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A DESPERATE mum has revealed the issues she faces while living in a council house.
Charlie Priestely took to social media to reveal the ‘suffering’ she has gone through to find a council house suitable for her family-of-three and two pets.
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In the clip, she said: “Me and my partner and my nearly seven month old child live in a one bedroom flat, right, that is pretty much size of a f**king postage stamp.”
Filming the video sitting on the front step of her house, the mum rubbed her face as she shared her housing problems.
The mum-of-one added that her daughter was supposed to get her own room according to Blackpool council as soon as she turned one, but was told she’d be waiting for a new home for at least three years because of demand.
However, according to Shelter, a housing charity, the law states: Your home is overcrowded if 2 people have to sleep in the same room and they are: not a couple, of a different sex.
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Children under the age of 10 do not count. They can share a room with anyone.
But the mum revealed there was no room for her child to play or her two cats – and she couldn’t even let them out as she lived on a main road.
She went on to say the council are wasting their money planting trees to make it better for tourism in the are rather than put the money to housing people.
“What about the people that actually live here, that are actually struggling to live in this town, let alone come for a nice little holiday visit?” she continued.
“Like we are struggling here.
“The cost of living is absolutely breaking people’s backs.”
Charlie added that she can’t afford private rented properties as it was too expensive in the are for a two-bed.
The clip posted to her TikTok account @charliepriestleyxo has gone viral with over 67k views and 1,200 likes.
Unfortunately, it seemed Charlie wasn’t the only one struggling and many took to the comments to share their own stories.
One person wrote: “Do you and your partner work? Just trying to understand why private rent wouldn’t be do-able?”
How can I get a council house?
To apply for a council home, you need to fill out and hand in an application to your local authority.
To find your local authority, simply use the Government’s council locator tool on its website.
Once you have access to your local council’s website, it should offer you guidelines on how to complete your application.
After applying, you’ll most likely have to join a waiting list.
Bear in mind, even if you are put on a waiting list, this doesn’t guarantee you a council house offer.
Your council should also offer you advice on how to stay in your current home and solve any issues you might have, such as problems with a private landlord or mortgage.
You are eligible to apply for council housing if you are a British citizen living in the UK providing have not lived abroad recently.
Each council has its own local rules about who qualifies to go on the housing register in its area, but it is based on “points” or a “banding” system.
For example, you’re likely to be offered housing first if you:
- are homeless
- live in cramped conditions
- have a medical condition made worse by your current home
- are seeking to escape domestic violence
Once you are high enough on a council’s waiting list, it will contact you when a property is available.
Some councils let people apply at the age of 18, while others let you apply even sooner at 16-year-olds.
EU workers and their families and refugees may also be eligible.
A council house is reached through a points system, so depending on your housing needs, you may be considered low priority.
The council will contact you about any available property once you are high enough on the waiting list.
There is no limit on how long you can expect to be on the waiting list.
“I’ve worked right up until having a babe, my partner is a carer.. it’s not doable due to the inflation of everything affording bond and rent and then rent the next month and bills water/gas/electric,” replied Charlie.
Another commented: “If private landlords stopped charging extortionate rents maybe more people would be able to rent private,but unfortunately greedy landlords are putting rents up not down.”
“With you, been waiting nearly 4 years to be housed,” penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: “You deserve so much better.”
“It’s the same all over Britain,” claimed a fifth.
Someone else added: “Am with you on this.”
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