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.

@someone1987 there but for the grace of god. Also you sound like a dick.

OP I really hope things get better for you. And people expecting you to move from the south west to the north east are either very stupid or being malicious on purpose. I hope it's that they're stupid.

Moving isnt traumatic. People move hundreds of miles everyday.

Your kids will get used to a new house. They will settle in a new school.

Whether you like it or not, you are in a situation of not really having much choice. Right or wrong, you will need to go where you can afford with benefits or where they have social housing available. The fast you accept that, the less traumatic this will all be.

Start looking in areas you think you might like, anywhere at all. Country, near the coast. Even near things the kids might enjoy. Have a look and just see where you could go and what you could get. You might actually find something you like.

You can privately rent but universal credit will not pay more than the local housing allowance for you your area and your needs

Crayolo:

 Applicants required to move for witness protection reasons, MARAC referrals, MAPPA and Child Protection issues.

That’s directly from the website under the band 1 definition

I think the previous poster meant that to live in a desirable area normally you would need to pay the premium for that , OP admits she has lived there for a very low rent for a long time and this is unfortunately coming to an end. I fully appreciate how stressful this may be, however I do think it's unrealistic to expect housing to be provided in a desirable area for a low price just because thats where someone wants to stay.

The council will house you, and hopefully not too far away, but if you are homeless they will not expect you to be picky with where you are placed as long as its within the area.

Why did the council tell you you'd get a 4 bed? I know you've three children, but some at least two of them must be the same sex...

Hmm, quick question, are you getting all that ypure entitled to?
It's just if you have 3 children but are entitled to a r bed, is that because of medical requirement?
I have a friend who was awarded an extra bedroom amount in her housing benefit because her medical needs required that she slept in her own room.

If that's the case, please let UC know. It ought help things in some way

I don’t care that it’s a desirable area.

I do care that after a traumatic couple of years my children are settled at school, we have a strong support network that we lean on heavily, the children’s fathers (yes plural, how textbook) are local and my son is finally receiving the mental health support that he needs.

I can see that it’s easy to pick ‘desirable’ and ‘4 bed’ but I’m really not precious about that, at all. I just want my children to be ok.

@CoronaIsWatching

Any particular reason why you want to stay in your "desirable" area of the SW and not move to a cheaper area like Newcastle or Liverpool.

Erm because she has complex health needs and a local support network??

OP if you look on your local authority website, the housing allocation policy will be on there.

Your eligibility for a 3 or 4 bed through the housing register may well be different to your LHA entitlement.

If give got 3 children you will almost certainly be able to bid for a 3 bed.

In the LA I work for, 4 beds are almost non existent, 3 beds are available, if in short supply. There are some "less desireable" 3 beds that people can get pretty easily here.

Your landlord needs to give you 6 months notice under current legislation.

What does local offer mean?

You have my sympathies op. I'm in a similar housing situation (house is approx £200 cheaper than any other in my area, and I'm in one of the 'shit' parts). If my LL decided to sell up I would be screwed.

I wish people would stop picking holes too, if i ever needed to apply for HA housing i would be 'entitled' to 3 bedrooms, despite having 2 boys as eldest is over 16 so my LA say they don't have to share anymore. And if course moving hundreds of miles could be upsetting. All my children's family and friends are here, including their father and siblings. Moving away from them would be a massive thing. Not to mention LHA rates would be lower, so still might not be able to afford a house!

Good luck @JulietteLeGall. I hope you get a house that's suitable soon!

@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

Nice. Benefit bashing on a thread where a poster is concerned about being made homeless.

If you can't afford your home, maybe you need to get a better job to accommodate your outgoings?

What factors / evidence can I provide to give me a higher priority?

Doctors note re: my health condition? Doctors note re: sons mental health? How do I prove my support network?

If the OP moves to the other end of the country she's still going to struggle to rent somewhere and her new council will have no duty to house her!

Someone1987- I’d feel aggrieved too if I heard someone got a free house.

TheFormerPorpentinaScamander Thank you

"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"

I'm trying not to get aggrieved that people are so lacking in empathy that they think people who are unable to work due to disability don't deserve help because.. they have to work. What a horrible system we live in where we take care of those who need help.

I suggest you go live somewhere more capitalist.

@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

Aren't you lucky that your MH issues aren't so bad that you can't work. Mine currently are. I went to the local shop earlier (5 min walk, if that). I had to take an extra anti-anxiety tablet before I left. Even so the physical symptoms associated with my panic attacks mean I actually shit myself before I got to the toilet. I held it as far as I could. Luckily i made it through my front door! I'll happily swap with you.