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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think you can't claim to be homeless living in an airport if your income is £1400 a month

444 replies

dhdjdbrjrkbr · 07/02/2015 11:15

Strange DM story today, nothing adds up

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2943251/Homeless-Heathrow-look-holiday-truth-middle-class-couple-living-airport-losing-500-000-home.html#article-2943251

OP posts:
Mintyy · 07/02/2015 16:10

I'm really angered by this story. There are many thousands of people so much worse off than they are! I just went back to re-read and an awful lot of the financial details (like getting a £170,000 mortgage when he was coming up to 60, for instance) and spending £300 of their monthly income on storage have disappeared from the text, presumably because the online comments were picking them apart. I've rented storage space relatively recently in London and paid £25 per week for a unit which would easily hold enough furniture for two people. Whoever started up that fund should have a word with themselves.

misdee · 07/02/2015 16:18

Bonkers story.

And with that go fund me account they have enough for a deposit now

expatinscotland · 07/02/2015 16:20

More than enough for a deposit.

Mintyy · 07/02/2015 16:20

Yep. The account should be closed. People are fecking sheep are they not?

Taz1212 · 07/02/2015 16:23

Good grief, I've just looked at his website and I used to know one of "The Team"!

It's a very very strange story. Hmm

Taz1212 · 07/02/2015 16:24

Sorry, "Our Team" not "The Team"

onthematleavecountdown · 07/02/2015 16:29

Absolutely no sympathy. Clearly a case of them trying to keep up with the Jonses' which has backfired dramatically.

paxtecum · 07/02/2015 16:31

£3360 donated now.
Blooming heck!

thenumberseven · 07/02/2015 16:33

Fishy story. I was Hmm when I read it
Paying 300£ for storage plus B&B and then living in a terminal?
WTF

paulapantsdown · 07/02/2015 16:33

It just does not make sense. Why do they say they go to a b&b two nights a week to sleep and wash their clothes. Since when does a travelogue have laundry facilities!? I call BS on the whole thing.

paulapantsdown · 07/02/2015 16:38

£300 per month would get you a storage unit the size of a house!

Do they really expect people to believe that you can just kip overnight at Heathrow? There may not be flights all night, but there is security! They don't just lick up and go home!

paulapantsdown · 07/02/2015 16:38

LOCK up not lick up!

listsandbudgets · 07/02/2015 17:08

there's a follow up story Seems lots of people have been offering them free accommodation.

Oddly it says they're going to stay in the B&B for a few nights because its pre paid. I thought they could only afford a few nights a week. Perhaps the Mail paid in exchange for their story!

PeppermintCrayon · 07/02/2015 17:14

They weren't forced to sleep in an airport, they just refused to seek help.

PeppermintCrayon · 07/02/2015 17:15

Also, I've never had that kind of money, yet I seem to be capable of not living in an airport...

fairgame · 07/02/2015 17:15

So she could claim JSA but chooses not to Hmm
They don't seem to be doing much to help themselves.

Tinks42 · 07/02/2015 17:16

Con artists.

Downtheroadfirstonleft · 07/02/2015 17:19

Well if they move North, they'd better not move to Manchester - you only get an hour's free WiFi in the airport (or is it 2?)...

Ps this is a (poor) joke, before anyone thinks I'm insulting one of my favourite cities!

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 07/02/2015 17:22

I read that like Shock

Monthly income of £1400 plus the woman could claim another £340 in jsa if she had an address

Outgoings of £700 in storage and bed and breakfast costs

£700 could rent them a flat with space for their furniture (and what won't fit could be sold) and they wouldn't have to sleep in an airport

Conclusion : they are dickheads

treacleturkey · 07/02/2015 17:26

I wouldn't say that 1400 is a lot to live of per month....

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 07/02/2015 17:27

£1400 isn't a lot but it's enough.

treacleturkey · 07/02/2015 17:28

*off

But still, they really don't need a fund.

Sazzle41 · 07/02/2015 17:28

I am glad its not just me who found this weird and confusing. First thought was why didnt they turn their posh home into a B&B or downsize. Very few older people even if fairly 'comfortable' stay in huge houses these days, they downsize to maximise their assets/income. Then i thought why on earth not claiming jobseekers if eligible, madness.

My next reaction (i love problem solving) was there are lots of jobs for cook/gardener & handyman couples in The Lady with flat and car thrown in. Then i thought surely their kids could stump up deposit for flat? Could they find a cheap area where flats are 450 a month (Midlands/North still have lovely places where rents are still around that). Also, i missed the 1400 a month income bit so will re read. Odd.

expatinscotland · 07/02/2015 17:30

'I wouldn't say that 1400 is a lot to live of per month....'

PMSL! For two people who should have, had they not been completely stupid and irresponsible, no housing costs?

Even with that, give me a break!

Someone call a waaambulance for these 'poor' people.

ScrambledEggAndToast · 07/02/2015 17:30

Ridiculous story. They said they had a £200k deposit for their downsized property I believe. Where I live, you could get a 3 bed semi for about £180k in a nice area, they would have been mortgage free.