Housing Association Affordability Checks

[user666555]

Hello,

Long story short, in October my partner and I were made homeless when I was 6 months pregnant. We lived in a hotel for 6 weeks and then moved to a hostel (I had my baby early within a few days of moving to the hostel at 37 weeks).

We've been living in the hostel since November and we've finally been offered a place. However, they're going to do affordability checks. What does this entail? The housing officer asked us for my partners income details and our basic outgoings. The rent where we currently stay is £212 PW (including service charge of £5). My housing officer does know that it's been a real stretch paying this rent as my partner works and we are not entitled to benefits. However, she has been helpful and seemed optimistic about the offer. The rent for the new place is over £170 cheaper PM. I am employed but on maternity leave. Do not qualify for maternity leave so I get maternity allowance.

Do we stand a chance of being accepted? My partner works full time and we have a baby. Do they do credit checks as my credit score isn't the greatest?

Are you sure you're not entitled to UC? I was a lone parent of 1 earning £1750 part time my rent is £104 a week and I was entitled to UC.

@Gettingbyslowly my housing officer has asked me to make an appointment with Citizens Advice and find out definitely as she thinks we might be entitled to help. But her colleague/manager has said he applied for HB on our behalf when we moved here and it got declined - I suspect because I get maternity allowance (£689.92) a month too and I guess they'll take this into account alongside my husband's income

This might be useful to you: benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/

You sound idiotic.

She's in a hostel.

She can't make cheap stews and casseroles. You don't have a proper kitchen to cook in. You share amenities or have a microwave.

And convenience food is notoriously more expensive.

Also my eligibility check may have been different OP as I was exchanging HA properties, so they had a record of me never missing a (different) HA rent payment for 17 years.

Not heard anything yet :( starting to feel a bit disheartened as usually you hear that people have already heard back by now 😢

I can understand you feeling disheartened, but there could be many reasons why there are delays outside of the affordability checks, including them doing basic repairs or survey of condition. There is also the possibility they have discovered a problem with the property and are looking for another. Or it may sadly be that you have been pipped at the post by someone in greater need.

If everyone believes you have benefit entitlement that you are not claiming, that could also slow things up.
If you are or they believe you are ,entitled to HB you may be expected to claim it. I understand that could be difficult and even financially problematic if he has fluctuating money/work with self employment. (I gather UC and S/E can me a nightmare) If that is the case don't argue, start a claim, you can easily drop it later. Saying you'd like a payment to end, results in swift service.

Only your HO will have any idea, and they themselves may not know.
As they've admitted making a maths mistake about your income, you could go and tell them how worried you are that this is affecting the situation and ask for that part to be chased up, see if it gives you any more info.

@Elleherd thank you once again for your response. So I received a call this morning from the HA I'm under and they said they needed a bit more paperwork. They asked for us to apply for UC as they think we should be entitled to it. I said my partner's income can fluctuate and she said that they think there are some months where we might be entitled to some help. She also said that for instance if he was sick one month, UC would top us up. Didn't know this was possible? I thought if you're not eligible one month then they just close your claim and you have to reclaim if you want to claim UC again.

Anyways, she told me to reapply and send a screenshot and to send evidence of my daughter's child benefit.

As I was in the process of filling out the UC paperwork, she then called again and said that we can go for a viewing at 2pm today. I said okay. I asked her what the next steps were and she said well the information that's been collated will be sent to Money Advice and they'll make a judgement on affordability. She said if we pass, then there may still be a wait as there's works being done currently on the property.

Still a waiting game. Not sure why you'd invite someone to a viewing before doing an affordability check - let's see what happens. X

Excellent news!
As I suggested earlier, play the game with UC, you getting it or not, is unlikely to be an actual decider. You showing willing to do what you are told to theoretically maximize your income will be seen in a good light.

You may even find the magic words 'has applied for UC' are being quietly used to help you to fudge a grey area around self employment and you being on maternity allowance.

It sounds like the council outsource the affordability checks, but they probably have a fair idea.

I get it's a faff and may go against some of your principles, but they are looking at 'their duty to ensure your income is maximized.' (The actual duty is not anything like as far reaching as they like to tell themselves, and can be challenged, but only once you are a tenant.)

I'm afraid all my understandings of UC are 2nd hand only, but it seems if you're self employed you have to report earnings and expenditures monthly, so some months you may have earnings that cover for a four month project so you get nothing, but then for the next three months you are only reporting expenditures so you get help. I don't think your claim is closed on the months you get paid.
I think if a GP signs you as unfit, then you may receive help. It seems very confusing, and hopefully someone who understands SE UC may come and comment? (I'd certainly love to understand it better)

My general feeling from everything you've said especially being invited to view, is you are very much being lined up for this home, unless there is a compelling reason why not, or you look like you will balk at it.

Were your childcare costs quite high? Because that's a good salary and low rent.

She also said that for instance if he was sick one month, UC would top us up. Didn't know this was possible? I thought if you're not eligible one month then they just close your claim and you have to reclaim if you want to claim UC again.

UC when self employed is a bit of a faff initially, your partner would go to an interview to explain his work and they would decide if he was “gainfully self employed”. All that means is that he has regular paid work over minimum wage. From there he would submit his income and work expenditure each reporting period and they would work out what, if anything he was due.

It does help flatten out the peaks and troughs, so if he had a busy month you might not get a payment that month bit when he then had a quieter month UC would top up your income. They’ll keep your claim open month to month even if you don’t get a payment.

Just an update. We've moved in to our new place 😌 thank you to everyone who helped. X

Yay!!!!!!! Really glad for you! Hope all goes well and it is the start of a secure part of your future as a family.

That's lovely to hear! Enjoy your new home.

You clearly have little idea how things work in hostels. There often isn’t proper food storage, preparation and cooking facilities. Fridges can be tiny so you have to buy fresh most days. It’s not easy managing with a new baby and preparing food every day and £100 for three people with cost of living expenses and a new baby under those circumstances does not seem excessive to me. Who are you to judge anyway?