What to dooo....?

[Levi89]

Well, we are currently renting privately - but we live in a studio flat. It's clearly bursting at the seams with the two of us, so with us expecting I really wanted a bigger place quite soon!

So, we went to see about a mortgage (we are both 22), but with the economy being the way it is there is no chance! Plus I'm just turned student so I don't count for very much! What I thought about doing was private renting, we seen a flat which would be fine for us.. and it's in the area we ideally want. But my OH and mother want me to wait until I see the council (who I have been told have a 2 -3 year waiting list) before I decide. I'm quite impatient and I just want a place and settled, into a routine of paying the extra on rent etc before Christmas (due to the fact I think its going to be a bad winter!).

What do you ladies suggest?! xxx

 

[Bee7]

To be honest i would wait and see if your local council/housing assocation can offer you anything. It's usually loads cheaper than private renting and you'll need all the money you can get!

I previously lived in a house with my OH and when we split up he moved out and i ended up staying there alone. Within 6 months i had to move out because i couldn't afford the bills alone and am now back with at my mums house. The OH and i had remained in contact (obviously!....really is true what they say about getting on better when you don't live together!) and now our plan is to try and find somewhere to rent nearer to the time when baby is due (providing we can sort out our problems and try again). I'm going to put my name down with the council/housing association too. Basically, my point is that renting and running a home is not cheap and i would definitely advise going into it with as much money behind you as possible. Is there any chance you could live with parents/family for now and try and put some money away for when you want to move out?

I know how frustrating it is to have to wait. I keep seeing properties that would be perfect and it's too early to go for them. But i'm trying to remind myself that the longer we stay at our parents, the more money we'll be able to put away and the better position we'll be in when we move out.

 

[toodles84]

There's no harm in putting your name on the council list, i waited almost 2 1/2 years (after having my LO) for a house from my local Council, it is worth the wait but i totally understand wanting everything in order before baba arrives as it does help you manage money etc!!

hope you manage some sort of agreement xx

 

[Levi89]

Yeah I understand that we will need the money, but as it stands, we have lived in a couple of flats before - we also for a period of time moved back in with my dad (which was a disaster!). What I wanted was to even move into a private rented flat and still have our names on the council list. I have a meeting with them a week today to see what they say. I honestly just don't want to be sporting a bump, bad weather etc all to get in the way of moving. Because there is no room here for us all (Our bedroom and livingroom is the same room!) xxx

 

[littlemiss83]

Its a tough one....

If you stay where you are you would almost definately be entitled to a council/Housing Assoc house, because when baby comes you will be over-crowded, but I've heard that you're not classed as overcrowded untill baby is 2. So i'd check that out. Also, you wouldn't be able to apply untill baby is actually born.

If you move into a private let, you will probs get one thats 2 bedroomed & you would also have a long wait on a council list, if u decided to apply, as you would probably get 0 points, so say for example if a private let was too expensive after a while then you wouldn't get a council house...duno if that makes any sense loooool

If it was me i'd hang about where you were until you get on the council list. Private lets can be very complicated especially dealing with guarantors, deposits ect.

 

[Levi89]

I had a look at the points system, and we will be on the list for 2-3 years. We have no points, as its suitable for us even with a child. Homeless etc would obv be a priority before us as well... Aw god I hate this haha! xxx

 

[littlemiss83]

So they have started doing the thing that I said about kids being 2?? If so I think thats shocking, someone mentioned it to me but wasn't sure how true it was, she told me that they say the baby can be in room with you til age 2.

Its rediculous.

I had really bad probs with a private let & our landlord hadn't been paying his mortgage, so i'm really put off them now, just shows that its actually someone elses' house but a council/HA is actually yours.

 

[Levi89]

Yeah they have... I just want to be settled. As it stands - before I fell pregnant we spoke about moving anyway...

xxx

 

[Hunnie]

Who have you tried to get a mortgage through? If you seriously want to consider a mortgage then I would definitely suggest finding yourself a decent mortgage advisor as when they are good they are worth their weight in gold!

Me and OH have always had a long term plan of buying rather than renting. We contacted a couple of banks ourselves and got the reply pretty much straight away that they either wouldn't be able to give us a mortgage (OH self employed and myself a student) or they would only be able to give us a £60,000 + a 10% deposit. Problem is that a total of £70,000 doesn't give you a lot of choice around us !

Admittedly we have managed to scrape together a really good deposit that I realize not everyone is lucky enough to be able to manage but without the help of our mortgage advisor we would have still been going round in circles with the banks and building societies. So far he has managed to get us an £80,000 mortgage with really low interest payments that are fixed for 2 years so we can atleast get up on our feet.

In relation to private renting not all landlords are bad ! My dad rents two terraces out and both are occupied by people claiming housing support benefits or whatever they are. They are both really good tenants who look after the properties well. If they have any issues regarding their rent or the house then they ring my dad direct as most landlords would rather you were just straight with them from the start and tbh most estate agents and letting agencies are useless when it comes to communication skills! You may also find if you enquire about flats or houses to rent, you might be able to do a deal with the landlord to pay half rent for the first few months or something. With the way the market is I know we would rather just have someone in the houses paying even half rent rather than the house stand empty bringing in no income!

 

[Levi89]

Yeah we did! But having no credit doesn't help. What I thought was renting private until we save up a deposit - it might take some time, but we know we have got it all ourselves, then whilst saving, build our credit ratings. By that time I should hopefully be in employment rather than being a student. Then we can look at bigger properties should we decide on having more children etc.

On the note of landlords - we seem to have fallen lucky with ours aswell. I've studied law so I know what should be etc.

Thanks ladies xxx

 

[BabyBrain]

We are going to the council after our holiday. My father in law who we live with has gone back to his old ways and is getting spiteful again (he was mentioned on my counsellors report when I was signed off with stress too). Need to get out before blood is spilt (and it won't be mine by the way).
You can private rent and if you really struggle to pay after baby is born you can claim help with the rent until you get back on your feet (it's cheaper and easier for the council to do this rather than house you and you get help almost straight away).....or at least you can down south xxxxxxxxxxx

 

[winnie89]

hey hun, i live in a council house and they're not actually that bad, 2 yrs ago i was like you living with the in laws and dreaming of getting my house, we applied on the off chance and we got a 3 bed house (and there is only me and my husband) don't dismiss it as it's a hell of alot cheaper than private renting and you can make it your own! just see what they say if they cant get you anywhere then that's it! just don't shut off all your choices straightaway! good luck hun xx