The Student Room Group

*Urgently need advice* - overcrowded living conditions

So I really need advice or thoughts or anything from other people to know I’m not alone or crazy as I don’t have anyone to talk to about this with irl, not my friends or bf or anyone. I apologise for the length of this but I really need to explain so tia.
I’ve lived in my parents one bedroom (and 1 boxroom) flat for my whole life. I didn’t quite see it when I was younger but as I’ve grown older I’m starting to resent the conditions we’re living in. I’m turning 19 this year and still share a boxroom - no window or heating with my 14 y/o sister and we both sleep in a bunk bed still as the room is too small to have single or double beds. My 12y/o brother still sleeps in the same room as my parents as there’s nowhere else for him. The rest of the house has been and still is falling apart. We don’t have hot water as my parent never bothered to get it fixed when it broke, we don’t have heating for the same reason so when it’s winter we use propane heating which is dangerous due to carbon monoxide poisoning. We have a moth infestation throughout the house and every single room (except bathroom) is overcrowded and full of junk due to my parent being a hoarder and refusing to throw junk away. The windows never open for fresh air either which is a basic thing I dream of being able to do. I’m finding I don’t have space for anything either as me and my sister have clearly grown out our “room.”As a first year uni student, I have a lot of books, sheets and so does my sister who’s still in school and we have no storage for any of it. My wardrobe is overflowing with clothes as it’s a kids wardrobe which I share with my siblings and again have no other space.

I’m really starting to become sick of living here, not to sound ungrateful but I don’t have access to some of the most basic things and I think it’s not fair on me or my siblings for us to live like this. The thing that makes this hurt the most is that I know my parent can afford a better living situation for us as he works in a fairly high paying job, has savings, a holiday home, and has 2 cars. My other parent sadly can’t afford to get us out of this situation as she works in a low paying job. He is sooo narcissistic and has gaslighting tendencies so when my mum has tried talking to him about this he quickly shuts her down and makes her look ungrateful for even suggesting that we move as we should be “thankful” to even have this house in the first place, but like I said, it’s not the fact that we stay in such a **** place, it’s the fact that we KNOW we can get out of it if we wanted to, but my dad CHOOSES not to and he’s the only one that can do that for us. Even though I didn’t want to yet, I’ve thought about moving out and just using student loan to pay for it as this is driving me crazier and crazier by the day, but I would feel super guilty for leaving my mum and siblings behind as they don’t deserve that. However i refuse to continue living like this. Even if my parents suggested moving house and require me to chip in, I would give all I have to do that. I don’t even know what to do now, it’s just really depressing and I’m too embarrassed to talk about it with anyone.
This might sound stupid or maybe too obvious but have you and your mum tried looking for a council house. The conditions you’ve described are something that the council would probably give you a suitable home for
this is the first time ive ever actually seen anyone write/speak about being in a sort of similar situation as i am oh my gosh :frown: im 18 and i live in a flat with only one bedroom with my parents and two siblings, age 16 and 9, so we all sleep in the same bedroom, me my siblings and my parents, i sleep in a triple bunkbed with my siblings, of course not to sound ungrateful because im thankful to have somwhere to sleep, as my parents cant afford to move, but i find it so hard not having my own personal space as a teenage girl especially and its even harder because theres not really anyone i can talk about it with and i just find it super embarrasing. every single person i know has their own room and therefore i dont think they can imagine what its like. never being able to invite friends over or anything. cant even call my friends or facetime people with some degree of privacy as my whole family will be able to hear. also my mum keeps alot of crap just around of the house which just makes it so messy and so much harder to live. i really want to move out but i dont know how as its just so expensive to do so. most of the time i just get on and deal with it but sometimes its just super difficut and i get really sad about it. when i was a kid it was easier but of course now it just gets worse and worse as i get older . i feel your pain :frown: especially of having no one to talk to about it
Reply 3
Original post by Anonymous
So I really need advice or thoughts or anything from other people to know I’m not alone or crazy as I don’t have anyone to talk to about this with irl, not my friends or bf or anyone. I apologise for the length of this but I really need to explain so tia.
I’ve lived in my parents one bedroom (and 1 boxroom) flat for my whole life. I didn’t quite see it when I was younger but as I’ve grown older I’m starting to resent the conditions we’re living in. I’m turning 19 this year and still share a boxroom - no window or heating with my 14 y/o sister and we both sleep in a bunk bed still as the room is too small to have single or double beds. My 12y/o brother still sleeps in the same room as my parents as there’s nowhere else for him. The rest of the house has been and still is falling apart. We don’t have hot water as my parent never bothered to get it fixed when it broke, we don’t have heating for the same reason so when it’s winter we use propane heating which is dangerous due to carbon monoxide poisoning. We have a moth infestation throughout the house and every single room (except bathroom) is overcrowded and full of junk due to my parent being a hoarder and refusing to throw junk away. The windows never open for fresh air either which is a basic thing I dream of being able to do. I’m finding I don’t have space for anything either as me and my sister have clearly grown out our “room.”As a first year uni student, I have a lot of books, sheets and so does my sister who’s still in school and we have no storage for any of it. My wardrobe is overflowing with clothes as it’s a kids wardrobe which I share with my siblings and again have no other space.

I’m really starting to become sick of living here, not to sound ungrateful but I don’t have access to some of the most basic things and I think it’s not fair on me or my siblings for us to live like this. The thing that makes this hurt the most is that I know my parent can afford a better living situation for us as he works in a fairly high paying job, has savings, a holiday home, and has 2 cars. My other parent sadly can’t afford to get us out of this situation as she works in a low paying job. He is sooo narcissistic and has gaslighting tendencies so when my mum has tried talking to him about this he quickly shuts her down and makes her look ungrateful for even suggesting that we move as we should be “thankful” to even have this house in the first place, but like I said, it’s not the fact that we stay in such a **** place, it’s the fact that we KNOW we can get out of it if we wanted to, but my dad CHOOSES not to and he’s the only one that can do that for us. Even though I didn’t want to yet, I’ve thought about moving out and just using student loan to pay for it as this is driving me crazier and crazier by the day, but I would feel super guilty for leaving my mum and siblings behind as they don’t deserve that. However i refuse to continue living like this. Even if my parents suggested moving house and require me to chip in, I would give all I have to do that. I don’t even know what to do now, it’s just really depressing and I’m too embarrassed to talk about it with anyone.


In which part of the UK do you live?
Yes see if the council and or a woman’s org or charity can help. Good luck. You could ring refuge as well

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