A DIY fan has given her ‘horrendous’ council house a mega makeover whilst on a budget.
And now, 26-year-old Celene Francis, a mum-of-two who lives in a two-bedroom house in Rotherham, wants to buy her council property.
A mother has revealed that after giving her council house a total transformation, she wants to buy the property[/caption]
But haters have accused Celene Francis, 26, of contributing to the housing crisis[/caption]
Celene was eager to hear what people thought about the Right to Buy scheme[/caption]
But because of this, Celene has revealed that haters have accused her of contributing to the housing crisis.
Posting on social media, the savvy mum, who previously opened up to Fabulous about how she used bargain buys to overhaul her once ‘horrendous’ and ‘run down’ home, said: “So the question is, do you think a council tenant should be able to buy their council house? Let me know.”
The DIY enthusiast, who recently gave birth to her second child, Iris Valerie Duggan, then explained: “If you’re new here, I’m Celene, I’m 26 and I live in a council house, but I wanted to know what you guys think – do you think that council tenants should be allowed to buy their property from the council?”
The student midwife and mental health support worker highlighted: “So if you live in a council property, depending on what council you’re with, some councils don’t allow you to do this anymore, the council that I’m with do – so you can buy your property off the council after you’ve lived in the property for three years.
“You can put in to buy, it’s called the ‘Right to Buy’.
“I can see both sides of this. Personally, I think it’s amazing that I can buy my house after three years.
“I am like, yes, I’m gonna do that.”
Recognising the other side of the coin, Celene shared: “The other side of the story, a lot of people think this is why we have a housing shortage, this is what’s caused the housing shortage, by council tenants being able to buy their house and that it contributes to the housing shortage that we’ve got today.
“I can completely see both sides of the story, what is your opinion? I wanna know.”
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @61thecouncilhouse, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 58,800 views.
Big divide
But social media users were left totally divided – whilst many thought council tenants should be able to buy their property, others were eager to disagree.
One person said: “Yes but I think whenever they sell the properties, they should only be allowed to sell back to the council to use for social housing again, no matter how many years after it is.”
No, they should be there for people who need them in hard times for them to be able to get back on their feet and then move on
TikTok user
Another added: “Yes but there should be something to help private renters too as prices are getting ridiculous for anyone to buy.”
A third commented: “I think it’s a brilliant way of getting onto the property ladder.”
However, at the same time, someone else wrote: “I think no, we are lucky enough to have it and they can’t keep up with building to fit the demand. Council cheaper rent allows you to be able to save.”
How Right to Buy Works
RIGHT to Buy is a UK government scheme that allows eligible council and housing association tenants to purchase their homes at a discounted rate.
Here’s a step-by-step outline of how the process works:
Eligibility
– You must have been a public sector tenant for at least three years.
– Your home must be your only or main residence.
– The property must be self-contained.
Discounts
– The discount is based on the length of time you’ve been a tenant.
– For houses, you can get a discount of 35% after three years, increasing by 1% for each additional year, up to a maximum of 70% or £96,010 (whichever is lower).
– For flats, the discount starts at 50% after three years, increasing by 2% for each additional year, up to the same maximum.
Application Process
– Fill out the RTB1 application form and submit it to your landlord.
– Your landlord has up to four weeks to reply (eight weeks if they’ve been your landlord for less than five years).
Offer Notice
– If eligible, you’ll receive an offer notice (Section 125 notice) detailing the property’s market value, the discount, and the price you’ll pay.
– You have 12 weeks to accept or reject the offer.
Valuation
– If you disagree with the valuation, you can request an independent valuation from the District Valuer within three months.
Financing
– Secure a mortgage or arrange financing if needed. You may also use savings or other financial means.
Conveyancing
– Engage a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the legal aspects of the purchase.
Completion
– Finalise the purchase and complete the transaction. You’ll become the legal owner of your home.
A second chimed in: “No, they should be there for people who need them in hard times for them to be able to get back on their feet and then move on.”
Whilst another snapped: “No. In Scotland you can’t purchase a council house now. It failed and housing wasn’t replaced and we have a housing crisis now.”
Celene’s home transformation
Celene previously revealed all to Fabulous on her mega council house makeover.
She explained that she often shops in high-street chains such as B&M, The Range and Home Bargains and by watching YouTube clips, was able to give her home a stunning transformation.
When Celene moved into her council property it was very run down[/caption]
Celene gave her home a stunning makeover, using bargain buys from B&M, The Range and Home Bargains[/caption]
And while keyboard warriors tell her that her DIY work is ‘a waste of money’, Celene isn’t fussed and loves her gorgeous home.
Celene previously told Fabulous: “I moved in a couple of years ago now and it was a blank canvas essentially.
“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.
“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.”
I like to be on a budget and especially in this day and age, I haven’t got loads of spare money
Celene Francis
Celene got to work on making the home her own and watched YouTube video to learn about DIY.
She explained: “I’ve done all sorts of DIY. I’ve painted it all white.
“I painted the kitchen cupboards, got new handles, and painted the tiles.
“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.
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
“I did all of the DIY myself – obviously the carpet I had that fitted, but I did everything else 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.”
As a single mother, Celene tried to cut costs where possible, and so bought a lot of her home furnishings from cheap high-street chains.
She said that trolls slam her and say her DIY renovations are a ‘waste of money’[/caption]
But she isn’t bothered by what haters think and uses any spare money on upgrading her home[/caption]
The stairs were in some need of TLC[/caption]
She watched YouTube videos and did a stair runner with her leftover carpet[/caption]
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.”
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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.
