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

https://england.shelter.org.uk/professionalresources/legal/homelessnesssapplications/localauthorityyhomelessnessduties/locallauthoritydutyytoprovideeinformationanddadviceonn_homelessness

Please read this link. The council have to give you guidance/advice..... they really don't want you to end up homeless and costing them money, so it's likely that they will help you out with the deposit loan.

Good luck OP!

Spare room.com I lived in a room in a family home for years as a Dr as we move annually so couldn't settle. Most 450/500 max a month including bills, allowed me to save for when I stopped moving

Nearly all of my furniture on getting my own rental was free or sub 50quid on Facebook then slowly replaced as I saved up

I was a lodger for the last two years as I had just moved to London and the rentals market here was a mess. It was only meant to be 6 months but it ended up suiting me fine. I only moved because I felt at my age I should live alone. I did need a deposit but much lower than with a rental however I did not have to buy any furniture. That gives you breathing room to save.

Also please look at this important information regarding your deposit and your landlord's demands for professional cleaning...

www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection

You need to check that your deposit has been registered with the scheme. It's a legal requirement. Your landlord should have given you a certificate when you moved in to show proof that it's been registered. If your deposit was not registered in the official scheme, then I believe that they are legally obliged to pay you compensation for not doing this. Please read this guidance!!

If your deposit has been correctly registered, then they cannot make deductions from it willy nilly! You do not have to pay for a professional cleaning service and they absolutely cannot penalise you for that.

Please look at the link so that you understand your rights.

Have you looked at Spare Room website? I don't know where you want exactly but I just looked quickly and found this:

SpareRoom

If I was moving area I would consider doing this myself for a few months. Don't need to buy furniture, bills included. Deposit plus month's rent look affordable for you?

Could you, and even you and the other tenants, look at something like this

https://liveinguardians.com/locations/london-property-guardians

you usually get to live somewhere cool and have your own space, should help you save a bit.

have you considered part buy part rent (which I did for years) https://www.sharetobuy.com/properties/

and look at housing associations like Peabody and Family Mosaic who fix their rents and they are usually less than market value

Ha! You’re right. I was just doom scrolling whilst waiting for her to arrive and then showed it to her.

get off mumsnet if you’re out having a drink with a friend! 😆

Hi OP - last bit of advice - try a firm like AnyVan for the move. They shifted a proper lorry load of stuff for me for £300, including the movers and getting it all in and out of the house, with two drop offs.

This is the case perhaps in Exeter or other desirable places, but Crediton (no offence Crediton!) isn’t anywhere near as competitive. This is according to the friend I’m having a drink with who by coincidence is a letting agent in Devon.

We’ve just been chatting about it. She agrees that it’s easier if you’re already here as you can set up an alert on rightmove and act quickly.

There’s a few up in Crediton OP

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E379&sortType=1&propertyTypes=&includeLetAgreed=false&mustHave=&dontShow=&furnishTypes=&keywords=

if you’re working 60 hours a week and warning g £27k…. os that minimum wage?

This is a sensible idea. Have a look at https://www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk

Somewhere like this might be suitable
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/4511287?adults=1&category_tag=Tag%3A8678&children=0&enable_m3_private_room=true&infants=0&location=Crediton%2C%20United%20Kingdom&pets=0&photo_id=1691313252&search_mode=regular_search&check_in=2024-12-15&check_out=2024-12-20&source_impression_id=p3_1733855542_P3_bC98PNYvNnx9T&previous_page_section_name=1001

Not sure where in Devon you want to be but if you would consider being lodger, costs are lower. Would have to check they were ok with working from home.
m.spareroom.co.uk/flatshare/?search_id=1337059738&mode=browse&

To get a place to live in the de or Devon people are actually offering to pay 6/12 months rent in advance and every property that becomes available, they’re at least 30+ people actually applying for each one, the whole housing situation is just crazy x

You could become a property guardian as an easier way to move. My brother did this and stayed in a fantastic old house with loads of storage room for his stuff when he moved from London to the Midlands

https://www.adhocproperty.co.uk/guardians/guardian-lifestyle#:~:text=How%20it%20works,owner%20%E2%80%93%20simply%20by%20living%20there.

I know the furniture thing seems really overwhelming but I think you should try to put that to one side. Second hand or gumtree you can get a lot, when we moved into our house with barely any furniture a few years ago (we did have a futon though) I bought loads of stuff from the local charity shop and they delivered for £10!

Also while they only had a few bits of furniture in the shop they actually had a huge warehouse so I just listed what I wanted and the style I liked, and they got photos of options they had and I picked from that. Over time we've replaced a few bits but a lot of it was really good quality so we still have it! Even got some g plan tables for £2.50.

I haven't rtft. But....

....all councils have a legal duty to provide at least advice (not necessarily housing), to people who are at risk of homelessness. They are normally called the homeless prevention team, or something similar. As your rent is becoming unaffordable you may be classed as at risk, so you might be able to get some advice and guidance from your council. They would be able to speak to you about any deposit loans/grants that might be available to you.

The SW is really expensive. Parts of Somerset might be cheaper such as Bridgwater/Chard, so it's worth looking into the cheaper areas.

Also you might be able to join the social housing waiting list. You can google the local authority where you live and will see the criteria. You normally need to be earning under around 35/40k. Councils do help people without children. One bedroom flats are allocated to childless singles and couples. It's just that you might not be a high priority unless you have specific vulnerabilities.

You could also look at the criteria for the council in the area you want to move to. Some will accept you with a local connection such as close family in the area, whereas some will say you need a very good reason to move to be near those family members.

If you manage to register on the social housing waiting list, you can then look at options like this (where you don't need a local connection)...

homefinderuk.org/my-cbl/property-search?bedrooms=Studio-1&propertytype=select&housingcategory=999&tenure=select&radios=Y&checkbox=

I'm rambling on about all this because I really feel for people in your situation. Im single and I used to private rent and it was so hard. I eventually moved into a council flat (due to some specific life circumstances). Paying private rent as a single childless person is very difficult. But, it is not true that the council won't help. They have 1 bed flats, which are not available for people with children. And they are legally obliged to provide advice to people who are at risk of homelessness even if they are single, child free and without vulnerabilities.

All of this is based on my own experience of struggling with housing in the past. I believe what I have said is accurate! But I'm not a professional and I don't have any special knowledge in this area, so I really do apologise if I'm wrong about any of it.

Clothes, my laptop, bedding, all my kitchen stuff. Books. Just stuff. And not even a lot tbh.

Price this up.

How much you can carry?
How much can you post and what is the cost?
How mush can you sell?

Is it cheaper to replace - get new bedding delivered?

Can replace kitchen stuff from charity shops locally in Devon. Ask local family and friends to look for you ahead or put out a list if anyone is decluttering.

Have you asked your work whether they can give you a pay advance? I didn't even know my company did this, before my direct report asked me. I think he got 1/2 a months pay in advance, but it had clauses and couldn't be done again within 12mths.

Could you talk to your bank about a short term arranged overdraft? Just to pay the deposit on new place. pay it off and cancel the overdraft as soon as you get your deposit money back from current let.

Hi, sorry if this has been suggested but have you looked into a credit union loan? My brother was in similar-ish type situation and after a short period of making saving payments he got a loan. Maybe don't mention it's to move out the area as it's unusually a community based thing.

OP you’ve had some good advice already but also get in touch with Acorn renters union. They can assist groups of people fighting rent rises/evictions. You’ll find them online.

Your landlord is an arse and I’m sorry you’re in this position.

What a twat of a human he is.