he caused a lot of problems.

They let me bid again and i took another flat,ims sure if you have a valid reason to turn one down then they are more lenient,or was!! and i appreciate if your priority through whatever circumstanses it does not mean you have to take any old crap!! i actually said to them when i viewed it would they like to live there!!!!! thank goodness im now in a house and its mine i did appreciate the flat at the time when i needed it though

[verydull 10]

I would speak to your worker that is dealing with your case in the council. Special considerations can be placed on bidding areas in consideration of specific needs.

 

I believe one of the priorities is to move to a more suitable property for disability, surely the physical location of the property makes up its suitability criteria?

[The Blonde 10]

When I was priority I wanted to be near my family, but needed to be away from a certain part of Sheffield due to harrassment I'd received in that area. Becuase I only wanted certain areas, I was allowed to bid on just those areas, and got a house in the area I wanted

[Leah-Lacie 10]

My friend has 4 children in a 2 bedroomed house, she had been fine in there for years until her 2 youngest came along, twins. She had overcrowding priority, and was offered a 3 bedroom upper maisonette in one of the bad blocks at Gleadless, even though she wanted to be near family in S5, and for schools and other reasons. She decided to turn it down, and the council told her she was now off the priority list, and would have to bid. Shes not getting anywhere, but, shes not disabled.

 

The OP should also maybe try an organisation such as Shelter, who from my experience of my Grandad needing a bungalow when he was dying of cancer, are very helpful. They got him a bungalow, then stayed working with him, and eventually got him into St Lukes Hospice, where he passed away after only 4 hours, after waiting a few years to get in, bless him

[Ms Macbeth 76]

If you are given priority, you can't bid, you get what you are given - Don't want it? Then you lose priority and have to bid the same as anyone else. Properties do come up in the Hillsborough area quite often. Have a look at the Sheffield property shop website: http://www.sheffieldpropertyshop.org.uk/

 

The reality is that people with priority can and should bid on everything for which they are eligible and that are suitable for their needs. The lettings policy states: If you are awarded priority you must be prepared to make bids each week and to make appropriate choices in line with your urgent need to move and the local availability of properties in areas. A summary of the lettings policy is in the link on this page: http://www.sheffieldhomes.org.uk/myHome/MovingHome/FindANewHome.aspx*

Priority for support needs is awarded for 13 weeks, in which time it would be hoped something suitable would be available - if not the period can be extended. However, if a property were to be suitable, and the applicant decided not to take it, it is possible that priority might be withdrawn.

 

Have a look at what is advertised at the moment and see the sort of properties that are available. The rents are quoted and are usually upwards of £70 pw.

[Dear Forum... 10]

I've looked on the Sheffield Property Shop site and there's currently no Council properties available in S6.

[Ms Macbeth 76]

I've looked on the Sheffield Property Shop site and there's currently no Council properties available in S6.

 

The list of available properties changes every week, but there aren't many council properties in Hillsborough and Walkley. Of course, S6 also covers Langsett, Middlewood and Stannington, which widens the scope a bit.

 

There are also housing associations, for instance Guinness/Northern counties have properties at Hillsborough and it might be worth contacting them directly. http://www.ncha.co.uk/nchaweb/Apply+for+a+home/schemefinder/East/6160+index.htm

[Leah-Lacie 10]

I was in the property shop the other week, and there was an asian family sitting there with 4 children, who said they were renting a 1 bedroom flat, so the woman said they could get priority. They started pointing out houses in the property shop paper that they wanted, and the woman said there wasn't much point, as with priority, they would just offer them something, and the choice element would be out of the window.

 

OP, you can also look at the property shop, first come first served properties, they often have adapted properties for elderly and disabled people

[Dear Forum... 10]

If I get bidding on a Council property with no choice of area, what do I do if they offer a Flat in say, Gleadless Valley? Can I refuse that without ending up going to the bottom of the list? Due to personal circumstances I really don't want to live the other end of Town, I need to ideally be in Walkley, or Hillsborough, or even on the estates in lower Stannington if possible.

[Ms Macbeth 76]

I was in the property shop the other week, and there was an asian family sitting there with 4 children, who said they were renting a 1 bedroom flat, so the woman said they could get priority. They started pointing out houses in the property shop paper that they wanted, and the woman said there wasn't much point, as with priority, they would just offer them something, and the choice element would be out of the window.

 

OP, you can also look at the property shop, first come first served properties, they often have adapted properties for elderly and disabled people

 

When the OP decides to visit either a housing office or the Property Shop, he/she will be given the correct information, as its laid down in the Lettings Policy. Perhaps the woman talking to the family wasn't very good at explaining how it works. Hearing one member of staff talking to one family isn't really a basis for telling someone not to bother. Each case is dealt with individually, and a family of four in a one bedroomed flat will possibly get priority for overcrowding - but that could depend on many things and their application would need to be checked thoroughly.

 

As someone who had to explain to countless customers over a number of years, I know the system appears complicated, but even with priority, people are expected to bid for suitable accommodation. And someone who is awarded priority for support needs is likely to have support workers who will help with the process.