Haven’t paid rent in months!

I didn't say the OP was bipolar, but I have also supported clients with other MH issues who have poor impulse control and find dealing with things like budgeting and checking bank accounts incredibly difficult. Clients with EUPD and/or ADHD are disproportionately represented among my debt and financial capability caseload.

@Cyclingmummy1 i think if you sort it when you first claim universal credit it can be paid directly. I tried changing mine and they said no. My bad I should have set it up when I first claimed

Is this a recent change? Our current tenant has always had it paid directly.

Yes.

yes, probably had the heat on over this summer,

She might have had her heating on, perhaps paying with a successful standing order?

Seriously?

It was a cruel trick to play on a grieving father.

Imagine a world without mental illness...

Of course reckless behaviour is a well known symptom of mania but the OP doesn’t have bipolar.
I still say that it isn’t plausible that she didn’t realise that the six months rent was still in her account and managed to spend it all anyway despite struggling with the COL
crisis.
If the OP would return to the thread it might become clearer.

And yes, I do know what it is like to have severe MH issues but if isn’t plausible that the OP has spent 6 months rent without realising she had it.

When my bipolar DB had his second manic episode, he managed to spend £20k he didn't have in 3-4 months, didn't pay his mortgage and had his flat repossessed. He didn't even end up with anything to show for it, either - had absolutely no clue what he'd actually bought.

I find it perfectly credible.

Oh please , col wiped out 6 months of rent ? i call 🐂 on this

I suspect op’s landlord’s death coinciding with her bank suddenly “accidentally” deleting her standing order details are far from coincidental.
Did you hope it would go unnoticed in all the confusion, op?

Maybe you should also feel for the landlord who is thousands of pounds out of pocket .

Surely if you never check your bank account then all the money that should have been paid out in rent from your incoming benefits payments will still be in your bank account? Even if you overspent a bit here and there, you'd surely not have spent 6 months worth of rent without realising it.

I imagine op absolutely noticed. Why else would a request to return her landlord’s phone call have her immediately checking her bank account?
Why immediately jump to the conclusion that your non payment has been rumbled?

Have you made sure it hadn't come out on a different date to the one you were expecting? I hope you get it sorted with out too much stress.

how have you been allowed to get to 6 months behind? did someone not chase you before this?

Come on OP, can we have an update please?

How on earth do you not notice 6 months of extra rent in your bank account?
Wow !

You need to engage ASAP, you’re at risk of a section 8 being served on you.

You state your mental is poor currently are you engaging in support services?

I agree.

@Uppoopcreek

You could smoke on planes - for heavens sake!

@Uppoopcreek Sadly the danger is twofold I'm afraid.

As you have missed 2 months [or more] rent the landlord can probably simply start proceedings to end the tenancy under Section 8.

Please speak to him to see if he will - as others suggest - make an arrangement to pay off the outstanding balance over time.

The other possible problem is that the housing department may already take the view that your problems may result in intentional homelessness.

Please speak urgently to Shelter or Citizens Advice

I've previously been a landlord to a few properties and I would be furious at your giving mental health reasons as an excuse. There is never an excuse to get out of paying what you owe and I don't want to know about people's personal problems when it comes to financial agreements.

I work with clients with mental health problems, doing mainly welfare rights work but also some basic debt work and coaching in budgeting.

The challenges many people with MH issues face in dealing with what, to most of us, is straightforward stuff, are often insurmountable and support services that help them deal with it have been cut to the absolute bone. Poor mental health is not an excuse, it's a reason, @Attelina.

OP, if you have a CPN or any other sort of support, ask for their help. They may be able to refer you to a service like the one I work for that can help you with this. If not, get an appointment with the CAB. If you're on UC, put a note on your journal asking the DWP to set up an "alternative payment arrangement" (APA) so that your rent goes directly to the landlord; if on HB, ring the council and ask them to arrange for your HB to be paid direct. While that's going on, work out how much you can afford to pay on top of your rent to reduce the arrears. Then speak to your landlord and explain how you propose to clear them.

If you have a trusted friend or family member who can support you to do this, ask for their help. And for the next few weeks, don't buy anything that isn't essential.

I wish you all the best in dealing with this, and really feel for you.