I turned down a council house as it wasn’t ‘suitable’ – trolls say I’m ‘ungrateful’ but I won’t make my kids’ lives hard
A WOMAN has revealed that she turned down a council house because it wasn’t ‘suitable’ for her family.
The mother explained that she was offered the two bedroom house, but went ahead and “refused” it as she deemed it “unsuitable”.
Posting on social media, the mother, who lives in Sheffield, shared a close-up look at the home she refused.
Not only was it extremely run down, with poorly done plaster and no carpet, but the mother also claimed: “This is a mobility suited home and I wasn’t and still am not in need of these facilities.
“I was told the stair lift can be disconnected, but not removed due to the amount of money it cost the council to put it in there in the first place. Another hazard I couldn’t live with.
“I was told a bath could not be fitted due to the council spending X amount of money on fitting a wet room. They told me to buy a paddling pool to bathe my kids in.
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“I’m aware you cannot refuse a property due to a wet room, but I did because it made no sense.”
As well as this, the mother explained that the windows, the fireplace and the carpet made the property unsuitable for her children.
She continued: “The windows are very low and I see that as a safety hazard as my three-year-old could reach, open and climb out if he wanted.
“I was told the gas fire couldn’t be removed and I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, that wasn’t going to sit right with me having two very young kids who I know would stick things and even their fingers in there.
“The property was infested with carpet beetles too. Need I say more about that?”
If that wasn’t bad enough, there was mould and damp in the home too, as the mother concluded: “Finally, the mould and damp in the living room. I just had to deal with years of mould and damp in my flat which the council never came out to sort.
“This started to resort in both my kids being prescribed asthma inhalers.
“My priority was taken away from me but I appealed and fought for my right to be rehoused somewhere safe and suitable.
“I won my appeal, was granted my priority back and re-housed very shortly after.
“What are your thoughts? Would you have accepted or rejected this property?”
If I was in a better financial situation I would of course paid for the issues myself but I’m not going to make mine and my kids' life harder
TikTok user
The mother then explained what happened when she refused the property, as she revealed: “I went into the main housing office, spoke to the priority manager and he even agreed with me.
“He then realised this was their mistake as they offered me this property during a new bidding cycle when I was in position one for suitable properties but my own choice was taken away from me.
“I did bid on this house but for literally two minutes then took my bid off as I realised it was mobility needed.
“The system overrode that when the previous winners viewed and refused this property (for their own reasons - unknown to me obviously) so I was next for this to be offered to and an auto bid was put in place, this is how I won this property.
“I did actually like the bathroom tiles, for a council home it was different and I love black, but the functionality wasn’t making any sense AT ALL!”
The mother also added: “Imagine two toddlers too, one that at the time was learning to walk and the other crazily active! It would have been incident after incident.
“I have now been rehoused in a property I’m incredibly happy with.”
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @sister.kidd, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly amassed 123,000 views.
But social media users were left totally divided by the clip - while some thought the mother was ‘ungrateful’ and ‘difficult’, many thought she made the right decision to refuse the home.
One person said: “So ungrateful. This is what's wrong with today's society, expect everything to be done for them Instead of doing it themselves.”
To this, the mother clapped back and penned: “Call me ungrateful all you like. I know what I need for me and my family and this wasn’t it.”
The functionality wasn’t making any sense AT ALL
TikTok user
Another added: “I would have paid for the issues myself. Some people don’t know how lucky they are.”
In response to this, the mum-of-two explained: “If I was in a better financial situation I would of course paid for the issues myself but I’m not going to make mine and my kids' life harder.”
A third commented: “Just b****y difficult, you could have transformed this house to your needs, why the need for perfection?”
However, at the same time, someone else penned: “This is wild! Why are they not offering it to someone with those needs!? You did the right thing by turning it down!”
Another chimed in: “I don't blame you for rejecting.”
A third wrote: “Doesn’t make sense they would offer you it, when someone in a wheelchair is fully in need of this. I think you did the right thing.”
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Whilst another claimed: “That property is uninhabitable, well done to refuse.”
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