Excess Married Quarters

[Spacer]

Just a quick question. Does anyone know the best way of applying for an excess married quarter? I know that it is pretty difficult, and seems to be region specific, but does anyone have previous experience applying for it? Thanks in advance!

[Been There...]

PM Sent....

[Elmlea]

Just a quick question. Does anyone know the best way of applying for an excess married quarter? I know that it is pretty difficult, and seems to be region specific, but does anyone have previous experience applying for it? Thanks in advance!

Give me a ring. I went through the mill trying, smashed my head against a wall several times, and was rejected.

The refusal was so pig-headed I've had to resort to actually getting married :ok:

[ProfessionalStudent]

RRRRRRRRRrrrrrrr

[ZOFO]

Elmlea

Had the same myself, wife to be 6 months pregnant, me due an OOA asked families officer for a surplus MQ at the base I was at as there were Plenty going, Politely told by Families Officer on the 20th of the first month to "Poke Off" see me "when your are married". So did just that, Married at Witney Registrars Office on the 2nd of the next month, Moved into a quarter on the 4th of that month and spent my Honeymoon OOA for the rest of the six months, Including missing my son being born!!. How good was that:uhoh:

If I were you go the Civil partnership route, seems to work well here, I dont know about anywhere else, The DHE/Allocation people here seem to bend over backwards to help :ok:

Sorry no pun intended

Just a thought

[Spacer]

Thanks to those who have replied. It looks like it'll be a hard slog, but it may be possible!

[Been There...]

Just found out when I marched in today for my surplus quarter that they are now stopping surplus quarters, you are either entitled or you don't get one.

The reason given to me by the housing officer was that it was costing too much money for the surplus quarters.

The local DHE regs say that they can only let a 10% surplus ie 11 quarters empty before they can let 1. So call me daft, but surely 1 quarter being paid for has got to be making more money than one which isn't.

I can't see where the extra cost for DHEO (or whatever it is called these days) is. Any ideas?

Unless it is a hidden way of stating that people aren't using quarters and therefore they can start selling them off ahead of the normal plan to sell them off.

[Stuff]

surely 1 quarter being paid for has got to be making more money than one which isn't

This was the line I tried with DHE when I wanted a married quarter 3 months before our wedding as both my wife (to be) and I are serving we were occupying 2 rooms in the mess. The mess at the time was full and visitors were enjoying local hotels on a F95.

The offer to vacate 2 rooms to allow the mess a small bit of freedom and start paying for one of the many empty married quarters seemed like a no-brainer but alas we hit the very helpful, "you aren't entitled until 7 days before the wedding" line from DHE. Not very joined up thinking...

[airborne_artist]

Not very joined up thinking...

Who said anything about being paid to think? Rules is rules :ugh:

[Spacer]

Since asking the question I've learnt that the best way is, rather than make a request through DHE (who will say no), instead appeal through the station hierarchy.

[Irish Tempest]

Just a quick one. DHE own and manage the houses on behalf on MOD. The individual Stn Commander is 'the person' responsible for who goes in those houses. You just need a stash with a sympathic ear, bit of common sense and a bunch of balls to give you the nod. Annoyed DHE, but tough.
You can do it - trust me I did (10 months prior to getting married).
'Live by the rules and you never change a thing'.

[Talking Radalt]

The station/unit hierachy can only approve, recommend and encourage your application to DHE. If the local DHE morale suppression officer says no, then it's a no I'm afraid. As mentioned, DHE manage (and I use the term in it's loosest possible context) the properties and if their interpretation of the Rules is that you aren't allowed to have a house, or they claim there simply aren't any spares (and tweak the stats to reflect this), then you won't get one.
A lot depends on how matey your Staish is with the disgruntled semi-retired ex-RSM/SWO who holds all the keys to your local patch. Some regard the surplus scheme as keeping their empty houses in good order for them AND generating some income, others just see it as more hassle.
I wouldn't bother moving it to a surplus MQ if the decision had been forced upon DHE. If you do, they'll let you move in begrudgingly then when you come to move out they'll go over the house with a very large magnifying glass and bill you for the last five decades of wear, tear and damage. And you can kiss goodbye to any repairs during your tenancy. Allowing you to move in is one thing, but then once you're in they've got all the time in the world to remind you that you beat them.
My advice would be take the plunge (yes it hurts) and buy your own place. MQs will be a thing of the past soon anyway.

