To be scared?

[WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant]

Maybe more wwyd?
Or an ask for advice?

I don't know, it's all a mess...

I have been struggling with money since my ex left.

It's just me, ds (12), dd (2) and the cat.

The cat doesn't need much, he lives outside.

Dd can't eat wheat, so her food can be expensive. I try to cook most things from ingredients, but there are some nights when we have to rush, so it will be fish fingers.

But I am behind on some bills. My water bill is £90 a month. This is ridiculous! I don't have an evian factory or anything! Apparently it's because I have a Cheshire postcode

No idea about gaz and leccy... Still waiting for landlord to fix garage door to access the meter.

I have been paying something for water every month. Not as much as they want, but something. I have been asking for a way to pay gas/leccy too, but they haven't sent a plastic card like the water did.

Anyway, got a nasty letter from the water, demanding £800 in the next few days. I have £22 to last until Friday. No petrol in the car (hope ds doesn't have an emergency at school...)

Who can I ask for help? Not mumsnet... CAB? Could they do anything? A charity?

I am already in the bottom of my overdraft (expensive tooth repair, not Xmas excess)

My parents don't have that much money laying around.

I just don't want to be here, with dcs, if/when bad people come banging on my door.

Hi.
Thanks all again.

I prefer email or proper mail as you get proof of everything in writing.

I did phone the water people last time I had this issue, they gave me a grant for £400 (straight to,water, not to me), but as it was verbal, they claimed I had agreed to pay £60 every month (no way could I afford that).

I guess the RV of the house is high as its a detached bungalow. Landlord won't let us have a meter, but I am sure our contract is dodgy!

I am currently on unpaid leave from work, as my dd is having a lot of medical issues. I get most of my rent paid, child benefits, and tax credits.

Hopefully next month, when she turns 3, we should get DLA for her. Which will help a lot.

Off to google CAP and step thing now.

£90 per month is absolutely not OK.
I pay £130 per half year so £260 per year.
In my old house it was a bit more but only £145 per half year.
They have got something very wrong with that £90 per month for sure.
Get it checked out.

Orda 1 yep, in and out. It is very reasonable, in our old, smaller house it was more. Luck of the draw I guess, there doesnt seem to be much logic in water charges...

OP, hope you get a resolution...amd a big fat refund for their overcharging you...

Sorry if this sounds harsh but here is some tough love.
This is why single parents and other people on lower incomes live in towns with public transport, dont run a car and dont use private dental care.

You need to look at your finances and move somewhere that you can afford to live, with a lifestyle you can afford to pay for.
You may be entitled to a Housing Association house but it wont be somewhere smart.

CAB will help you, and if you are entitiled to any benefits they will help you claim, but they cannot magic money out of nowhere.

If you cannot use a phone, go for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and fix the problem. What would you do in an emergency if you needed an ambulance?

Knobbly shut up. You clearly have NO knowledge of ASD.

OP - I'm wondering if due to your ASD could you be entitled to some money management help?!

knobbly wind your neck in

Its very telling that you didnt ask about the OPs exes lifestyle or even if hes paying Child Support and just ripped into the OP.

OP check out the water meter thing thouroughly but make sure its right for you. Our water company tried to charge our downstairs neighbour for a leak that was their fault.

If your daughter has a diagnosed medical reason for not eating wheat she should get alternatives on prescription. Take her to the GP about this.

Get help from professional bodies ASAP the sooner you act on it the sooner things will change!. All the advise above is worth taking note of!!

FeedMyFaceWithJaffaCakes OP did not say they have ASD.
I didnt rip into the OP. OP asked for advice.
That was my advice. Go to CAB and see what you are entitled to, but dont expect it to keep you in luxury. It wont. People have to move if they cannot afford to stay where they are.

There is no 'extra money' for ASD . You need 8 points to claim the low level of PIP and someone who can drive isnt going to qualify.
Pretending to be nice while watching someone go bankrupt isnt going to cut it. Since you dont know their financial situation either, your comments are irrelevant as well as spiteful.
I do understand phobias, having dealt with my own PTSD , agoraphobia, panic attacks etc etc so grow up. Why live with a phobia when it can be dealt with?
Having ASD does not make you helpless or unable to learn.

Telling someone to get a water meter isnt great advice. Once you have one, you are stuck with it.
People wanted austerity measured for benefits, and heres the end result.

OP does say she has ASD.

HelenaDove How does blaming the absent partner cure this problem? Do tell.
Its obvious that he is Mr Nowhere as she only has £22 in the bank and talks about her parents, but not Him...
CAB will deal with all that. OP asked for advice, I gave it. See CAB but dont expect miracles.

