A WOMAN has revealed she is paying £542 a month in rent to live in a huge council house.
Not only does Beth’s home have two bedrooms, but it also has a garden.
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A mother has shared a breakdown of her council house costs, leaving many speechlessCredit: TikTok/@maevesmummy
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Beth explained that her home has two bedrooms and a garden, but there’s a reason it’s so cheap Credit: TikTok/@maevesmummy
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Although there are two bedrooms upstairs and two bedrooms upstairs, Beth explained that the home doesn’t have a lot of storage space Credit: TikTok/@maevesmummy
Posting on social media, Beth, who has a daughter, Maeve, gave her followers an overview of the costs of her home.
But the mother-of-one explained there’s a reason her home is so cheap – and it all comes down to storage space.
In a clip shared online, the content creator shared a tour of her home, saying, “This is a tour of my entire two bedroom house.
“Our house is two up and two down, and we pay £542 a month in rent.
Read more real life stories
“When you enter, to your right is the living room, and this has also turned into a playroom in a way because my daughter’s toys have taken over.
“I’m fully aware that we need a new carpet – it’s completely worn out and we’ve been saving up for a few months.
“Moving on, we have our kitchen then – now this is a really reasonable size and I love this kitchen.
“Coming out the back, we have our downstairs bathroom – it’s nothing special really and that’s where we keep a lot of our cleaning products.
“We keep coats, shoes and pacifiers under the stairs.”
As Beth showed off her bedroom, she explained, “Upstairs in the master bedroom – this is the biggest room in the house and it’s also at the front of the house.
I grew up in a council house and everyone thinks you’re a ‘smuggler’ – but I’d be happy to have one for life
“There in the corner I have a nook for a study – the room is nowhere near big enough to have wardrobes so we both have railings.
“This room doubles as a storage closet where we keep our bedding and various supplies.
“One downside to this house is that it doesn’t have a lot of storage space.”
How can I get a council house?
To apply for a council home, you need to complete and submit an application to your local authority.
To find your local authority, simply use the Government’s council finder on its website.
Once you have accessed your local council’s website, it should offer you guidance on how to complete your application.
Once you’ve applied, you’ll most likely have to join a waiting list.
Please note, even if you are placed on the waiting list, this does not guarantee you an offer of a council house.
Your council should also offer you advice on how to stay in your current home and resolve any issues you may have, such as problems with a private landlord or mortgage.
You are eligible to apply for council accommodation if you are a British citizen living in the UK provided you have not recently lived abroad.
Each council has its own local rules about who qualifies for the housing register in their area, but these are based on a ‘points’ or ‘banding’ system.
For example, you are likely to be offered accommodation first if:
- are homeless
- they live in cramped conditions
- you have a deteriorating health condition due to your current home
- they want to escape from domestic violence
Once you are high enough on the council’s waiting list, they will contact you when a property becomes available.
Some councils allow people to apply at the age of 18, while others allow you to apply as early as 16.
EU workers and their families and refugees may also be eligible.
Council housing is accessed through a points system, so depending on your housing needs, it may be considered a low priority.
The council will contact you about any available properties when you are high enough on the waiting list.
There is no limit to how long you can expect to be on the waiting list.
But despite the general lack of storage space, Beth showed off her young daughter’s room, continuing: “Arriving at the landing, we go into my daughter’s room – my daughter is 18 months old and I’d say her room is probably the most finished room in the house.
“There are no curtains at the moment because she kept pulling them down.
“So every single room in the house is almost a work in progress, but it’s almost finished. I mean, we’ve only lived here for 18 months.
“In Maeve’s room, she has a wardrobe – and we keep a lot of her old clothes in there.
“Then, when you come out there on the right, we have a bathroom upstairs – again, this is nothing special, but I’d like to do it up there in the summer.”
The reality of life in the town hall
LEANNE Hall, digital writer at Fabulous, discussed what it was like growing up in a council house and why those who live in such properties are often condemned…
When I was a child, I grew up in a council house and was blissfully unaware of the discrimination that came with it, until I became an adult. My young years were spent running up and down the stairs of my apartment, meeting other friends who lived there and making the most of the shared garden. But now, it seems, regardless of your circumstances, everyone has something to say about why you shouldn’t be there. Living outside of London like I do, rent prices are still high, and as my mum was at home raising three children at the time, it wasn’t easy to find a job to match. People in council homes are often labeled as ‘smugglers’ or ‘lazy’, but they are nothing like that. Most families in council homes face overcrowding, not to mention the horrible amount of damp and mold that comes from living in old social housing. which have not been worked on for about 50 years. It’s not ideal for many, but it provides a secure home without the fear of your rent going up every year, which I argue is crucial for children growing up on the poverty line.
REACTION OF USERS OF SOCIAL NETWORKS
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @maevesmummy, clearly impressed many as it quickly went viral and has since amassed 1.4 million views.
Social media users were stunned by Beth’s home – with many amazed at her ‘cheap’ rent, as people expressed in the comments.
It’s so cheap
TikTok user
One person said: “I’d love a council house, private rent is killing me and I can’t have a cat and I can’t decorate my daughter’s room.”
Another added: “Wow that’s crazy, I paid £550 for a room in a shared house.”
Rules about transforming your councilor
According to the Gov, the type of improvements you can make to your council property depends on the type of lease you have.
Introductory tenants are usually limited to minor improvements such as interior remodeling.
If you are a secure tenant, you have the right to make improvements to your property. That includes:
- installation of a new bathroom or kitchen
- construction of the extension
- setting up a garden house or greenhouse
- installing a new gas fire or fireplace
- cavity wall insulation
- remodeling of the house from the outside
- installation of an antenna or satellite dish
You may need written permission from your council for the work you are doing. Contact your council if you are unsure.
A third commented: “That’s so cheap.”
At the same time, someone else asked: “That doesn’t include council tax, does it? With water and bills, how much is that roughly?”
To this Beth replied and confirmed: “Council tax £110 per month, water £50, electricity £65.”
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Despite this, she confirmed that her daughter’s room has a wardrobe Credit: TikTok/@maevesmummy
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Social media users were stunned by Beth’s ‘cheap’ rent Credit: TikTok/@maevesmummy
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Source: HIS Education