I can’t believe it’s happened again

[Booboobooboo84]

I’m desperately trying to get myself moved out of a domestic violence refuge. I’m unable to work while here due to the rent being £300 pw so have to rely on benefits. Just saying as don’t want to dripfeed or for it to look like I’m expecting a handout. I just hope for a handup so that I can get back to work. I only intend to need to claim hb for my first month in the new flat.

My issue is I keep getting to the top of the list and the housing associations ask for 2 months rent upfront. Not a problem the council can arrange this within about 72 hours. I currently live on £56 pw after paying service charges so saving £1200 is out of my reach.

My aibu is I’m just so distraught at the fact that the housing associations only give you a day to find the money despite knowing it will take the council 72 hours. So in the last few weeks I’ve been offered 4 suitable flats (and I would snap up anything at all) but not one housing association will give the time needed to raise the 2 months. Even with the housing officers intervention. One today even sent me armed with a letter committing that the council will pay any costs but the housing association was like nope cash or nothing.

I’m going to be in this refuge forever aren’t I. I can’t move to a different area as the home office chose this one for my own safety. I’ve looked into a gofundme but can’t do anything that might identify me pubically for my own safety.

I just don’t know if I’m being ur to think it’s so so wrong

Does the local council have a rent bond scheme? Some do. Worth a try.
Otherwise have you spoken to Shelter the housing charity?
IME at a previous job they were pretty good and even took some landlords to court over the way they treated tenants.
Find out your nearest one and give them a call asap.
If the refuge evict you I don't think it will help, the council will put you in a hostel and probably a worse one so I wouldn't go down that route. It still won't help you with the deposit needed to move on.
I'm so sorry, I hope you get some joy soon.

Can’t the refuge/your friend/woman down the street be given a piece of your art as a gift, find it doesn’t suit their house....perhaphs sell it & maybe coincidentally have a bit of spare cash they can lend you for a deposit?

@anniannonimouse there is a risk working like that which is why I would only sell locally and I’m not on social media. But it’s been risk assessed and my family didn’t know I was making money as an artist previously so it’s unlikely they will be looking for me in those circles. I am also very anonymous and intend to just be your typical reclusive artist. My name has changed and lately so has my work due to my circumstances.

Could you send your work using your friends address?

Sell!

That’s an amazing idea Annie and believe me it’s tempting. But it goes against my tenancy agreement and my benefits agreement. And I’m not going to become a criminal and I am the type of person that’s unlucky enough to get caught.

I had no bank statements, and no job but the council liaised with the estate agent. The police backed up the dv to the council. The landlord was happy to accept housing benefit until I got a job.

I’m aware different regions probably work differently but I found it a lot more straightforward than I was anticipating.

@mrsdraper1 it’s the delay with the council processing the deposit scheme that’s an issue. They need a few days from the viewing appointment and the housing association wants the money at the viewing. Shelter are very supportive and are taking up the cause on behalf of the women with children at the minute. But I’m not included in that because I can’t be identified even in an anonymous case study.

@crispbutty yeah I’ve found most private places I’ve viewed have had lovely landlords and I’ve got the backing of the council. But housinggn is in demand so they’ve always gone with a less complex tenant.

Is it possible to relocate. I’m in Devon and moved here from London as trying to find somewhere to live there was impossible.

Have you gone to the Chief Executive of the Housing Association?
It can often be the case that they’re so far removed from the day to day business of the organisation that they have no idea how the policies being applied actually affect people

Then the council are the ones causing the problem. Official complaint would be my first port of call and copy it to your local councillor and whichever councillor in the council cabinet has oversight for Housing Benefit and the leader of the council.
They can fastrack the processing if they want to, it's just a person pressing a button. They can send it via chaps payment to the HA, they will be reluctant because there is a cost to them but it is possible.
I used to work for a council, they can't give you cash but they can arrange money to be transferred quickly if they have to. I know I was a manager and had to arrange it occasionally when there had been a cock up.
I understand the part about the shelter case study but they can still help you from an advocacy point of view surely?
Also do the Housing Associations have trustees/complaints procedure? I would be looking at them after I had exhausted the council avenue.
Good luck and don't let the council fob you off. That is honestly what they seem to be doing, 72 hours is because someone has to input it all and then they send it the slow way.

@crispbutty I’m tied to the area I’m in. My dv came from family and the area the home office identified is the only area I can live in. I’ve left messages for the worker from there to ask for help but so far unanswered.

I’ve sent letters to the chief execs off all the local housing associations to highlight what this policy is doing.

Have you tried putting in official complaints to both the Chief Executive of your council as really they need to put something in place to sort this. They could even send a member of staff with the cash, or they need to come up with a compromise with the housing association. Sometimes it just needs someone with some power and common sense.

I really feel for you. I really hope you get this sorted soon.

Sorry a few posts suddenly appeared when I posted, sorry for the cross-post.

This seems quite an unfortunate story, it drew me in but then I questioned a few things... you don’t have a friend who can help with crowd funding but you do have a friend you can do admin work for...? Also, given my 25 years experience working in housing benefits I do know that we can pick up the phone and negotiate with a housing association, very very effectively in fact, I also don’t know of any housing associations that ‘only take cash’....I find that quite extraordinary as they are effectively social housing that meet the needs council housing can’t and they would much prefer guaranteed payments direct from the council as opposed to ‘cash’ on the day, if your plight is genuine and you have been forced into a new identity I cannot imagine the support networks that got you there just dropped you like a ton of bricks as clearly that then jeopardises the whole point and the expense they went to.

@mrsdraper1 I get a call to view at 10am Monday to attend the viewing at 1pm Monday. The council needs time to process and confirm payment, they actually aren’t being unreasonable. They’ve sent me with letters saying they will pay everything but the HA’s only want cash. They don’t want transfers.

I have met people down here @iamsosceptical and they don’t know my past history. Because it’s best they don’t. Because that protects me.

No organisation have dropped me like hot bricks. I’ve explained clearly this is a new situation arising from them deciding to enforce the two month rent up front rule on everyone.

I hope you get something soon. It seems so unfair that you are struggling due to red tape and jobsworths.

Totally scraping the barrel and I know someone suggested it earlier, but can you not find a job, any job, that’s live in? Au pair, bar work, carer...whatever? It sounds like you could get back on your feet pretty quickly if you could just start working again (your art), which you could do alongside your art until you have the deposit sorted for a deposit.

I work in the industry and I know that councils work very closely with housing associations, I have never ever encountered a situation like yours, in every case I’ve ever dealt with before the HA was very happy to work with the council and place a vulnerable person without expecting them to have hard cash, most vulnerable people don’t have cash, that’s why they are vulnerable and that’s what HA’s are there for, they are not commercial landlords, they are social landlords providing the service most councils no longer can, but yes ultimately they expect tenants to pay their rent ongoing. I’m struggling to understand why they, working together with the council, can’t seem to help you.......

@annie I’m applying everywhere in the area for live in jobs but it’s very seasonal where I am so there isn’t much around. And I’m applying without any references which can be problematic. But I am trying

@imsosceptical well I don’t know what to say to convince you. But I am telling the truth. Anything I’ve omitted has been to protect my identity. I’m sorry if the situation confuses or offends you in any way. But all I’ve asking is aibu to feel the way I do, I’ll go ahead and presume you believe I am.

Best reply is the one suggesting you get the council to authorise the money in advance and give it to your social worker to hold it for you.

@tootiredtospeak I don’t have a social worker. Or if I do I’ve never met them. But I’ll call and ask if that’s a possibility.