To think I have no chance with a council property?

[Magicra84]

I've just been made redundant and found out my private landlord is selling up so in a few months, unless I find employment, I'm going to be homeless. My only chance is a council/housing association property. I've seen one and bidded on it, a two bed house. There's only me and my pets going to be living there/wherever. After the shit time I've had lately I would love to be successful in my bid, but aibu in thinking that realistically I've not got a chance?

I would concentrate on looking for a new job. Its much better to feel financially independent rather than rely on the state if you can. Youve got a while till your LL sells up. Some jobs offer subsidised accommodation.

Why not do some reading about poverty before posting snippy comments eh?

You have NO idea of the OP's situation apart from what she has posted here. What makes you think she isn't job hunting? Or did you just make an assumption because she's applying for counsil housing. hmm

Oh, please! I've been poor nearly all my life. I was brought up on a council estate .

The FACT is that in many, many councils there IS no council housing anymore for single people with no dependants, the most you get is another private let that will take people on UC, reality. And if you have a pet, you have to go where they put you, which might not take pets.

So it's really a wise idea to do the best you can to avoid that rather than 'council's my only chance'. Those days are sadly over for most who are single and able-bodied.

You will only be entitled to a 1 bed 1/2 person property unless it is a quick let due to no one bidding on it (depending on area it does happen, the HA’s I both worked for has properties that cane under this category).

There are many councils/HA in the uk who will allocate a single person a 2-bedder. Don’t know any south of York though!

If you’re flexible and fancy rural life you’ll get social housing.

Which area do you live in?

In my area there are regularly "no wait" properties. They're in undesirable areas, and often high rises. You probably wouldn't have much luck with much else where I am.

I suppose it depends on what area you are in. I live East London/Essex and there are container homes being put up all over, because of the need for housing.

did you get your holiday pay op?
How long ago since you were made redundant?
Contact the local housing officer in your council explain your situation & ask their advice - they may have another suggestion but most of all they will tell you the local homeless rules.
Sadly in many areas to get housing even from the council you would need to have dependents have a health condition or be a pensioner
So I think you need to find some work op - because if you need private housing you will need an income -

I would look for a room in a shared house, your pets may be a problem though.

Unless you have an additional vulnerability such as a disability, children, ex service veteran etc then despite being classed as threatened with homelessness, in many areas you will be against people who the council has allocated into an even higher priority banding for housing and won't be successful with your bid.

Also most social housing would only allocate you a one bed property as a single person.

Your local authority shouted have a housing options service who will be able to advise you on the local housing market/demand and make sure you're in the correct priority band for bidding. Call your council and ask to be put through to them. They should also give you advice about the legal process your landlord has to follow, and may offer financial help like guaranteeing a new private landlord your deposit, or referring you to a credit union may loan you first month's rent upfront. Is your current deposit in a protected deposit scheme (it should be)?

Do you rent through an agent? If you're a good tenant then speak to them to see what other properties they may be able to rent out?

Don't despair, there is help and advice out there.

Locally a single person can bid on 1 or 2 bed flats but not 2 bed houses. They don't limit pets to being in ground floor properties although some flats don't allow pets at all. There's not a huge stock of 1 beds & 2 beds have greater interest, part of reason the bedroom tax sucks as its not easy to downsize.

My friend was told that if homeless the council could house her anywhere in district or in temporary accommodation, it took about a year on waiting list by luck but local council still has fair bit of housing stock & includes HA's on bidding site.

You should also be able to get some help with deposit etc to rent privately although it can be difficult to find LL that accept those on benefits. The age for being expected to go into shared accommodation as single person is quite high 35ish? which surprised me.

Hey OP

Try not to worry. You have options.
While you are job hunting, look into universal credit.

You could get a room in a shared house for a while. I have been doing a second degree that involves placements and have lived like this for the past 3 years. It’s really not so bad and you can make good friends. It’s fascinating who you get to meet, I’ve lived in a city, a university town and in the country, with 24 different housemates aged 18-55 and they have all been nice people. Most people are, really.

As a single person, you can be flexible with where you work and live. You will find something, try not to be discouraged

It definitely depends where you are in the country.

We wasn't in need. We was already in a property and managed to get a HA house within 6 weeks of applying.

Also managed to get a move to a bigger property and that was done within a week of deciding we wanted to move

Not sure if it helps to know OP but your landlord currently has to give you 3 months notice due to coronavirus, so you'll have more notice than normal. There's also currently a freeze on evictions so you won't currently be literally on the streets. It isn't ideal, but for now at least might give you more chance of getting something sorted?

@DisobedientHamster how rude are you?! Jeez!!

Really it depends on where you live and what the council house availability is like there.

In my neck of the woods a single person with no dependants wouldn't get allocated a 2 bedroom house, ever. 99.9% of the time our local council discharges its obligations by their guaranteed deposit scheme and placing a single person in a private rented bedsit. Possibly with a stint in B&B whilst they find a landlord to take you. And the only landlords who would take someone with no work and a council deposit guarantee are those who are unable to rent on the open market because their properties are so undesirable (unsafe area and/or poor property). So no, its not a great position to be in. Your area may well be different though. I imagine the Council will have given you an idea of availability and their policies when you went on the housing register?

Currently, you cannot be evicted, and you can look for a new job. If you manage to secure more employment, and have a good rental reference, you can no doubt move to something similar to your existing property. Remember, you should get your deposit back, to put down on the next property (assuming you've caused no damage etc). Do talk to the council and keep bidding, but also put maximum effort in to finding your next job. I appreciate its not the best climate, but as businesses are opening up, there may well be some who need extra staff.

It depends where you live, if it’s London then no chance. As it’s just you though you are more likely to get somewhere based on that as it’s the family homes that take longer to come up. There should be a statistics chart on your local council website or the bidding site that is used to advertise properties. They have a duty of care to you when you are homeless so try not to worry, as soon as you get your notice in writing take it to the council.

@WorraLiberty

I think it depends entirely on where you live and how much stock is available.

I live in Essex/East London and there are whole families stuck in one bedroom hostels here and even they don't seem to stand a chance.

If they were that desperate, they’d move out of London/ Essex

I live in the rural part of Essex and I got housed in a couple of months. They are building a LOT here

Very much depends on area, when I was on the waiting list years ago (myself and one child) they decided I needed two bedrooms and so I wasn’t allowed to bid on houses with any more or less than that. In my area you have to be basically homeless to get anything, my councils bidding system shows how many other people have bid on that house who have higher priority than you and I was on the waiting list for so long that I met my current partner and was with him long enough to move in with him without even making it onto the top 10 for a council place in that time

Oh for context me and my son were sharing one small bedroom in a shared house and were sharing kitchen/bathroom/communal areas with five other people but because we had a roof over our heads we weren’t considered a priority

I'm a housing officer, dealing with this sort of thing day in, day out where do you live? Do you have any medical conditions? The council have a duty to provide you with advice and assistance if you make a homeless applications, and you are:

1. eligible
2. homeless or threatened with homelessness within 56 days

They will owe you either a prevention duty or relief duty.

If you are
3) in priority need (dependent children, pregnant, severe and enduring physical or MH problem that makes you more vulnerable than another person who is homeless) then they should offer you temporary accommodation. Unlikely to house pets

There's much much more to it. But that gives you a start.

Your best chance is to rent a 1 bed, studio flat, or even just a room privately. If you find a landlord now, and agree they'd take housing benefit in future, you could save on rent immediately.