I live in a council house but you’d never know thanks to my B&M & Ikea upgrade – I even got my fireplace from Facebook
A WOMAN has revealed that she lives in a council house and has given it a total transformation without breaking the bank.
So if the cost of living crisis has meant that your purse is feeling tighter than ever, but you want to glam up your home, then you’ve come to the right place.
Stacey, a cleaning enthusiast and bargain lover from the UK has revealed that she used bargain buys from the high street to give her home’s living room a glow up.
The DIY fan who lives in Wolverhampton proudly took to social media to show off a before and after look of her living room, leaving many open-mouthed.
What was once a very dated room, with red walls and floral wallpaper, has since been given a brand new look, all on the cheap.
Prior to its mega makeover, Stacey’s living room had brown wooden flooring and a very old looking fireplace.
Whilst some walls were red, others were cream, and Stacey was eager to modernise the space.
Stacey then gave her followers a close-up look at her living room after its makeover – and it’s totally unrecognisable.
The red and floral walls are nowhere to be seen, and the wooden flooring has been replaced with a cosy carpet.
The room is sure to be Mrs Hinch approved thanks to the glamorous grey decor and it’s full of stylish homeware pieces.
Stacey opened up to Fabulous about her home renovation, and revealed that she nabbed her items from a variety of high-street chains.
She confirmed that she got her grey wallpaper, skirting boards and architraves from B&Q and bought her paint from Dulux.
The savvy woman explained that she ordered her sofa and cushion from SCS and nabbed her table, shelves and TV unit on the cheap from Ikea.
As well as this, she bought her eye-catching light from Next and even nabbed her fireplace from Facebook Marketplace.
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.
Stacey also told Fabulous that she ordered her cosy rug from Argos, her chic curtains from B&M and bought a range of cute accessories from Home Bargains, B&M, Asda and The Range.
SOCIAL MEDIA USERS REACT
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @cosy_councilcorner, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly amassed 81,400 views.
Rules on transforming your council house
According to Gov, the kind of improvements you can make to your council property depends on the type of tenancy you have.
Introductory tenants are usually limited to minor improvements like redecorating inside.
If you’re a secure tenant, you have the right to carry out improvements to your property. These include:
- installing a new bathroom or kitchen
- building an extension
- putting up a garden shed or greenhouse
- installing a new gas fire or fireplace
- cavity wall insulation
- redecorating the outside of a house
- fitting an aerial or satellite dish
You might need your council’s written permission for work you do. Contact your council if you’re not sure.
Social media users were left extremely impressed with Stacey’s home renovation and many flocked to the comments to express this.
It looks lovely
TikTok user
One person said: “It’s so beautiful.”
Another added: “Looks amazing.”
The reality of living in a council house
LEANNE Hall, Digital Writer at Fabulous, has discussed what it was like growing up in a council house, and why those living in such properties are often judged...
When I was a child I grew up in a council house, and was blissfully unaware of the discrimination that came with that, until I became an adult.
My younger years were spent running up and down the stairs of my flat, meeting with other friends who lived there and making the most of the communal garden.
But now, it seems no matter your circumstance, everyone has something to say about why you shouldn’t be there.
Living just outside of London like I did, rent prices are still high, and as my mum was at home raising three kids at the time, it wasn’t easy to find a job that fit around that.
People in council houses are often labelled as ‘scroungers’ or ‘lazy’ but it’s nothing of the sort.
Most families in council homes experience overcrowding, and let’s not even mention the horrendous amount of damp and mould that comes from living in old social housing that hasn’t had work done to them in 50 or so years.
It’s not ideal for many, but it does provide a secure home without the fear your rent will shoot up every single year, which I would argue is vital to children growing up on the poverty line.
A third commented: “Omg I love it!!”
Whilst someone else beamed: “It looks lovely.”
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