[HercErk]

Just a quick one. DHE own and manage the houses on behalf on MOD. The individual Stn Commander is 'the person' responsible for who goes in those houses. You just need a stash with a sympathic ear, bit of common sense and a bunch of balls to give you the nod. Annoyed DHE, but tough.
You can do it - trust me I did (10 months prior to getting married).
'Live by the rules and you never change a thing'.

I always thought that All married quarters were owned by annington homes and it was DHE who managed the quarters with the now Mickey mouse Housing Solutions supposed to be looking after work services.

Sorry not relevent to the original post but wanted to see if i was right.

[Cumbrian Fell]

Hercerk - you are basically right. Annington Homes (or, to identify the parent company, Nomura Bank of Japan) purchased almost all SFA in England and Wales in 1995; 49,000 are currently leased back to the MOD on an agreement that expires in 2021. Annington Homes get paid a lease fee of a few thousand pounds per property per annum; from time to time the MOD (through Defence Estates Housing Directorate - sucessors of DHE) release surplus quarters back to Annington for disposal - otherwise the MOD continues to pay for empty properties. The MOD is responsible for the full maintenance and refurbishment of SFA (great deal if you are Annington Homes); maintenance is 'effected' through MHS - MODern Housing Solutions, who, inter alia, look after social housing in Liverpool. This contract is with Defence Estates, who are rationalising their footprint to harmonise with MHS. 18 months into the contract MHS are just getting their supply chain set up and have been given until July to sort it out (a bit tardy, me thinks?). There are proposals at v high levels to encourage service personnel to move out of SFA and not to come back inside the wire - the issue is the affordability of a renegotiated contract with Annington in 2021. Just do the maths!
We made the jump a few years ago and haven't regretted it, although in a completely civilian community, friends and neighbours don't appreciate the pressures on service personnel and their families. Hey ho!

[Phochs3]

Ok, I'm going to get dragged in.

The Quarters system is the most ridiculous, frustrating, badly managed system I have ever had the misfortune to get involved in.
The entire system is based on 1950s assumptions and the social demographic today is completely at odds with what is on offer. Imagine the amazement in the DHE office when I explained that my wife actually had a full time job as well and that we couldn't conform to their 0930 - 1630 Mon - Fri timescales when it came to marching in and out, getting things fixed etc etc

Similarly, the whole notion of not being able to get a quarter because you are not married, despite the fact that you have been together for years and have children is little short of an insult.

I had heard horror stories, but until I witnessed a civilian on march out run her hands on the (perfectly clean) curtains and then comment that they were a bit dirty, I did not believe them.

On another note, the grass has to be perfectly trimmed on march out, despite the fact that the PMQ will now be left empty for 8 months, and the wire fence that it between houses is almost horizontal and letting the 2 ft high grass and weeds from the unkept garden next door spill over.
I'm glad that the state of PMQs made the BBC news a few weeks ago, the more publicity about the state of the housing that the MOD provides, the better.

The only reason that more people don't speak out about this issue is because there is a lot of high priced help involved in the DHE system and to do so publically is bound to leave a black mark on your name.

[Wader2]

I explained that my wife actually had a full time job as well and that we couldn't conform to their 0930 - 1630 Mon - Fri timescales

Or was even a servicewoman in her own right.

I was lucky enough, by chance, in my daughter's quarter when the plumber arrived a day early (she was at work). Pleasant chap, quick, clean and efficient servicing the central heating system and gas applicances until it came to the boiler. Can't touch that, its got asbestos inside.