How do people get housing nowadays?

[ohbloodyell]

I'm planning to leave a relationship, but I don't know where to start as I live in London and I know I have no chance of being housed with my 4 year old.

I've never had a career, just worked in retail and cleaned. I have no savings and no family to help.

I really can't stay in this relationship and there is no abuse so can't involve womens aid or anything.

What am I suppose to do?

Sorry. Should mention that I'm going in to 3rd year of university that is not in London but all lectures will be conducted online. Not sure if they could help, doubt it.

Can he move out?
Family?

The house is his. I'm not married.

Does he own the house on his own?

Yes house owned by him.

Actually, I'd try them. Mine has a special lettings page, which only student's can access, but you can only get a log in by contacting their housing office, so hardly anyone knows about it. I had a lot of success with it, when helping out someone else on my course. The deposits were normally about £100, rather than £1000.

I would also apply to their hardship fund for a loan and also an additional payment (not a loan), which might cover a deposit, they will have some kind of student finance office for this. Mine gave out £800 without blinking to the person I was helping. Only half to be repayed.

I don't have any other advice regarding council housing or similar, because I know bugger all about it, but definitely don't write off university help! Mine are certainly very happy to hand out cash to get mature student's housed.

You can apply for housing. You may be able to get help into private rental. You should be able to get universal credit to help with rent. You might need to leave London though - it's the most expensive place in the uk to live.

Unless you feel completely tied to London for some reason, you have limited local options. A house share could work depending on who else was in the house. Rent for a room would be about £100 /week.
Leaving London would make housing cheaper and possibly childcare.
You need to access benefits you are entitled to.

There will be a department of your university that deals with housing. They’ll be able to advise you on whether they can help and if not they will be able to direct you to the right services.

Leave London? You can't live in a houseshare with a 4 year old

IF you see your future in London for whatever reason you can always move back in a few years once you've got sorted

IME people in the South East or London tend to fall into two camps, those with money and means and those without.

If you have the money yourself, earn enough, have a guarantor, have good credit, have a deposit etc. Then you private rent and eventually buy.

Then there are those without money or means. They live in substandard rental accommodation that is over priced and much too small (but will take them on low income and/or benefits), move back in with parents (if they can!) or live in b&b/temporary accommodation for years waiting for a council house on the bidding system.

There is a big housing divide. And there is also a massive housing crisis, especially in social housing. Rents are massively inflated beyond most people's income levels. People break themselves financially to stay out of b&b (and with good reason most of the time). I have no means and no money, so if you are in the Same boat I massively relate. Also been a low wage earner and student parent. It's crap, but it is what it is

Ok, I would only consider London as my mother and siblings live here and I'm very reliant on my mum for childcare and for my wellbeing but she doesnt have room in her flat, plus she has a physical disability.

I will see what my university could do.

I'd talk to your uni, mine used to have family houses for foreign postgrads that came over with partners/dc. I think there'll be a lot less demand for them atm so you might be able to get one. They were nice little houses next to campus.

Bear in mind that university departments are not always as linked as you might expect. Definitely contact both their housing office and their financial services one.

@Camomila

I'd talk to your uni, mine used to have family houses for foreign postgrads that came over with partners/dc. I think there'll be a lot less demand for them atm so you might be able to get one. They were nice little houses next to campus.

The Uni isn't in London though. I'd still talk to them anyway, see what support they can offer. .

Is your DMs flat a council/HA flat?

If so, would she be able to try and swap for a 2 or 3 bed place that you could all share?

She might find someone who needs to downsize due to bedroom tax, as it was widely reported that a shortage of 1 bed properties was stopping people from doing this. You could then pool financial resources to help both of you, along with the childcare benefit.

Yes my mother is in a HA flat. I'll suggest this to her and see what we can find.

I'm stuck with this nutjob if I can't sort something.

highly unlikely in London.....at best it would be a b&b room