6 weeks to find a new House

[fulltimeworkingmotherof4]

I've lived in my house for almost 9 years, renting privately from a friend. Paid her rent every month and have no tenancy agreement. Her circumstances have changed and now she wants her house back, in 6 weeks! She's had her house up for sales since June and not mentioned she'd be wanting this house back. Waiting until it's sold to tell me. I've got 4 kids and Christmas to sort. I'm being advised to make her wait until after Xmas but she's adamant there's nothing she can do. Wwyd?

Legally you can dig your heels in and ensure your friend is homeless for Christmas.

Morally that would make you a crappy person and a worse friend. You’ve benefited from reduced rent for almost a decade. You’ve saved a hefty wack thanks to your friend, money she could probably use now.

I hope karma rewards your decision

It's never a good time to move, so I would crack on with property searches. If your friend has rented to you at a reasonable rate for a relatively long time, be thankful. You may find somewhere better !

With 4 kids I imagine if you were officially 'homeless' there'd be a possibility you'd get a Council House with secure, low rent for life within a couple of weeks if you had a family member or somewhere you could temporarily stay at?

Haahaaa! Haahaahaa! PMSL! Maybe in Cloud Cuckoo Land. Or in a sink estate. It's 2018, the days of rock up and get a council house in a decent place are LONG gone. The great likelihood in many councils is a B&B wherever they choose to put you, you don't get to pick, and then another private let in whatever slum they can find that will take housing benefit and a loan you need to pay back for a deposit.

I've got friends in Glasgow who spent over a year in temporary housing in a place I'd hesitate to walk round at night and then the offer was for a n upper flat on another estate.

If you both work FT and have been getting reduced rent this long you're very lucky.

You fall out with her and you'll not get a reference. It will be hard to get a private let without that.

You need to find another place to live.

With Xmas around the corner it's extra expense I could do without.

You've had reduced rent for 9 years.

Reduced rent and 2 of you working?