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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Landlord wants us to move out

100 replies

AwdBovril · 13/09/2019 21:39

Sorry, posted here for traffic. Not sure where to post. IA (probably) BU for that alone.

They have today served us with a no-fault notice that they require us to vacate the property. It looks like we've got to be out 5 weeks before Christmas. We've lived in this house over a decade.

I've made an appearance with the council emergency housing/homeless adviser. Unfortunately we've not got a cat in hell's chance of getting another private rental. I'm disabled & not able to work, DH works p/t, & retraining to try to improve his earning prospects. Employment locally is difficult. We have basically no savings. 1 DD, in primary school.

Anything else I /we can or need to do at the moment? Apart from preliminary packing...Sad

OP posts:
howdoesitworkwork · 13/09/2019 21:41

If you've paid your rent on time for 10 years why don't you have a chance at a private rental?

Duvetdazed · 13/09/2019 21:43

Is relocating an option?

When we lived in London and our tenancy wasn't renewed due to the landlord deciding to sell, we had no chance of finding a private rental as the rents and deposits were astronomical. We could not get any help from the council.

I looked at houses to rent in Devon and we moved. It's a third of the cost to rent. Best decision we ever made..

Original poster
AwdBovril · 13/09/2019 21:55

There's no chance of us getting a private rental because we've insufficient savings for a deposit (although my mum has offered to help with that if necessary) but, crucially, I am on long-term sick leave from work due to chronic illness, & DH is my carer, he has been out of full-time work for many years. Has been part time for a while but unfortunately his role was made redundant a few months ago & now he's on less than 10 hrs per week. He's trying to get more hours & retraining to improve his prospects but it takes time. No landlord is likely to touch us, we've got such a low income it's pathetic.

OP posts:
Original poster
AwdBovril · 13/09/2019 21:58

We live up North, BTW. Our rent is under £500 per month. 5 minutes walk to town, 3 minutes to school. We don't have a car, neither of us drive (I medically can't).

OP posts:
Windydaysuponus · 13/09/2019 22:00

I can PM you with 2 possible ll options op. I am NE...

ViaSacra · 13/09/2019 22:01

What about the deposit you’ll get back from your current landlord? How much will that give you?

flyingspaghettimonster · 13/09/2019 22:02

We had this situation. We talked to the local council and found ot would likely be impossible to get social housing in our borough, so they transferred us to the county we grew up in as we had relatives nearby. The landlord had to physically evict us in order for us to be considered homeless to be rehoused. So that process took longer than just the eviction date given, I think another month. We were then given a day that the bailiffs would come, and the council paid for a removal van to pick up our stuff and drove it to a homeless shelter for us in our new district. We lived there 6 months before being offered a housing association temporary house.

Good luck. It is a stressful process especially with a child, and homeless shelters aren't fun, but they get you more points for social housing.

ViaSacra · 13/09/2019 22:03

And with the amount you’ll get back, plus what your mum is willing to lend you, will that really not be enough for a deposit?

HannahLee · 13/09/2019 22:06

Not pushing for details to be nosy, just to see if we can help you find a solution...

  1. Would you be willing to tell us the name of the town or city you live in?

  2. What is your household income currently? What do you currently pay in rent, and could you afford to continue that?

  3. Are you receiving all the benefits you are entitled to?

Waveysnail · 13/09/2019 22:06

Would be worth contacting shelter?

mumwon · 13/09/2019 22:07

what did the council tell you? I assume they said only to come back when it goes through court & you are given date for bailiffs? As a disabled person don't they have to house you?

HannahLee · 13/09/2019 22:07

No landlord is likely to touch us, we've got such a low income it's pathetic

Speaking as an ex-landlord, a low income wouldn’t bother me if you had a long history of paying on time.

getmeacupoftea · 13/09/2019 22:09

In response to "why no deposit" a deposit is rent and a half, and then you need first months rent to even get started.
There aren't really any strict laws on landlords handling tenants deposits, a landlord can deduct from the deposit for all sorts of bullshit reasons. It's really pricey these days.

Spingtrolls · 13/09/2019 22:10

It really is a daft system. The council cannot help yet because technically you are still housed. Instead, they make you wait until you have been taken to court and the bailiffs arrive. Not only is it extremely stressful for the tenants, but also costly for the owner. And let's face it a waste of court time.

Even if op had the money to move, there's no saying there would be anywhere available that accept those on benefits.

CatToddlerUprising · 13/09/2019 22:10

Such a stressful situation. We are currently going through it too. Might be worth registering here- homefinderuk.org/

Spingtrolls · 13/09/2019 22:11

Even if the full deposit was given back, it wouldn't be useful as she wouldn't get it until after they leave.

SteelRiver · 13/09/2019 22:12

If your chronic illness could be considered a disability, this might help you move up the council housing list much quicker. Have you had an appointment with the council yet?

Templetonstunafish · 13/09/2019 22:14

Private rather than letting agent will be your chance I think- if your landlord would write you a good reference which i'm guessing they will. Try local papers, news agents boards, Facebook etc. So sorry you're in this situation OP.

The council absolutely will have a duty to house you so you will not be on the streets but they may well make you wait for bailiffs before they give you emergency housing. This will mean that after your S.21 runs out your landlord will have to go to court to apply for possession.

There was a Facebook group I found incredibly useful called "Tenancy Matters", great advice on there from very experienced people. Hope that's ok to post on MN.

mumwon · 13/09/2019 22:14

@howdoesitworkwork because they are probably on hb or moving onto UC - which are paid in arrears & can become erratic - the new system is unfair to both ll & tenants - in addition ll are aware that housing benefit doesn't tend to pay full rent (the government has frozen hb for a few years) & it is paid directly to land lord & many people on benefits find it tempting to use this money for other bills or something less essential.

haveuheard · 13/09/2019 22:15

Do your local council have a scheme where they would lend you the deposit for a private rental? Then you would only have to find the first month upfront, and you would get the money back from your existing property.

Torrennce · 13/09/2019 22:15

Under HRA (homeless reduction act) your local authority should assist with the upfront costs of private rentals, providing the property you fine is affordable etc. I work in housing in London but HRA is used everywhere.

nevermorelenore · 13/09/2019 22:16

Some letting agents offer no deposit schemes now. Not sure how it works, I think you pay slightly more each month instead of the deposit upfront, but you don’t get it back at the end.

I sympathise. Private renting is so shit and it’s so stressful.

Original poster
AwdBovril · 13/09/2019 22:19

I get about £700 per month from a sickness insurance policy (it's a work benefit thing). DH earns about £45 a week. It does vary though as sometimes he picks up a couple of extra hours. I get full PIP. We get child benefit. No tax credits. Our Universal Credit claim came back as zero awarded as we earn too much (!) but that was on the basis of DH's previous hours, hopefully it will get reassessed. The UC claim is a bit of a mess TBH, & we are challenging it.

OP posts:
ChangeOfTides · 13/09/2019 22:20

What did the council say? Some areas of the north you won’t have much problem getting a council tenancy. Others will be harder of course. They may also be able to help you with finding private accommodation through a deposit guarantee scheme. Does your chronic illness mean you have any specific housing needs?

mumwon · 13/09/2019 22:22

@getmeacupoftea really? you have to place money into deposit schemes (by law) or an insurance deposit scheme. if you as a tenant object to money being taken off deposit you have a short period to argue against it with the scheme & they will require the landlord to provide proof. From what I gather if you follow the law on this - it is quite strict & if you haven't entered into the scheme within the proscribed time & given proof to the tenant you will be fined above the level of the deposit & you will not be able to use a section 21 to evict the tenant