Why "no DSS"....it's so hard!

[naughty40me]

So I'm basically screwed.

My housing situation is dire and there is no way out. I understand that some landlords cannot take housing benefit claimants due to their insurance but others simply just do not want us.

Also I think the government should put a stop to these insurance companies that impose these conditions.

I have a long term illness and as such claim ESA and housing benefit. I also do permitted work in a bid to get out if the rut I'm in physically/psychologically etc but it's crippling me and not sure it's doing me any good but I am determined to persevere.,

I used to be married, own my own home, had a "good" job...I have qualifications, I'm not stupid. But now the last 8 years finds me a single parent, with an ongoing illness, no fault of my own.

I pay my bills the same as anyone else, never missed a rental payment in all the years I've been here. Yet now, I need to move.

Cannot give details regarding landlord as do not want to put myself. However, I do need to move, again no fault of my own.

I have contacted several agents regarding several properties and I keep getting told "sorry no DSS"....it's heartbreaking.

The council cannot house me unless or until we are evicted by bailiffs and then it is only hostel accommodation for the foreseeable. Children will have to move schools and it will be a big upheaval. I don't want that.

There just is nothing available with social housing. A few homes a month and they are reserved for emergency cases. There just is no housing stock.

So how then are the government going to help people like me? I need to rent privately but I keep getting turned down.

I have no parents. I have no guarantor. I am literally stuck paying rent on a house that is in disrepair, that the funds are not getting passed onto the mortgage company...I am on the brink of repossession/eviction and I am powerless to take charge.

I'm fed up of feeling judged. Like being a single mother on benefits somehow makes me the scum of the earth. Surely, a person in full time employment could ruin a house and not pay their rent if they were so inclined??

It's wrong that I am judged to be not good enough. I pay my bills the same as anyone else. I will pay a bond and rent up front the same as anyone else.

I feel like a total failure. My children are going to be put through all this and they already see me struggling day to day., it's so hard being ill. I'm trying, I'm doing my best but it's just not getting us anywhere.

It all feels so unfair.

Doesn't help you but I understand it's a condition of many buy to let mortgages that 'DSS' tenants are not allowed.

Have you tried www.openrent.co.uk/ - this allows you to search specifically for places that accept 'DSS'.

Good luck, I hope you get something sorted.

OK this is a really long shot but I have seen it work once or twice.

Contact the mortgage company directly and beg them to keep you as a sitting tenant... in short ask them to become your landlord. They will then have both house and ongoing income.

Be prepared for them to say no (they normally do) but its not unheard of for them to agree and if you don't ask you certainly won't get.

the CAB have a little bit of information on this

Don’t tell them you’re on benefits until after you’ve met them. You won’t be lying because there’s no such thing as dss. Those with insurance companies that won’t cover you will still refuse, but if someone has met you and realised you aren’t a daily mail stereotype there’s a possibility they’ll be happy to let to you.

The government won’t interfere with insurance companies. They use statistics to determine risk and rate accordingly. Happens with all types of insurance from car to home etc.

There are landlords who own outright (so not bank clause re tenants) and can afford to pay more for insurance that can take tenants on benefits out there as they have no restrictions. They may choose not to if they have been stung in the past though.

I'd ask the letting agents to pass on your story along with bank statements going back for as long as you can, showing regular payments. You can blank everything else out. Do you have the money to pay 6 months rent up front? Or a few if not 6?

Try to get people on side.

I'm a LL and whilst I couldn't because of the insurance, but if I could then doing the above may sway me.

Have you spoken to the council? Some have a list of accredited landlords who will take benefits. Some councils also lend the bond /deposit if you are in benefits.
I work for a housing company who take zero bond /deposit and and accept benefits if you can give a rough area....

Thanks all for the replies.

I'm trying to save as much as possible to be able to offer more than one month up front.

I'm in the Wakefield council area in West Yorkshire.

They do offer help with bonds and removal costs but you have to secure a tenancy first.

I've looked at all the housing associations too but there is just nothing available local to me.

Maybe look at dssaccepted.co.uk? Not much available but it could work.

There is also a new scheme where you pay an insurance policy instead of a deposit. If you could do this then you could use your deposit money towards up front rent.

www.simplybusiness.co.uk/knowledge/articles/2017/11/91-per-cent-of-buy-to-let-landlords-unaware-of-insurance-based-deposit-schemes/

It's shit OP- I've been in your situation. I've been a professional woman with my own home, then ended up in rented property, unwell and on benefits. I was paying a high amount of rent each month, with no issues, but when the landlord wanted to sell the property no-body wanted to rent to me. The combination of pressure from the landlord to move out, and rejection from potential landlords was awful. I was told that if I had 6 months rent up front maybe I'd be considered. Of course, I didn't have a spare £5000 plus moving costs lying around.

Are there any local FB pages where you can advertise yourself as an ideal tenant, looking for somewhere?

Being realistic, staying put until you are evicted tends to be how it goes with people in our situation. Are you on whaever social housing allocation scheme is local to you e.g. Homechoice? The eviction process is massively unfair, and stressful, but if you can get a housing association or council property at least then you won't have to move again, that is priceless TBH. Your children might have to move schools, but once it's done, it's done.