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AIBU?

Landlady asking me to go in 1 month, if I go out of borough will LA wash their hands of me?

20 replies

circlingstupidly · 02/02/2018 18:19

I'm having a shit time. Surprisngly I'm coping better today, just took whole day to relax.

Except I need to make a plan. I lost my job. I can pay my rent & bills for 3 months, but landlady had a drink last night and said I should leave next month. I'm a lodger so in no position to bargain, they will just chuck my stuff out if I don't go by X date.

Nobody has mentioned it to me today but obviously, I don't feel secure in my living space.

If I have to go and can't get a house share in my borough of London, and sofa surf or pay an airbnb for a month in cheaper parts of London - does that mean my council will not have to help me? I have several disabilities, including anxiety, I have medical points at the council. I could not handle a hostel with a load of strangers.

Do I have to stay in the borough no matter what, if I need them to help me? Ie they can make referrals to housing associations or to other LA's in parts of the country the waiting list is not so long.I know since my thred yesterday that some LA's like in Scotland don't need a referral but alot do.

OP posts:

Report

rightsaidfrederickII · 02/02/2018 18:30

MN AIBU will not result in specialist housing advice, I'm afraid.

I'd suggest you repost on the Money Saving Expert House Buying, Renting and Selling forum where there are experts, and also that you call Shelter for advice.

Have you applied for benefits yet, and are you looking for work?

circlingstupidly · 02/02/2018 18:36

I'm trying to get a Shelter appointment, but Mumsnetters (and AIBU has a lot of traffic) have a lot of experiences of a lot of situations and it's Friday evening so all official helplines like Shelter are closed.

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circlingstupidly · 02/02/2018 18:37

I'm appealing my PIP which was stopped and after visiting the gp today think I might try to apply for ESA even for just a few weeks. Until I'm ready to start fighting for work again.

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Soubriquet · 02/02/2018 18:40

I know it sounds horrible but don't go anywhere.

Our council and probably most like it, will not help you if you leave without being evicted by the bailiffs. They deem this as making yourself homeless.

It's a really cuntish behaviour and incredibly stressful, but do not leave until the bailiffs come to chuck you out. You can then take the forms to the council and they will help you

Nightmanagerfan · 02/02/2018 18:42

PP is wrong - you don’t have any rights as a lodger - they can just ask you to leave so it will never get to bailiff stage

MagicWillHappen · 02/02/2018 18:43

The op said she's a lodger. The Ll will likely just remove the stuff and change the locks, there won't be bailiffs.

specialsubject · 02/02/2018 18:45

If you really are a lodger under the legal definition then I am afraid you are right, very little security.

It is horrible but wait until Monday and then contact the council. Get their actual policy and go from there .

Soubriquet · 02/02/2018 18:45

Well that's what my council told me. It is horrible to find yourself homeless especially with a child as I was.

At first they refused to help because we left when we was served noticed.

But once we argued that they had duty of care to the child (and we were threatened with social services for intentionally making our child homeless), they did offer a place.

It was their fault we were homeless in the first place!!

We were due to move into a property but on their advice, the previous tenants refused to bloody move out!

Soubriquet · 02/02/2018 18:46

Bollocks. Ignore me.

Misread lodger as tenant

circlingstupidly · 02/02/2018 18:46

Yes that's what I thought, that being a lodger is different to a tenancy scenario. It's a very insecure way to rent but nowhere needing references would take me with my housing benefit.

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specialsubject · 02/02/2018 18:48

Many landlords can't take housing benefit tenants for insurance and mortgage reasons - but not all. Let's face it, someone in work can lose their job so it is no less secure.

circlingstupidly · 02/02/2018 18:49

I contacted the council today and the person I had been dealing with has left. Left my name and number and nobody has called me back yet but I Know it's friday and not urgent. I'll go in on Monday I think but pretty sure they will refuse to see me without appointment arranged.

It's stressful.

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Springiscoming123 · 02/02/2018 18:49

have you posted before about your LL?

circlingstupidly · 02/02/2018 18:52

I know I might find someone in the whole of London to accept HB but that's my question, will my current LA say ok then you're fine? And not help at all?

I am worried about that. They can refer me to schemes for people with disabilities for example or to social housing in areas of teh UK that don't have a waiting list. That I cant refer myself too. I need a council to do that, and if they mark me as having left the area I then will have to wait another 5 years in a new area before they can refer me?

So I need to stay here? Or else see if I can move out of the borough if under threat of homelessness but still be able to work with a housing officer for a referral, if any?

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circlingstupidly · 02/02/2018 18:54

What do you mean have I posted before about LL sorry. I have posted several thread about my general housing situation and Pip situation in last 24 hours?

Why do you ask?

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Doctordid · 02/02/2018 19:00

Where I live in you have lived in Borough for x amount of years out of five (think it's three) then you are considered to have a local link and they will still house you there.

circlingstupidly · 02/02/2018 19:01

My Borough is similar. I don't want to make myself invalid for any support by mistake.

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Nightfall1 · 02/02/2018 19:02

Shelter helpline is open until 8pm tonight. Sorry you're having a rough time. They are open 9-5 tomorrow and Sunday. Here is a link to your situation as a lodger.

england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/lodgers

You can look at homeless application criteria here too.
england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/homelessness/guide/get_help_from_your_council_when_homeless/overview

england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/housing_benefit/how_to_rent_when_a_landlord_wont_accept_housing_benefit

Some websites list properties where housing benefit will be accepted.

See above link. Hope this helps!

Doctordid · 02/02/2018 19:02

Even if you leave temporarily I mean.

laura65988 · 08/02/2018 12:15

Have u spoke to landlady since as she was drunk be nice get her to write you letter saying she is evicting you so u have proof ure not making ureself intentional homeless don't put hostel down as it's a gd last option that council are probably going to give u anyway as u don't have any kids and u're not on disability benefits there for ure not seen as disabled u can say u are vunrable xx

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