To think I will be homeless in 6 months

[JulietteLeGall]

I have just been told my landlords are selling the house I have been renting for 6 years.

For complicated, and outing, reasons, I pay considerably less rent per month than the market value.

I’m priced out of the private rental market so my only option is local authority housing. I have been told I am entitled to a four bedroom property. I can’t see what properties are available yet because my application is waiting to be assessed.

There aren’t going to any, are there? The person I spoke with on the phone said I will be waiting years. I’m in a desirable area in the South West with limited social housing. The properties that do come up tend to be ‘swapped’ and so never get put back in the ‘pool’. Most social housing has been bought privately.

What am I going to do?! I’m terrified.

WhereverIGoddamnLike I’m annoyed that I mentioned the number of bedrooms now as it seems to have derailed the thread. Wether it’s 3 or 4 doesn’t appear to make a difference in terms of availability as they seem to only have surplus of 1 bed retirement style properties. He said family homes are few and far between. Like I said lots have been bought and the ones that are left seem to get swapped rather than placed back in the pool.

Sorry if this is a stupid question but can the new owner evict you at present? I thought that was on hold due to Covid.

Bless you OP, hugely stressful.

All I can say is I echo other players, paper work, paper work, paper work. You need to be able to prove EVERYTHING. Your disability, the effect that being moved areas would have on you & your children (physically & mentally.)

Trust me when I say the easier option x1000 would be too private rent again, but I appreciate that might not be possible.

But realistically going down the council route, you could end up in emergency (b&b, hostel) then into temporary (usually private rental let to the council.) Which could be no where near your children’s schools.

The council have a check list, number of bedrooms & safety are about all involved. Desired area etc do not come into it.

The council should have a private Lettings team, I strongly recommend you get yourself stuck in there & do everything you can to source a property.

Best of luck

Do you work?

Oh you poor thing, that sounds like a nightmare!

Would your landlords consider keeping the house if they were getting market rent for it? Is there anyway between you & the council/other benefits you could pay the market rent on it?

CornishTiger Where can I find the policies? Are they on the council website?

Yep all of the councils website.

Google council name and allocation policy

If you have 3 children then you must have at least of same sex. You will most likely get 3 bed house. 1 bed for you, 1 for 2 same sex kids and 1 for other child. I don't see a problem. Loads of children share a room and it does them no harm. I am amazed your council thinks you should have 4 bedroom to be honest. There will be more 3 bedroom social houses than 4 bedroom ones. I hope you are lucky op. They won't let you go on to the streets with children.

I work in another council housing dept and have dealt with lettings before. You would be 3 bed with our criteria which to be honest would better for you as we have loads more 3 than 4!

You May have to choose a trade off between security and location! Don't think about moving area being traumatic for you and the kids and focus on the benefits of a lovely fresh start and security in social housing

Officials get it wrong sometimes and if you’re only eligible for a three-bed and they mistakenly assess you as needing a four-bed then not only are you going to be waiting for a property you’re unlikely to get for years but even if you did, when you made your application for housing benefit of the housing element of UC, they would class you as under-occupying and reduce the money paid to you. That’s why other poster are urging you to make sure your information hasn’t been taken wrong or the forms filled in incorrectly. With three children the ages of yours and no disabilities, I’d be incredibly surprised if you’ve been given the correct information.

And “traumatic” or not, you will need to be realistic. Even temporary accommodation is going to be wherever they can find to put you, which is unlikely to be a desirable area and also unlikely to be close to where you are now. There are many parts of the south west where private rental prices remain affordable - and moving to one of them would almost certainly be preferable to languishing around in uncertainty waiting years for social housing.

Caringcarer I really am not opposed to a 3 bed by any stretch !

I think it was extended?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-act-2020-residential-tenancies-protection-from-eviction-amendment-england-regulations-2020-letter-to-local-authorities

“ And “traumatic” or not, you will need to be realistic. Even temporary accommodation is going to be wherever they can find to put you, which is unlikely to be a desirable area and also unlikely to be close to where you are now. There are many parts of the south west where private rental prices remain affordable - and moving to one of them would almost certainly be preferable to languishing around in uncertainty waiting years for social housing.”

Certainly, but moving 200-300 miles away I would consider traumatic!

You may find moving to an area you can afford to rent privately a better option for your family than temporary accomodation. If you get 3 bedroom property you could get bunk beds.

I'm trying not to feel a bit aggrieved that people get free houses, while someone like my husband and me work, I have mental health issues and a child ..feel like I'm the mug here

Someone1987 Wed 14-Oct-20 20:49:23
I'm trying not to feel a bit aggrieved that people get free houses, while someone like my husband and me work, I have mental health issues and a child ..feel like I'm the mug here

Council houses are NOT free. Just a more reasonable rent.

If it was the same person who said you're entitled to a 4 bed also said band 1 was for 'witness protection' I'd take it with a pinch of salt.....

Ah sorry..... looks like 6 months starts running after formal notice. Eviction can’t start till after that.

england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/coronavirus

Shelter reckon you’re ok till spring. Would be good to avoid changing schools mid year....

4 beds will likely actually be harder to come by, if you have 3 children presumably at least 2 of them are the same sex, therefore they can share according to the 'rules'. Band 1 for witness protection LOL I would find someone who can give you accurate advice to be honest.

@Someone1987

I'm trying not to feel a bit aggrieved that people get free houses, while someone like my husband and me work, I have mental health issues and a child ..feel like I'm the mug here

What's this got to do with anything?

@Someone1987

I'm trying not to feel a bit aggrieved that people get free houses, while someone like my husband and me work, I have mental health issues and a child ..feel like I'm the mug here

My husband and I both work full time and we have a social housing property. We pay 70% market value rent. I’d challenge that actually it’s more like standard rent. Not all social housing is cheap rent and most tenants work.

Are you even on the housing register or do you prefer to just be ill informed and moan?