Knobbly you do realise you can't "treat" asd don't you? It isn't curable.

Op your water bill sounds awfully high. Are you sure there isn't a low income tariff you could be on? We are a low income family managing on dla and tax credits (son has severe asd and I care for him full time) and we are on a water sure tariff which works out at £35 a month for however much water we need. Ask if they have a water sure tariff.

A lot of companies have live online chat facilities on their webpage and Facebook messenger response teams so check if you can contact them that way.

Fairylea
You can treat a phobia. If you'd read my original post you'd realise I said that. Get help to treat the phone phobia so you can use a phone.
Where in the original post did OP say they had ASD?
This OP need professional help. Being well meaning isnt going to cut it.

The water bill may be correct if the property is metered, and there is a leak.

You don't need permission from ll for a water meter. Hope you get help asap

Knobbly here - the second post -

"One thing I can't do is phone. I have no phone. I hate phones. Asd".

Yes you can treat phobias but someone who is unable to use a phone because of their asd is not the same as someone having a phobia.

There is no need for using a phone in this situation anyway as op can contact the water company by other means.

I dont think anyone should put a water meter into a rented property without permission from the landlord. Once it is installed, it cannot be removed.

knobbly "you need 8 points to get the lowest level of PIP. Someone who can drive won't qualify".

You are talking out your arse. There are two parts to PIP and only 1 part is about mobility? You do realise that not all disabilities are visible right? Or physical?

You do realise that you can get PIP and even be working right?

Thought not.

OP my gas and electricity company told me not too long ago that it is an offence for the homeowner to have the meter inaccessible. So if it is impossible for them to read the meter because your landlord is too lazy to fix the access problem, your g&e supplier would be very interested in that I think.

It could also mean you are paying more than you need to because no one can take a reading.

£90 a month on water - no way. Contact water ombudsmen and demand a recheck of systems. I bet they owe you money.

Nice way to derail the thread. I'm sure that will help the OP.

Regarding the water, no rates should be that much. We pay £60 a month for 4 of us on a meter (no choice of rates as new build) and I thought that was extortionate!
Don't know much about the system but could you be paying the debts of the people who rented before you? Definitely go CAB.
You mention DLA for your child - can you not claim this earlier, especially if she hads lots of appointments that she needs taking to? My friend has been claiming higher rate since her son was 6 months (but he does have a very specific disability).

Legally, you can have a water meter despite the LL contract clause. However that wouldn't do much for your relationship.
www.landlordlawblog.co.uk/2013/08/20/tenants-and-water-meters-what-is-the-law/

knobblyknee has a point. OPs income is less than her expenditure and she needs to find ways of addressing that in the medium term.

Another one saying your water bills are almost certainly wrong.

We are in Cheshire (just!) and have a meter. Family of 3 out at work BUT it's a big 4 bed house, the washing machine is on daily and my DH leave the bloody tap on for the cats half the time. Bills normally £35-40 a month, in November DH spent 2 solid days pressure washing all the driveways and flagged areas, plus play equipment etc, and bill was still only £45 that month.

If you can get your water bill sorted and DLA means it's feasible to stay where you are then I would. Moving is very expensive.

Is there anyone who could deal with the company on the phone for you at all? You would need to speak to them briefly to give permission, but if one of my friends had this issue I would have no problem going round and making the phonecall with/for them.

What about your local Children's centre? Could they help with that maybe? I know the one where we used to live did CAB sessions and debt advice, as well as helping liaise with companies for people.

Wow Knobbly i thought that moving house costs money If you know different please do tell.

And when you mentioned the OPs ex you put Him with a capital H.

And it is relevant because if non payment of Child Support was a criminal offence as it is in other countries it would help a great deal.

And please do show us where the OP said she expected to live in luxury.

Is there any chance you're paying debt that's not yours? I moved into a rented house that had an electric key and gas card. The landlord went to great lengths to tell me not to lose them as there was a charge for new ones.

We were forever running out of gas and electric, I was topping it up 2/3 times a week. Then the gas ran out after I topped it up and hadn't used it for three days. I called them. Turns out the LL had debt on the meter that a % of was being paid every time the meter was topped up! I then called the electricity company. Same story. The LL had hundreds of pounds of debt on both accounts and had me paying it!! I was able to prove when I moved in and was refunded the money from the gas and electric companies and the debt was set aside till I moved out and theiving git of a LL moved back in.

I got about £75 back from electricity overpayment in about six weeks in the house, it soon adds up.