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

I've got an idea @ReallyStuck2024

ive just been on the haven site and proved up a caravan at Devon cliffs. It's coming up at about £230 for a fortnights holiday from March. Could you book a few of these to give yourself some breathing space to move and find somewhere once you're there? All your bills would be covered and you would have workspace and living accommodation covered for less than £500 a month. Even if only for a few months so you avoid peak times?

www.haven.com/search-results/parks?accessibleVans=false&adults=1&arrivalDate=2025-03-07&children=1&dateRange=true&dogs=0&duration=14&parkCode=DE%2CPS%2CRV%2CLS%2CRP%2CSV%2CWM&parks=DE%2CPS%2CRV%2CLS%2CRP%2CSV%2CWM&referringStep=date&tots=0

Can you just stay in the house and wait for him to evict you? He's not behaving very ethically so you don't need to either. It would be stressful but probably less stressful than leaving with nowhere secure to go.

You can buy second hand furniture apart from a bed....it's quite often nicer.

house shares - look on spareroom.co.uk

its not ideal but a year and save like mad it will help a lot?!

If you have a disability there may be a charity connected who could help you.
I had a landlord like yours once. Before the deposit scheme, so didn't pay the last months rent because I knew he was going to be a dick.
Just make sure new letting agents/landlord don't want a landlord reference.
Good luck 💐

I would definitely look at being a lodger in the area you want to settle in.
It will likely be a lot cheaper and less deposit than a flat.
You won't need to worry about buying furniture straight away.
Then you can save up some money to move into a flat later.

You don't actually have to pay professional cleaners, even if the landlord says you do, unless you think it's necessary to get the cleaning done to a good standard.

Would any of the other 3 tenants in the building facing the same rent increases want to share with you?

Agree with pps re selling possessions that are worth selling and getting furniture from freecycle gumtree etc as and when needed. And trying some of other options to get in a better financial situation eg house sitting etc. for a while . even if you can’t stay with friends or family , does anyone have a loft where you can store things thst aren’t worth selling but buying them again would add up eg kitchen stuff.

Maybe look at housing associations they might be able to help particularly if you have local connections, and in some places there are homelessness prevention charities that exist to give people low interest loans for deposits. Good luck!

is this where family is?

The charity shops near me that specialise in furniture deliver it all.

you won’t need furniture initially you just get yourself there and use a sleeping bag. Not great to say on mn as I will sound like the worst parent ever but after a no fixed abode stint and my family refusing to help when I finally got an address my baby and myself slept on the bedroom floor for six months. You will be just fine as it’s just you.

I have had to move a lot.

You rent something like this, btw I’d probably just take it without even viewing as that gets you in the area to look for something else.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/132505592#/?channel=RES_LET

you pack your laptop and work stuff, special bits and clothes into suitcases and all other belongings you give to a charity shop. And then you get the train to Exeter and start a new life.

once there you buy a few things you need from charity shops each month and you go from there. The big move to the cheaper area is done then.

enjoy Devon, I currently live (am stuck in SE unhappily with a very high mortgage) but would love to go home to the SW.

Or Lightning Reach is a very good grant search platform that will match your circumstances to potential support available

An air BnB for a few months is a great idea, particularly Jan/Feb/March as there won't be as many holiday makers and the air BnB hosts will be grateful for a steady income in their quieter months, no up front cost for you and gives you a few months breathing room to save up a deposit and get back on your feet.

Sorry if raised already (I got to page 5) - many professions or industries have charities than can give grants if you’ve worked in that area. Have a look at turn 2 us and their grant-checker page.

In terms of moving costs, when we moved in August, we rented a van from Enterprise.
We were moving a full flat, so it was a large van, and we were less than £100 for 24 hour hire. We collected at 8am and returned it at 8am the next day.
As you have no furniture, you wouldn't require a big van, and you said previously a friend could help with driving. Could be a lower cost option

If you can work from home, work out the minimum you need to make a move, save it up, then just move. You can sleep on a mattress and cook with a microwave and kettle for a few weeks until you get settled.

Look towards the ends of the rail lines radiating from London. Somewhere like King's Lynn you're 2hrs from London by train and can rent a 2-bed terrace for under £1k/month, or 1-bed flats for under £750.

Firstly - if you need to buy second hand furniture then most places deliver.

I got a bed from British heart foundation and delivery was included in the price.

Secondly - you don't need need furniture to start with. If you've got a sleeping bag or duvet and bedding then the floor will do for a while. I had to wait a while to afford a bed.

Moving stuff - you say you don't drive. Man with a van is the cheapest way to move stuff.

My friend did house sitting, there is a website for pet sitters. She spent a year doing this. Loads if amazing properties and you just have to feed the cat and stay. Some stays are for a months even. She saved a fortune.

I haven't had time to RTFT so apologies if I'm repeating what others have said, but if you think the rent increase is excessive you can take the matter to a first tier tribunal:

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/rent_increases/challenge_a_rent_increase

Regarding moving costs, a lot of councils have a discretionary housing payment which you can apply for to help towards the cost of setting up a new tenancy, i.e first month's rent and deposit.

Also I’ve just seen that you think your landlord is likely to withhold your deposit so if I were you I would just not pay the last months rent (as long as you are genuinely leaving the flat in the condition it was when you moved in). I know some people will say that is wrong and you shouldn’t do that but if you suspect that he will try to take money unfairly from your deposit then that would be a solution.

@ReallyStuck2024

on the work front maybe it’s worth looking at professional hot-desking spaces? We have one that is £200 per month and has private areas for working etc, free tea coffee and heating. Saves me money on heating my home space too. Universities usually have one (sometimes called “incubator” or start up spaces and also local councils, our town also has a privately owned one that charges £12 per day. I also know of a couple of private companies that sub let desk / small office working space.

If you had that it might mean you could consider a smaller place/house share temporarily. So this would pay for itself in terms of saving on rent and heating etc and give you chance to finish paying off the loans.

also second what several posters have already said re nearly new furniture - I got a 3 month old leather sofa not long ago for £250 from Facebook marketplace.

Might you consider being a lodger? I know you'd have to put things in storage possibly but you wouldn't have to pay bills. My friend had a lodger and she worked away all week so the lodger had the place to himself. Even if not maybe the room would be big enough to work in?

@ReallyStuck2024 Sorry I was clutching a straws.

Contacting the council, CAB and Shelter do seem to be the way forward

@ReallyStuck2024 Oh that's not nice, I would hate that.

Would the company your work for be able to help you out at all.