Renters - what would you do if your landlord is selling up but there's nowhere you can afford to move to?

[Yankydoodledandy]

So my friend has rang me in tears. She lives with her DS who is on an apprentership. She rents and is on PIP and benefits due to ill health.

Her landlord is selling up and she has to move in 6 weeks. All the council houses she can bid for she says are in really bad areas and private rent is crazy.

I just dont know how to advise her.

Anyone got any advice I can forward on please?

Ive told her to call the CAB and her local council to see if there's anything they can offer. But is there anything else she could do to help with either renting privately etc. she is unable to work due to disabilities etc.

Has she been given notice correctly?

Yes she has.

Call Shelter for advice. Unfortunately, she may have to choose between a crazy rental price or a less suitable area.

She might have to take what she can from the Council. I'm on the edge of a Council estate. Noone would live here if they could afford better.

Actually I'll query that with her as Im not sure - Ive just done a quick google and it says 6 months notice if you rent yearly which Im sure she does

I'm in the same situation it's dire. I'm going to have to go for a one bed for me and my dd if I can't afford another 2 bed.

www.gov.uk/private-renting-evictions

Think its 2 months just now. They don't have to leave at that point and the landlord would go to court to get you evicted.

Are they on a fixed term or not?

Unfortunately for her I don’t think it’s going to be seen as reasonable to turn down council housing because she doesn’t like the area. No one would live in undesirable areas if they had the choice - to be blunt it seems like she doesn’t

I'd be screwed to be honest. We've been trying to move for over a year and we can't afford anywhere but it keeps getting more expensive. I remember as a kid, walking around my village with my baby brothers asking if anyone knew anyone that was renting a house out as we had to be out that day. Thankfully we found someone with a house with an hour to go. My mother must have been beyond stressed. We had 6 weeks also.

She can stay on until she is evicted, that can take a year or two I think.

but then she would have bad references if she gets evicted

Also notice depends on what country you are in. Eg England is 2 months, Wales is 6 months still I think.

She does not have to leave at the end of the notice - though it saves a lot of hassle and stress if you can. Only a court can evict - Notice is just notice that they may go to court for an eviction. Many councils say to stay on, and will deem people intentionally homeless for council housing purposes if they do leave. If notice is not valid (lots of reasons it could not be like no gas safety certificate etc), it will be dismissed by the court.

What i did was live in a council house in a 'bad' area. It was fine. B and b and temporary accommodation first, but bidding might mean she doesn't have to do that.

If she is being offered council properties she should take one - it sounds like she is not in a good position to be at the mercy of the private rental market.

Advice from Shelter is not to leave if you can't find anywhere else as council may see you as "voluntarily homeless" (england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/eviction/section_21_eviction/staying_after_a_section_21_notice)

Unfortunately the council help after it's gone to court is likely to be a b&b/hostel or some other short term accommodation. If she has the option of bidding for a secure tenancy and avoiding that, I'd bite their hand off, even if it's a rough area. At least it's a stable home for a year or so until DS finishes education, rather than one room with shared kitchen/bathroom facilities.

Often the council wont help until you've been evicted and advise you to wait

dementedpixie while I do feel for the OP’s friend do you think it’s really fair to advise her to stay in the property and make Landlord take her to court? We really don’t know the Landlord’s reason for selling the property and if they’ve followed correct procedures regarding notice term, why be difficult about finding somewhere else to live and leaving in 6 weeks. Just wondering also that if you waited for Landlord to take you to court wouldn’t it impact on being able to rent a property in the future?

@Keepitonthedownlow

She can stay on until she is evicted, that can take a year or two I think.

It doesn’t work like that anymore. Landlords can pay for a fast track eviction, it takes 6 weeks from start to finish where you’ll be forcibly evicted. You are then liable to pay for whatever it’s cost the landlord for the fast track eviction, if you don’t pay the costs with a month then you get an automatic county court judgement, a fine, and eventually a warrant for your arrest. It’s shit being in the position of having to move out, but it’s not fair on landlords going through years of aggro, costs and court enforcement when a tenant refuses to move. I know council houses are hardly considered luxurious, but it is a bloody luxury being offered cheap, social housing if you can’t pay proper rent. She’s not in a position to be turning down houses because she doesn’t like the areas

Ahh I’ve read some of the other posts now and see that to stay put is what is advised

Has she been offered a council property? If so she needs to take it,whatever the area

@Babadook76 how the hell is anyone supposed to find somewhere else to live in 6 weeks?!' It's crazy especially in this current housing crisis climate.

Any local housing associations?

If I was her I would bid for a council house even though its not a good area, it would be better than being in temporary accommodation or a private rental she can't afford. The private rental market is dreadful at the moment, I can see why she is devastated.

If she's set against the council route, could she move somewhere smaller even if it meant being cramped/using the living room as a bedroom at night?

If she does want to try and find a private rentallooking on rightmove won't yield anything, the thing to do is

• contact all local letting agents and ask to be notified when houses meeting her criteria come up

-post on local Facebook pages, as most towns have landlords with multiple properties who may not even advertise as they can just rent out by word of mouth.