a friend have been waiting to get a crib for the past three yrs in Barking and Dagenham and now he says he feels there is some racism going on on application dept coz some yt guys he logged his application with got cribs but him..I adviced him to have his records clear before he moves to the next stage but it would be very difficult to prove anything...I heard there was a group of black ternants are suing Westminister Council on racism.

IS ITTHE SAME IN OTHER LONDON BOROUGHS? IS IT REALLY WORTH IT WRITING YOUR ETHNICITY WHILE APPLYING?

There's no point in hiding your ethnicity because they will see your face at some point. I don't think it is a racism thing, I think it's more a case of how they prioritise individuals. If ur not gay, pregnant, disabled, or an asylum seeker u will be at the bottom of the list, thats how I see it anyway. Those guys u mentioned could have lied through their teeth to get a place, and if they have someone supporting their claims then they gone clear. Seems like thats the only way to get a place these days.

I was living with my sister and she wanted me to move out, I went to the council and they said there was nothing they could do to help me. The woman (who was black) turned round and told me I was lucky my sister gave me a deadline to move out. She said if my health deteriorated anymore (I was suffering with my asthma at the time) then I could come back. Now to me that meant I would have to be on my death bed before they would review my case. They filed me in the lowest band possible, which meant I was entitled to no help at all, even though I couldn't afford to rent privately and I couldn't go back to mummy and daddy.

The way the system works does piss me off, but I refuse to be one of those people who lie and cheat to get myself a place. Your friend could go down that route and see where it gets him, or he can hold tight and ride it out like the rest of the people who have been waiting longer than him to get a place. Good luck to ur friend whatever he decides to do.

Yes, there is racism when it comes to housing. I live in the Wandsworth borough. Years ago I was on the council list for a property. I wasliving inmy temporay place for 13 months, then i was offered a run down council flat. The woman below me ( who was White ) was shortly offered an accomadation after me. She was offered a brand new house, and she was on the waiting list for nearly 2 years. Now why wasn't she offered the run down flat since she was waiting longer than me.confused3Anyway, i refused the flat and wrote to my local M.P. within 2 weeks I was offered a better place. ower

Facetygal Wrote:"If ur not gay, pregnant, disabled, or an asylum seeker u will be at the bottom of the list, thats how I see it anyway.".........thats been true in some London Boroughs for 30 lol years now......In the 1970's I tried unsuccessfully for 11 years in Southwark to get a London Council place.....My application..."White....Single...No Kids...Male".......Had 2 Hopes .....No Hope and Bob Hope"".....97% of Southwark Properties are Council-Owned thus it forced me onto the Private Housing Market which I hadn't contemplated......as a consequence I bought mycurrent House in 1983 with a £250 deposit and my monthly repayments until 3 years ago were £57 Per Month for a 3/4 Bedroom House In The Suburbs..........Best Of Luck either way but if U can get on the Housing Ladder do so at the earliest opportunity!.....I realise its more easily said than done due to financial constraints(when I started in 1983 everyone told me financially that I was "Sailing close to the (Financial) Wind....!........Renting is imo throwing money down the drain but I understand(sometimes) its unavoidable.

@undercover..do you mean that Racism is only in essex? I think racism is all over Britain regardless of where you are

@cockney..its good that you made it by buying back in 70's..now fast foward to 2004..I think housing is one of those places where the cancer of racism is live and kicking just like the police force and workplace..they call it institutional racism..I used to wonder how come I dont see many whites in towerblocks? now I get the picture they are not allocated there by the application dept who I assumethat 70% of them are white.

Dont get me wrong or acuse me of playing race card but you have to understand that we are living in a society where whites are quick to blame non-whites for not intergrating but how can you intergrate when you keep them in towerblocks?

@facetygal..I dont buy it that asyllum seekers and gays get more favourable when it comes to housing allocation..its a myth and I do know alot of asylum seekers and refugees who work and live in private landlords..I think pregnant women and disabled should be given more priority but then again I wonder if they treat black disabled and gays the same...well IF TRUTH CANT SET YOU FREE....just be smart with them..maybe you can appleal to your local MP(I guess he is white as well..)

@Blaqwoman..you must have scared the hell outta them coz I know if you are not agressive enough you wont achieve anything..though its not the best way to go about things at times

Coltrane Wrote:"@cockney..its good that you made it by buying back in 70's..now fast foward to 2004..I think housing is one of those places where the cancer of racism is live and kicking just like the police force and workplace..they call it institutional racism..I used to wonder how come I dont see many whites in towerblocks? now I get the picture they are not allocated there by the application dept who I assumethat 70% of them are white."

Fair point re:2004 Tower Blocks M8....noticed in Thamesmead,for example,much higher proportion of Ethnic Minorities than I would have expected.......Depends where The Housing Department is....In Hackney(5 years ago?).....most of the predominantly Black Housing Dept got sacked almost "en masse" for "irregularities"...I stand to be corrected on the exact date and (possibly) the numbers involved........but you're right I'm sure IR does exist in many places.

you get a place if you have back problems?

I have back problems!

I am going to apply for a place tommorow

yipee

Facetygal Wrote:"I'm just fortunate that I did manage to find a private place to rent, that wasn't extortionate in price, but others aren't so lucky."..................if U ever take some advice take this,,,,as soon as you're in a position to put down a Deposit do so!!..U won't regret it but over the years you'll regret the fact that U didn't do it sooner!

Id like to know what techiniques people use to get more points to get a house/flat?

I like people who beat the racist system