GETTING her council home freshly decorated, Celene Francis was determined to get her home looking glamorous as can be.
And at the same time the mum, from South Yorkshire, who was a mental health support worker, wanted to keep costs as low as she possibly could.
So instead of getting professionals in to help do DIY, Celene learned her own skills and saved a fortune doing so.
So far, Celene, 25, has managed to transform her bedroom, and hallway and is now just starting on her kitchen – which is a load better than what it first was when she moved in.
Speaking previously about her council house, she said: “It was awful, I think the person who lived in there before was a heavy smoker, everything was yellow, doors painted purple, it was just your typical rundown property, the garden was overgrown, couldn’t even see it.”
More recently, she revealed on her TikTok page @61thecouncilhouse, that she is re-tiling her kitchen.
The mum-of-one revealed that she was quoted £500, which included all the items needed to make it work.
However, Celene did her own research on how much adhesive, a bag of grout, black trimming and white tiles from Wickes and it all came to £160.
Showing this all to camera, she said: “That will literally do the whole kitchen. We are going to do it ourselves.”
In another video, she also showed off how an Amazon find had completely transformed her hallway.
The video, which has got over 11.3K views, was captioned: “Who said you can’t make a council house into a cosy home?”
She had a wooden floor through, with black features which included a mirror, radiator, artwork and a wooden side table – which was decorated with a plant and black candle.
Many other DIY fans rush to the comments section to share their thoughts.
One wrote: “A DIY Queen.”
Whilst someone else said: “This is so beautiful.”
Others were intrigued on where she got her decorations from and for the wooden side table, she replied Amazon.
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:
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.
Celene previously revealed to Fabulous about her upcycling tips and tricks.
She recommended Facebook Marketplace for second hand pieces.
The savvy shopper said you can upcycle by “painting and adding new handles” to different items.
