To ask what you’d do in this dire situation?

Have you looked at out of season short term lets in Devon as a temp measure?

My friend rented a two bed in Swanage, Dorset with outside space for £800 / month Feb-June. The LL wanted it back for peak season.

I’ve just checked Rightmove. The going rate for a one/two bed flat in Crediton (lovely, my friend lives there) is around £750 a month. It’s really close to Exeter with a good train and bus service.

A 2 bed furnished bungalow in Dartmouth has just been advertised today on a 6 month winter let for 800 pcm - Fulfords. Zero deposit guarantee available.

Can you join a credit union. Start a very small savings pot and build history for a small loan.

Save as much as you can now and then consider whether you do a one step move to a new area or if it has to be two step in terms of finding a room to rent.

Ideally a shortish term lodger or similar to cut bills, build a buffer and then start again in a new area. This might be better than a room in shared housing.

One bed flat prices depend where you are wanting to live, if you go to either a popular seaside town or a city with students, that's more expensive, if you don't need to travel much, commute and are happy in the more rural parts, then it will be cheaper. There aren't heaps of things around, but you usually can find something, like I say on Next Door or Spareroom, lots of people need lodgers at the moment due to their own cost of living crises. I would take a deposit though, even just a few hundred, I think most people would expect to do that.

Does your employer have a tenancy deposit scheme (I discovered by accident that mine does - didn't even know it was a thing)? Property guardian (maybe try Dot Dot Dot)? Stick your stuff in storage and do short-term lets on Spareroom (between tenants - not fun but you don't always need a deposit and it can work out not too expensive)?

You can definitely afford a houseshare in Devon for about £600, 650 a month, rooms for rent usually include bills. So, compared with now, you would have more money, but it's not the same as a one bed flat for sure. You can rent something out in the short term from Air B and B or Spare Room or on student websites, to get you started and then work out exactly where you want and need to be. If you don't need to commute you can go to the less popular/more inland areas of Devon and keep away from the more expensive ones, it's not impossible, though it isn't that easy. I think if you stay flexible and are prepared to look at multiple locations, that might work, also try Next Door in the particular areas you like.

Oh really? My local council doesn't have that as a stipulation and will help as long as you are financially eligible

Seriously l think l would join one if the forces OP. Good luck 🤞

I was a live in nanny pick up from school and evening
got a room board and lodgings and paid £60 a week
old people want this two
I would advertise yourself and see what you get

Ok, your estimated moving costs are literally the worst case scenario. I moved from London to the West Country on a shoestring budget - van hire with pick up in London and drop off in undisclosed SW location was about £120 plus £40 to pay for my mate who was driving to go back to London on a train. Sell your furniture and just keep a single mattress for your new place. It’s not a big deal to sleep on the floor for a few weeks until payday.
You don’t need a professional cleaner to do the moving out clean. You can scrub the oven and, if you must, hire a carpet washer from your local DIY shop for about £30 a day. I never hired a cleaner and got my deposit back every time with no issues. So, the entire logistics of a move come to £200 tops.
Now, to your new place. Currently, you can afford £1000 a month in rent. For this money, you can find a long-term Airbnb in Devon or, at the very least in the arse end of Bristol/Weston/Portishead. No deposit required and will give you a few months breathing room to clear your debt and save up for a deposit.
It is 100% doable. You just need to stop panicking and sit down and look at some numbers and options.

I think given the landlord's behaviour you should prioritise saving money for a new place. Don't pay your last month's rent, and don't clean the place, he can use your deposit for that. He's refused to be reasonable so no reason why you should be. But go to CAB first to check what your rights are.

Look after yourself won’t you. It’s actually quite traumatic to suddenly lose your home and have the fear of not finding another one.

Make sure you switch off from the process for a good chunk of time each day.

The council will help you with a deposit if you can prove you need the help and can't afford it otherwise. Check council deposit scheme referencing your local council on Google and you should find it. I believe they all have this as an option and it's either a loan or a grant depending on your financial situation x

It isn’t legal.

I was just looking online and apparently what the landlord is doing is perfectly legal.

She can stay put and refuse to pay but the LL could start eviction proceedings.

Seems like private lettings are the Wild West.

They only help if you have children.

An increase of £450 is obscene. Does your workplace have any kind of loan or relocation scheme?

You can make a few hundred (or more if you're really determined) doing matched betting https://outplayed.com/what-is-matched-betting but you have to be careful to read the guides properly so you don't fuck it up. As long as you follow the instructions carefully then you're not at risk of losing any money, it's not 'proper' betting. I used this company to help me. You can use their live chat to double check with them that you haven't made any mistakes before you place the bets. There's some threads on it here you can search for.