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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

I'm Homeless

78 replies

JanetWeissAHeroine · 03/08/2020 17:41

Posting for traffic.

I am a single parent to a 5 year old DD who has significant special needs. I have been made homeless and have been staying with a friend in unsuitable accommodation for the last last 3 months. I have contacted the council and have been told I am a priority and have recently been contaced by my housing officer who is looking into things for me. Basically, my housing officer is a bit shit at getting back to me and hasn't been communicating with me at all so I am unclear what my options are exactly. Today I received an email about renting in the private sector, they sent a list of websites to look at (Rightmove, Zoopla etc) - so are they just expecting me to rent privately when I have no means to at the moment and I'm on UC and a carer for my daughter? I get there is a housing crisis and I don't want to be seen as ungrateful at all but I'm really worrying about this whole thing and they aren't explaining anything to me properly.

Any advice is welcomed

OP posts:

fatgirlslimmer · 03/08/2020 18:31

Have you contacted Shelter? Could you ask your local social services for early help? You would do better with an advocate, particularly at this time when many services are working from home.

Devlesko · 03/08/2020 18:32

You need to present to them as homeless, and at the moment you aren't.
Even if you say it's temporary and you can't stay, to them you have a home.
You need to leave your friends and stand on the councils doorstep to get anywhere and then it's usually emergency accommodation. They won't see you homeless whilst you have a child.

Jarli · 03/08/2020 18:33

They will provide transport for your daughter if they move you out of the area.

Talk to your MP's office, CAB and Shelter.

Are you getting CSA payments and claiming Carer's allowance (if you can claim that for being a carer to a child, apologies I am unsure).

You do need to tell the Housing Officer your friend has kicked you out. I know people who have been "priority" for three years and it wasn't taken seriously until that happened (it was true in the case I am talking about).

SoulofanAggron · 03/08/2020 18:34

Please DON'T start looking for anything privately. They're trying to fob you off and pass the buck and not have to do anything for you by doing that. They probably send that out to everyone in the hope some people will do it and they won't have to house them.

A council house will give you vital security for you and your DC, in a way private renting doesn't.

You are homeless and in priority need and they have a duty to house you.

I know it seems an age, but keep contacting them and keep waiting. Your priority is probably quite high so you'll be near the top of the list.

BluebellsGreenbells · 03/08/2020 18:37

OP you have to be a pain in the backside - especially in London as housing is limited.

They may house you outside London and find you a new school.

Keep your options open.

Start with shelter, they know what they are talking about

DogInATent · 03/08/2020 18:38

Someone has already given the number for Shelter above, you should ring them as soon as possible. They can give advice, potentially act as an advocate for you, and possibly some practical help. They're there for anyone that's homeless, not just rough sleepers.

Smellbellina · 03/08/2020 18:40

I am in a similar position OP, my housing officer has said if I find a private rental they will pay a bond for a deposit and help with ensuring I can pay the rent.
I don’t see the problem with this, personally.
I am taking this route myself rather than put my DC through the ‘turn up homeless at the council officers, get moved to a B&B’ etc route as unless it was an absolute last resort there is no way I would put my DC in that position.

Original poster

JanetWeissAHeroine · 03/08/2020 18:44

@smellbellina, have they given you a list of landlords for private renting? I honestly don't even know where to start, they haven't given me amy information.

OP posts:

CheesecakeAddict · 03/08/2020 18:46

Have you got social services involved? I know they get a bad rep but when I was homeless I got SS involved as I had DD with me, and she got involved and I was rehoused that day.

Kaiserin · 03/08/2020 18:47

Definitely contact Shelter, they will be on your side and provide reliable advice.

Charleyhorses · 03/08/2020 19:05

Complain to your MP. Start at the top and work down.

KirstyHasLeft · 03/08/2020 19:06

I'm in a similar position.
My Caseworker was utterly useless - not replying to my emails at all and then I contacted someone else in the department and that suddenly spurred her on to reply to my emails. Anyway, it turned out she was leaving the job that day - that's why she was so unenthusiastic.. I am praying the new caseworker will be better..
Anyway, I was made homeless through divorce and I have 2 DC. They waited til the very last day when I HAD to move out and put me and kids in B&B.

I applied as threatened with homelessness in March, I had to move end of May and I am still in b&b (5 weeks now) waiting for council to decide if they have legal duty to house me long term.
How long does it take on average for them to make decision?
Can they keep us in B&B for more than 6 weeks?

Anyway, answering OP's question - they will offer you private rent but you don't have to take it.They asked me for reason why and I said that the offers are too far from DC school. You are not obliged to accept private rent as long as you have a reasonable reason to refuse.

It's a tricky road and I am still at the beginning of it. Good luck OP! Don't worry - things always sort themselves out in the end.

Thelittleweasel · 03/08/2020 19:10

@JanetWeissAHeroine

*Write" [a letter - not an e-mail] now to the chief of the council, to your councillor and even your MP setting out everything that has happened.

