Trolls slam me using ‘taxpayers money’ to ‘look good’ because I made my council house look nice…but I did it on a budget
A WOMAN has been accused of ‘promoting bums’ and ‘using taxpayers money’ after she made her council house look glam.
But 25-year-old Celene Francis, a single mother who lives in a two-bedroom house in Rotherham with her young daughter, has in fact given her home a stunning transformation, all whilst on a budget.
With not much money to spare, the student midwife and mental health support worker has shared how she gave her home a stylish transformation on the cheap, leaving many open-mouthed.
So if you want to give your home a total transformation, then you’ll need to check this out.
The savvy mum took to social media to show off a before and after look at her hallway, as she penned: “Making my council house a home, hallway edition.”
At the start of the short clip, Celene gave her followers a close-up look at her council house hallway.
Not only were the walls peeling, but the floor was covered in ripped wallpaper.
Despite this, Celene then shared a look at her finished hallway – which she gave a mega makeover all whilst on a budget.
The walls were given a fresh up with white paint and she bought new doors from Wickes.
The floor was given a freshen up and to really add style to the space, she used modern black door handles and a circular mirror from IKEA.
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @61thecouncilhouse, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly amassed 48,800 views.
But social media users were left divided – whilst some were eager to compliment her ‘beautiful’ home, not everyone was as kind.
One person said: “Your home is beautiful.”
Another added: “Lovely.”
A third commented: “Love it.”
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.
Despite this, at the same time, one angry user wrote: “Tax payers money looks good on you!
“I work to pay for you to live nicely whilst I struggle!
“Stop promoting bums.
“I would rather work and pay my way than to take handouts unnecessarily from the government.”
CELENE CLAPS BACK
But unfortunately, Celene is all too used to receiving nasty comments on her TikTok videos.
The mother previously told Fabulous: “I’ve had a few people comment on my videos on TikTok saying ‘why would you do that?’, ‘the house is plain’, ‘it’s a waste of money’.
People are easy to judge and just don’t understand how it works
Celene Francis
“I just think, it’s my home. If you lived in a private rental you would still go and buy the cushions you want and the accessories you want.
“Sometimes people have the perception that if you live in a council home then you can’t have it nice, but you can.
“I just think it’s their opinion and I’ll leave them to it. I don’t say anything back.
“If anything, I think it’s more people not knowing how council properties work and people thinking that ‘if you live in a council house then you don’t work’, but that’s really not how it works.
“People are easy to judge and just don’t understand how it works.
“I definitely want to break the stigma about living in a council house.”
Celene explained that when she moved into her home, it was a “blank canvas”, as she added: “It was really run down, it was left in a state, there was nothing on the floor, the garden was horrendous.
“I think the previous people who lived there were smokers as it had yellow ceilings.
“It was your typical council house, what they deem ‘liveable’ – there was some paint but it was what was left – so some of the doors were purple.
I did all of the DIY myself
Celene Francis
“Some of the walls had wallpaper but it was just what was left.
“There was no flooring down, there was an old lino that had been ripped up so it was quite bare.”
As a result, Celene went to high-street chains such as B&M, The Range and Home Bargains and by watching YouTube videos, has been able to give her home a stunning upgrade without breaking the bank.
She explained: “I’ve done all sorts of DIY. I painted the kitchen cupboards, got new handles, and painted the tiles.
I like to be on a budget and especially in this day and age, I haven’t got loads of spare money
Celene Francis
“Obviously I put down flooring and just got laminate and carpets. On the stairs I did a stair runner and just used what was leftover from my carpet.
“I did all of the DIY myself – including fitting the stair rods and all of the painting.
“I watched a lot of YouTube videos but I’ve always been into DIY and interiors and doing things myself.”
How to do your council house up on the cheap
- Take inspiration from pricier shops and head to B&M, Home Bargains for interior decorations.
- Head to YouTube for easy to follow tutorials on how to decorate rather than paying for professionals.
- For a quick glow-up for your floors or anywhere with tiles, opt for stick-on vinyl to save on costs.
- A lick of paint does wonders to make a room feel brand-new.
- Switch out kitchen cupboard knobs for modern ones instead of buying brand-new cupboards
She added: “I like to be on a budget and especially in this day and age, I haven’t got loads of spare money.
“I’ve done everything gradually and I don’t really go out or drink [alcohol] so any spare money I have, I buy things for the house.
“I mainly shop at The Range, B&M, Home Bargains and IKEA. But my favourite shop is B&M. I absolutely love B&M.
“As soon as something is trendy, B&M have it straight away. I think B&M is great.”
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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.