Should I do sex work temporarily until I get somewhere to live?

[HomelessnessApproaching]

I am physically disabled, and also have mental health issues. I receive housing benefit and cannot find a new landlord who will take me on. At the end of my rope, and have nowhere to go.

Out of desperation I am considering doing sex work for the next few weeks so I can approach landlords offering to pay a few months in advance. Then I can make a fresh application for housing benefit.

I really don't know where to do. I feel trapped and terrified, I have such limited money. Perhaps leaving an expensive city is what I should do but my mind is so distressed I can't even begin to focus on what village I should aim for? I have mobility and medical issues to factor in as well.

I have never done sex work before but I think I would be capable of switching off and keeping things professional. Obviously if it went wrong it could go very dangerously wrong and that's terrifying but being on the street is terrifying too.

It really depends on what your mobility and mental health issues are. I did it 'for a short time' as a healthy person, but giving up earning that kind of money at the end of your target after having little money is very difficult indeed. Not to mention how physically and mentally demanding the job is. Although if your current situation is causing you to feel worse than you might if you moved, it is a consideration.

You really don't need to work on the streets however. If you do decide to do it, then in the beginning you will find you attract the sort of clients that everyone else has learned to avoid, so you must be extremely cautious. This, amongst other issues, could exacerbate mental health issues massively.

Beyond that it can genuinely be enjoyable, rewarding and confidence boosting. But long term you will end up physically and emotionally exhausted if you don't look after yourself exceptionally well.

A number of people I know have met a few people they really enjoy seeing, and will only see two or three of these per week (after the first few months of getting to know them obviously).

Feel free to pm me any questions, and of course there are other options. I just wanted to give you a very brief perspective of someone who has been there.

Op, I really don't think sex work is the answer. I have friends who have done it and it's fucked them up for life, and one of them was nearly murdered.

it sounds like you're having a really tough time, and somewhere that springs to mind is a place near me that is a woodland refuge for people who are having problems in life. In exchange for some help around the place you get somewhere to live, and meals etc. My friend stayed there, the people that run it are great. I'm not saying that exact place (in fact they are temporarily closed and won't be reopening until the spring so that might be too late), but they might know of similar things going on in different parts of the country. Might be what you need to work through your problems and be able to get yourself back on your feet.

www.windsorhillwood.co.uk

New landlords would know when they see my bank account statements. So no way to keep it from them and I keep getting turned down when I call.

What's happening with your current LL? Why won't he renew?

The rent has gone up and teh other tenants are agreed that theyre leaving. I could not carry the whole rent alone, I doubt teh council would help with paying for that either.

And this is because of our current housing crisis that our government just don't want to tackle and a big part of why so many voted brexit, to say fuck you to the government that keeps effing them over and at the same time will allow unknown amounts of immigration that takes up even more of the cheaper housing.

Sorry OP. You are in a bad situation.

What's in your current contract?

If you were renting a room, you still only have to pay rent on your room, not the whole house. It's upto the LL to find new tenents.

No it was joint tenancy.

What a horrific situation you are in, please don't consider doing this. You're vulnerable and this would only cause your mental health more harm.

Have you been told by the landlord that you have to pay the whole rent on your own?

Ah, I see.

Keep paying what you are paying now. The LL will have to go to court to evict you. Once you are far enough down that route, the council will help.

You could try to apply for discretionary payments to give you extra time, it can't hurt. The worst that could happen is they say.

Even if the other tenants leave in Feb you do not have to leave until the bailiffs arrive.

Awful situation for you to be in OP. Do you have any family or friends who would act as a guarantor for you? There are also agencies that deal specifically with tenants who get HB, or have bad credit references. They have landlords on their books who are happy to take people in that situation, as the agency manages the tenancy. I wouldn't encourage you to wait in the property until you're evicted though - a lot of landlords depend on rents to pay their own mortgages, so I think it's unfair that people are actively encouraging you to do that knowing that you are not going to be paying rent, which might result in huge financial problems for your landlord. It doesn't sound that the landlord is behaving badly here? I do hope things get sorted for you though OP.

I wouldn't encourage you to wait in the property until you're evicted though - a lot of landlords depend on rents to pay their own mortgages, so I think it's unfair that people are actively encouraging you to do that knowing that you are not going to be paying rent, which might result in huge financial problems for your landlord. It doesn't sound that the landlord is behaving badly here? I do hope things get sorted for you though OP.

That is absolutely awful advise. If OP leaves before the bailiffs turn up, she will be intentionally homeless in the council's eyes and they will not house her.

And the LL who rely on rents to pay the mogages are fecking idiots. It's a business, at the end of the day, there should always be some money in the pot to cover things like this.

Obv it is not the LL fault that OP is in this situation but nor is it her fault.

It is imperative that she does not leave that house until she has secure accomodation or until the bailliffs turn up.

Keep paying what you are paying now. The LL will have to go to court to evict you. Once you are far enough down that route, the council will help

*You could try to apply for discretionary payments to give you extra time, it can't hurt.

Even if the other tenants leave in Feb you do not have to leave until the bailiffs arrive

Some of this is correct.

But you should be aware that if the other 2 tenants gave a valid notice to terminate the lease (and by "valid" I mean that the lease had reached a point where it could be terminated and the correct notice period was given) then the lease will end on the date specified in their notice to quit whether or not you want to stay. Their actions break the contract between the 3 of you and the landlord. In that situation it might not be possible for you to get housing benefit, and certainly not a top-up as technically you do not have a lease.

You cannot be evicted without a court decree but I would not count on getting extra discretionary payments as there may well be no lease in existence at all.

If on the other hand the other 2 are just going to do a moonlight flit they remain jointly and severally liable with you to pay the rent and the lease continues ? Is there any possibility of your finding replacements for them and asking for a new lease?

Have you spoken to your local councillor or MP? They are there to help and represent you. www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-your-mp/