As implied it is highly possible that as you are not physically on the street and you are a priority you are not being treated as an "absolute" priority. Sadly you do have to work the system. That may be by taking a step back and getting current friend to say you can no longer stay and even turning up with DD at Council Offices. You will then be put into the "Council" system and while initially unpleasant [B&Bs and so on] you can ultimately get somewhere [more] suitable. I am so
sorry to read this

Some Councils simply make you "bid" for houses which is humiliating

MaddeningtheUnhelpful · 03/08/2020 19:10

Having been down this road myself I would suggest contacting your MP. I did exactly that and was housed within a month. My situation was slightly different in the sense that it was my disabilities making it impossible to find suitable accomodation x

Smellbellina · 03/08/2020 19:14

@JanetWeissAHeroine no I contacted all the local agents myself (I have a DDog too which is making things trickier!) and signed up to notifications from OnTheMarket.com as most of them said they listed their Lettings on there.
Having said all this I do co-own a house so I am not eligible for council housing anyway.

crowsfeet57 · 03/08/2020 19:25

Unfortunately whilst staying with your friend the council won't consider you homeless as such. You need to rock up to the local housing office, with your child and tell them friend can no longer house you. And stay there go tomorrow first thing with your bags. They will maybe put you in temporary accommodation for now but while you are at your friends you will get nowhere

DO NOT DO THIS!

Being in temporary accommodation will not get you higher up the housing list, but could restrict your ability to say no to properties you are offered.

If they do not have suitable temporary accommodation, social services may need to get involved and that could end up with them accommodating your daughter in care until you get somewhere. Temporary accommodation only has to be adequate and not ideal. It could be a hostel with drug deals going on in the hallways and alcoholics fighting on the stairs. They will not have to consider your daughter's educational needs. Stay where you are for now, but get CAB to look into your circumstances.

By the way the Housing officer would not have said you were 'a priority' what she would have said was that you were 'in priority need.' That means that based on the information you had given them they would offer you temporary accommodation if you were in a position to need it. Please think carefuly before you go down that road.

Inkpaperstars · 03/08/2020 19:33

Is the father of your DD still alive, safe to contact or contactable? Does he contribute nothing? I assume that probably is an impossible road or you would have travelled it, but if not and he should be paying something...

BettyFloop · 03/08/2020 19:38

[quote JanetWeissAHeroine]@Judethe0bscure I made my homeless application on the 22nd of May and I haven't recieved an S184 letter, I don't even know what that is, I have also never been offered emergency accommodation. When I spoke to my Housing officer the first (and only time) she said that we were a priority and that they had a duty to house me but nothing has ever been in writing. She isn't letting me know anything, she hardly ever responds to my emails.[/quote]
Ask your Housing Officer for a copy of your Personal Housing Plan. This is a document that outlines your situation, what the council will need to do and what they expect you to do. Part of their expectations of you will probably be that you will look for accommodation in the private sector. This is more doable in some areas than in others so if, for example, you're in a University town where all the private landlords rent out to students the likelihood of finding somewhere is remote. Likewise if you're on benefits as a lot of private landlords won't rent to people who aren't working. But the point is, the council expect you to look even if it's pointless. Keep a record of every website you look at (together with dates) and if you do make enquiries about a property log that as well.

I don't know (obviously!) but I would imagine your local council have accepted a relief duty to you which means your 56 days were up last Friday so it might be a good idea to ask them for the outcome of their enquiries and what the next steps are. I'm not sure that turning up in their offices with your bags is necessarily a good idea (presenting as 'homeless on the day') because round here they'd put you in the most godawful B&B - it might be different where you are though.

From what you've said it sounds like your wait is nearly at an end - I do hope so anyway.
More info here

Good luck

PatriciaPerch · 03/08/2020 19:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Overit20 · 03/08/2020 19:42

They will not offer you anything all the time that you are staying with friend. I have experience in this area. If you were to leave friends then they would put you in temp accommodation but extremely unlikely that if will be in the immediate area. Our L.A has links with other areas. Good luck

Overit20 · 03/08/2020 19:43

@PatriciaPerch

have you got a social worker? if not you need to contact the childrens with disabilities team and make yourself known

Good advice.

Eatyourbanana · 03/08/2020 19:44

You literally have to go down there & say I’ve been here before, my friend has now said I have to leave TODAY. They will house you in emergency. It could be b&b, hostel... it won’t be pretty. But you won’t be there long, probably 6 weeks max. Then you will go into temporary accommodation.

PP are correct as long as you’re with a friend they will drag their heels & hope you find another route that doesn’t include them - they’re stretched.

Jarli · 03/08/2020 19:48

But you won’t be there long, probably 6 weeks max

This is not true - you could be there years, depending on area of London you live.

alopecian · 03/08/2020 19:52

@Judethe0bscure

When you say the council states that the privately rented property has to be 'affordable' , does that mean it has to be at or under the LHA rate for the area??

Eatyourbanana · 03/08/2020 19:52

Shelter

If you're pregnant or have children with you

You shouldn't have to stay in a privately owned B&B where you have to share a bathroom, toilet or kitchen with another household unless there's nothing else available.

If you're in a B&B, the council must move you somewhere more suitable within 6 weeks.

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