So after my previous post, I am worried about mums housing situation.
I have bid on two properties for her. At present she is coming up first for one (although it is a two bed in an over 55s place and 5th for a bungalow. I’m not sure what this means and how likely she will be offered.
I have also put an application in for a housing association, it was advertised as first come first served. I called them and they said mum was no 2 on the list, if the first people refuse it is then upto mum. I would really like her to get this one as it’s similar to what she has been after all along.
I think you’re doing pretty well with understanding it already. And although it’s difficult to say how soon she’s likely to reach the front of the queue is difficult to say, because it depends on your council area, being this close to the front of the queue already looks like a good sign to me.
Make sure the council know what her disabilities are: this was a problem for us that we didn’t discover until a few months in.
Here in Salford, at least, the council housing website includes the housing associations, because the council has sold all their housing to HAs.
In our Council, it depends on which allocations team will look at their shortlists first. An applicant can only be offered ONLY one property. If the team look at the one you are fifth in first, they will offer that first and the other one will automatically skip you.
For my customers in Band B, I always say if you are top 3 for three properties, remove the ones you are not overly interested in because once an offer is made, that’s it. However, just because you are #1 does not mean the property is yours. It might not be suitable, for example, you have medical needs or need adjustments which can’t be made, you are a sex offender and the property is near a school, or there are issues because of your race - white person being offered a property in a racist estate or whatever.
Out of interest, how were yo able to bid on a 2 bedroomed property if it is for your Mum or is someone moving with her?
There is currently 45 minutes to go on the bidding process. I just checked and mum came back down to 3rd for the bungalow she remains 1st for the two bed.
The two bed is also an adapted property in a sheltered scheme. The advert said preference to people needing two beds.
She is also second in line for another property away from the council this one is first come first served so if the first person declines it, it will be offered to mum.
These are the current positions, just hoping she gets something.
Luckily mum has been very proactive in getting rid of stuff. We’ve managed to declutter all but one room, the remaining stuff just needs boxing up.
Numbers of applicants are varying depending on the type of property, but a fair few figures show that assisted schemes in the area are getting really low bidding numbers. I saw one at 14 people last week and the other at 16 people, another was 27 last week in a somewhat nicer area.
Mum came first out of the 16, so I like those odds. If not this week something may come up.
Bidding doesn’t open again until Thursday so hopefully I can have some time to myself without needing to check the app every 2 minutes.
Literally to go from third to 22nd is just so dramatic. My only guess about that one would be that it was suitable for wheelchair users too.
But it is a nightmare.
I’m finding myself feeling very alone right now. I feel like i have been to everyone and yet i feel like im battling this on my own.
I spoke to the carers service today who told me dont worry about something that hasn’t happened yet. It’s such terrible advice expecially to someone with OCD. Homelessness is something that should be worried about.
I don’t want to get on a soap box but I would argue people should be allowed to worry about something as serious as homelessness. As far as I’m concerned she has had the section 21 the fire it is happening, not going to happen.
Her only advice was to liaise with let’s talk services. Honestly counselling is not the answer for everything.
At the moment, I am also confused, once again the numbers are coming up as 1st and 3rd again.
There are most likely applicants on “auto bid”. It’s where applicants are in a priority band but don’t bid for whatever reason - can’t be bothered, love the concept of living in a B+B where everything is paid for them and they have no responsibility, are too picky about where they want to live.
The computer is set up to automatically bid for them one minute before midnight before the bidding cycle ends. That way, they can’t log in and remove the bid.
There is nothing untoward about this and it happens in most local authorities otherwise applicants would just remain in B+B forever and a day.
Phone up housing and find out why the dramatic change.
