Housing

Hey love, I’m in the same boat and I’ve been here since December. My housing application has been accepted so I’m just waiting to be able to look and bid on properties now. Have you done the housing application?x

It can depend on where you are based (which council) and your circumstances. I was put in temporary accommodation in early February when I was around 30 weeks pregnant after 3 weeks in a hotel. I informed them when I had the baby and I had an offer of a housing association property (affordable rent scheme) by may although couldn’t move in until august due to it being a new build and delays. They weren’t in any rush to house me until I had my baby as they expect that for the first 6 months the baby is in the same room as you anyway so you only need a one bedroom property but after that you need a 2 bedroom so they make it more of a priority as baby ages closer to 6 months in Milton Keynes. I had no bidding system I was just offered a property I was expected to take and was told I would be able to afford after affordability checks were completed. Now I’m thankfully in the most beautiful 2 bedroom new build ground floor flat in a quiet area of Milton Keynes and I absolutely love it!

yes I have done the application. Did it in March and only got accepted for a 2 bedroom in July in band c. My housing officer hasn’t really contacted me or told me about bidding and stuff

Exactly the same as me then, I’m not sure what to suggest maybe contact them and see if they have a time frame for you xx

you’re so blessed. My baby is 8 months and tbh im glad your said after 6 months old they look into a 2 bedroom because I was worried not getting a 2 bed. I was told the same I’ll have to take the first property given to me but tbh I do currently stay in mk but I’m worried they might place me in a different council even though my support system is here. I do pray my process is as quick as yours.

they did say the current wait time is 12 months

Did you ever get asked in your paperwork whereabouts in MK you wanted to be? I specifically chose Bletchley furzton shenley brook end and Emerson areas as my family are all there and they had this 2 bed come up in Tattenhoe park which is just around the corner from all of them so it may also be the areas you choose. It may also come under affordability reasons as I am still employed and when they found me this property I was still getting 90% pay from my work even though by the time I moved that had changed to SMP. But if you’re not working they may only consider council and not housing association. I was also under children family practice/early help and perinatal mental health teams with it being known I was also a carer for my mum so I may have unknowingly gotten some kind of priority as my early help practitioner didn’t expect me moved for up to 3 years! What estate have they put you in for temp if you don’t mind me asking?

when I was filling out the application I put brooklands, glebe farm as my family and friends live around there but when I was reading my PHP (personal housing plan) it says no areas have been specified by me for my support system so I’m thinking I may need to tell my housing officer to specify (but then again not sure if that was just for my temporary accommodation but I was placed in mk anyway). I’m currently on maternity leave and I’m looking for a job for after my maternity leave. Right now I’m currently staying in central Milton Keynes

It might be worth just checking they are aware of that. A lot of new families have been placed in glebe farm although I’ve been told it’s not a good place for them unless they drive as the bus is unpredictable and there’s still no local shop there! Hopefully if your family is in that area they can help! I know it’s tough I was in Granby court in Bletchley and was ringing the police at least once a week due to antisocial behaviour in flats above or below me so I can appreciate how awful it is! My housing officer was absolutely useless so I hope you have a better one than I did! All I can recommend is just to email them regularly to ask for any updates on potential timelines for being given somewhere permanently. Explain that you understand there’s high demand and little availability but that there’s a lot of antisocial behaviour where you are at the moment which causes a lot of fear for you and your child! (Lay it on thick). Get in touch with your local children’s centre as once a

Month they have visits from council housing people and you can also speak to them for advice!

Feel free to message me any time if you want/need to chat or ask any questions as I know how stressful it can be and moving with a baby isn’t much easier but once you get your own place it’s all worth it!

thank you so much for your help honestly. You don’t understand how much you’ve helped. I know Glebe farm is new and hopefully once I get my permanent home I’ll be able to sort everything else out like transportation and stuff, I just really want an area that has school near by. What exactly am I supposed to be contacting my housing officer about because I know I was told to look for private renting in the beginning but I’ve checked and all they have is house shares which I don’t think is suitable for me and my baby. Im scared if I put too much pressure on them they’ll put me somewhere far or not suitable for my as my baby and I wouldn’t be able to change it. I’ll find out who my local children centre is as I’m only familiar to where my previous one is.

Just email them and say you noticed in the paperwork it said you had not specified any areas of MK specifically you wished to be housed however this must be a mistake as you’re sure you requested xyz as this is near to your family/support network who live in xyz areas. And then just casually ask if they happen to know roughly how long it might take to find more suitable accommodation for you as you are very fearful of where you have currently been placed as there is a lot of antisocial behaviour right outside the property. I was told I should be looking for private property too but they never checked if I was and they will see themselves then any and all available private rents in MK are much more than what someone in SMP and UC can afford! So I wouldn’t stress about it too much just maybe save some emails or properties here and there as evidence you have been looking in case they ask! Yes house shares are unsuitable and the council know this and wouldn’t expect you to go for those

I done a housing register application in March, moved into temporary accommodation in April due to family issues and I’ve been bidding for the last 6 weeks and had 3 calls about flats in areas I wanted. I just haven’t been able to move out yet because I couldn’t afford the rent and HB messed me up from the start. I get what you mean though, temporary isn’t very homely you can’t really decorate or make it your own and with me being induced in a week and having everything now set up ready to go it’s so cramped

sorry to hear they messed you up a bit. I think when baby comes it will be easier x

have you tried applying for DHP (discretionary housing payment) or local welfare provisions to help pay for rent/deposit to where they are trying to move you to or told your housing officer this because the council have their own financial pot to help people in those circumstances

I think that’s what they wait for before moving everyone on. But then it can depend on the homeless/housing officer you have. I told mine that I’m due to be induced this month and he said he wants me out before then or asap afterwards- not gonna be great if I got to move with a newborn, decorate and find flooring etc but hey ho 😂

I’ve started a DHP but now my rents been completely paid off by my dad I don’t think they’ll help me so I can get some of that money back to give back to him

I emailed about flooring and they said local welfare should be able to sort that out but they said they only deal with permanent homes. What do I do?

Local welfare will only help flooring in permanent sadly that one I knew but DHP should still be able to help you with a deposit for a permanent place and then once you have that you can apply again for LWP to get flooring. DHP also help with moving costs although they don’t help towards paying for the movers to pack sadly! It is hard I know I moved 3 weeks ago with my 5 month old but it is worth it in the end! When you’re offered a permanent place contact dhp and let them know how much you need. If you’re on UC you can also apply for an advance with that and pay it back interest free over 12-24 months. Decorating can wait the baby will be in your room anyway so nursery will be free for you to do as you please and tbh it will be the last thing on your mind and baby will know no different so try not to stress yourself! It will all fall in to place!