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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Rent arrears

170 replies

WhatNow1993 · 01/08/2019 15:12

I did post in legal but not had many responses...

Sorry if this is long... I moved into my house in 2017 after leaving a very bad relationship. My housing officer came round to sort the tenancy and while here, we filled in a housing benefit form together. She took all paperwork and evidence with her and told me she would take it all back and get it sorted out.
I know it is essentially my responsibility to make sure it was all done but it just didn't enter my head to check and I had no letters or anything to say otherwise.
I have now been served with a section 8 and have over £4000 Rent arrears.
I applied for DHP and was refused because they say I have £15 a month spare and can come to an arrangement confused social services have now opened a child protection plan as they say I've neglected my kids by risking their home and if I get evicted, they will house my children but not me.

I know I should have checked and made sure my hb had been set up correctly but I trusted my housing officer. Also how can a landlord let you get into £4000+ arrears before letting you know?

I have been to the CAB and they said there's nothing they can do to help as it is rent and is my fault no matter what the reasons are.

Does anyone know where I can go for advice/help? I stand to lose my children and my home and no one so far has been able to help me, except to say I need to pay it. I wish i could, but unfortunately I can't magic up that kind of money.

OP posts:
Passthecherrycoke · 01/08/2019 18:52

And it’s resolved isn’t it? You have a payment plan, the HA are happy now

What you do need is some backdated HB to clear the arrears so you’re not paying £20 a week for 4 years

PookieDo · 01/08/2019 18:52

Ok so now you need to just go down a more formal route and save all the evidence to show your SW what you are doing

Can you not even re-enter your house during the day to collect paperwork? What electricity do you need to do that?

gobbynorthernbird · 01/08/2019 18:54

I'm not understanding why, when you realised that your council tax wasn't being paid (which gets letters sent out very quickly, never mind court action) you didn't look into the rent account.
Or are you saying that two completely different organisations both 'lost' you in the system?

HiItsClemFandango · 01/08/2019 18:54

How much is your rent every month?

PookieDo · 01/08/2019 18:55

You need to go to the source of the problem - the HA!

There is an ombudsman for exactly this reason

Make a complaint
Will take you half an hour to write a decent email to them
www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/residents/make-a-complaint/

HiItsClemFandango · 01/08/2019 18:56

Did you receive your eviction notice in April?

How long did it say you had until you had to leave?

Original poster
WhatNow1993 · 01/08/2019 18:56

I don't need electric to do that but I do need to use petrol for a 30 mile round trip which to be honest, isn't viable at the moment since I won't be able to put any more in until next week and don't want to add being stranded to the list right now.

OP posts:
Passthecherrycoke · 01/08/2019 18:57

gabby makes a very good point- you can’t have been lost in both the HA and council systems

Escapedgoats · 01/08/2019 19:00

Is it a Ground 8 Notice of Seeking Possession? If so, you will have 4 weeks to come to an agreement/get help/backdated payment. If you make regular payments to cover any shortfall plus something towards the arrears. If you do not do this, the next step could be court. If it is a ground 8 notice and your arrears are still over 8 weeks at the court date a mandatory possession order can be made which may lead to your eviction. Seek advice from CAB and also the HA. Pay as much as is affordable. Ultimately it is your rent account and your responsibility. Good luck.

PookieDo · 01/08/2019 19:02

At least make a freedom of information request to your HA today
And start the complaint with the ombudsman. Like today

Original poster
WhatNow1993 · 01/08/2019 19:03

@gobbynorthernbird to be honest i didn't put 2 and 2 together at that stage. Not that it's relevant and I shouldn't really have to explain this but I moved because I was in a very abusive relationship and had everything knocked out of me. Maybe that clouded my judgement, maybe I stuck my head in the sand because I couldn't take any more at that particular time. Maybe I was busy trying to rebuild my children's self esteem and help them recover. Maybe I just messed up and didn't know what was happening from one day to the next. I don't know what to tell you, to be honest.

OP posts:
wishingforapositiveyear · 01/08/2019 19:03

Do you live in Kent OP?

Original poster
WhatNow1993 · 01/08/2019 19:05

Thank you @Pookiedo I'll contact the ombudsmen

OP posts:
Original poster
WhatNow1993 · 01/08/2019 19:05

No I'm in Suffolk

OP posts:
Ronnie27 · 01/08/2019 19:06

If it’s a housing association you need to contact them and make an agreement to repay. You can do this right up until it goes to court. Anything you can afford would be considered and start paying now if you can to show willing.

WhentheRabbitsWentWild · 01/08/2019 19:06

Hi OP

If you are paying them back the arrears, and the HB is now sorted out, as you say, they should not evict you . As a PP said, the legal action should cease .

DianaT1969 · 01/08/2019 19:06

You said earlier that you arranged the £20 repayment plan with the Council. Not the HA. Was that a typo? If not, what are you paying the council £20 for? I understand the council tax 'debt' was paid. Is your council tax definitely being covered by benefits now?
So you only need to sort out the HA debt?
Have you gone to their office?
Do you work now OP? If not, and you are free during the day, you need to spend Mon-Fri next week during office hours with the paperwork in front of you calling Shelter, trying to get free legal assistance, writing out a clear and accurate timeline and contacting your MP. They advertise their surgery times on their websites. I bet one call from your MP to the HA will really help your case.
Put the SS out of your mind for the moment. That seems to be paralysing you. Get envigorated and strategic. Plan your calls, emails and days like a military operation. You've got this OP.

Original poster
WhatNow1993 · 01/08/2019 19:12

Hi @DianaT1969 the £20 is paying off the arrears so to the HA, yes. I'm not working at the moment as I'd said up thread I was signed off with a back injury. I know what I need to do now to get started so will do that when I get home. Thanks

OP posts:
HiItsClemFandango · 01/08/2019 19:14

You said up until April, no communication does this mean you found out about the arrears 3/4 months ago? What have you done for the past 3 months to try and sort it

You need to:

  • contact your MP
  • contact Shelter
  • make a complaint to HA and find out what's happened
  • find out if you can get your HB backdated
  • find out if any rent has ever been paid

Do you know the exact amount of Housing Benefit you're entitled? Could it be that the about of HB you recieve doesn't cover your full rent so your arrears is the amount you've been short by every month?

gobbynorthernbird · 01/08/2019 19:15

@WhatNow1993 it's very relevant because within 6 months of you moving in you would have been getting letters about the council tax. Very serious letters threatening court action. And before paying up, you would have called them and found out you weren't getting the benefit which you were entitled to. So you would have checked the HB.
I'm finding this very difficult to believe, tbh.

Original poster
WhatNow1993 · 01/08/2019 19:16

I think my MP is Matt Hancock so I'm not sure if I'll get anywhere but I'll give it a go.

OP posts:
HiItsClemFandango · 01/08/2019 19:18

How much is your rent and when did you receive your eviction notice?

How long did the eviction notice say you had to leave?

lyralalala · 01/08/2019 19:19

OP please contact Shelter first and foremost. They will have dealt with this before.

Original poster
WhatNow1993 · 01/08/2019 19:20

You don't have to believe It, it's quite unbelievable, I know this. But it's also true and I'll leave it to shelter/HA/judge or whoever to help unravel it and make sense of it. Not sure what id gain from making the while thing up, whatever.

OP posts:
Original poster
WhatNow1993 · 01/08/2019 19:21

@lyralalala will make that call tomorrow morning

OP posts: