Can't afford to rent, not eligible for council housing, dad wants me to move out, what do I do?

[IgorThalia]

Been in touch with the council today re getting a council house. Said I'm not eligible because I own a property. My ex lives in this property 200 miles away from me. I can't afford to force a sale as this will cost 7k minimum. He's ignoring all communications to his solicitor about selling the house. It's going nowhere. I can't afford to rent as I have so much debt I am paying off and nearly 1000 of childcare fees every month. My dad has let me live with him for 300 a month but he is getting lodgers in who will be paying much more and needs my room. Fair enough, this was always the plan. I don't really know what to do. Any ideas? Want to feel positive but can't think of any solutions.

You can make a homeless application (different to waiting list)

If you have a property you cannot reasonably occupy due to DA then you are legally homeless regardless of you owning a property.

You are also sofa surfing- you are legally homeless.

england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/homelessness/guide/homeless_get_help_from_the_council/how_the_council_can_help

You “can” but I don’t think you’d find many people willing to let / sublet the room to you.

Have you taken any steps towards enforcing the same yet? Do you have the first step, a CCJ (prior to order of sale)

Taking it back a step... are you definitely the joint tenant / tenant in common - house in joint names?

What advice have you had already from a solicitor or CAB, Shelter, Women’s Aid?

Contact Women’s aid/Shelter OP.

Women's aid said to call shelter which I am going to do in a moment. They told me not to go anywhere near the house I own (we are joint owners) as obviously I would be in danger. I'm convinced he would attack or kill me if I went back. I'm going to call shelter now.

Contact shelter, women aid or rights of women for legal advice.
Good luck, OP.

You had loads of replies on your previous thread. You need proper legal advice as you have a property in your name. Even if you talk to shelter, the council will not home you if you own your own property.

Why not rent using the house as security? After all, you still own half of it.

Are you entitled to Universal Credit??

you don't need to force a sale, but you can force your Ex to buy out your share of the property
take legal advice to find out exactly what your options are

You should be able to claim some sort of housing benefit or housing element if you can prove that you can’t access your portion of the house. The being in debt is going to make it very difficult to find private rent but you should at least be able to claim housing benefit.

Regarding the house, you can apply to court yourself and self rep. I don’t know your circumstances so I don’t know how likely a judge is to order sale, but at least if you instigate court then he won’t be able to ignore. I had to do this to my XH as he was constantly ignoring my solicitor’s letters. When the court papers landed he couldn’t evade it anymore.

Housing costs are a priority. Debt is not. You need to rent somewhere and reduce your debt repayments.

Have you priced up a 1BDR? I know you'd rather have a 2bed, but you can sleep in the living room and you'd still be materially better off than you are in your parents' place.

Sorry OP, I’m making assumptions. You should be entitled to housing benefit or the housing element of UC if your financial situation qualifies. You will be expected to demonstrate that you’re working towards recovering the capital from your house but at least if you can claim enough to live on then you’ll have breathing space to start court action.

Good luck. I went through something very similar and it was really hard. I got through it in the end though and so will you, but you need to stop panicking and actually start doing.

Pack your bags and go and move back in your home

Can you increase the amount you pay to your Dad so it is the same as he would get from a lodger?

You need to push for your share of the house you own. You can then use that as deposit on a private rental.

OP please contact Shelter and Ate Change. Ultimately, you will need to force the sale of your house but you don't have to go through this alone. Sort out your short-term housing needs with help, for now. You need to contact qualified advisory services and face up to your situation, you've posted on this before.

*Step Change

You would have had to pay rent in the Council property too; they’re not free!
You need to look at what you can afford to rent. It may be a flat rather than a house perhaps? Your Council may be able to help with loaning a deposit.

Fleeing from DV is homeless, who at the council told you otherwise?
Shelter will help.

"Pack your bags and go and move back in your home"
RTFT

@roarfeckingroarr

That's really mean of your dad, putting money before his daughter,

And you know her dad's financial situation?

Either ex buys you out or you sell and divide

Why does he get to live in house

Is he paying the mortgage

Why does he get to live in house

Probably because for her own safety OP needs to be somewhere he doesn't know about, and he kind of knows where his own house is.

He gets to live in the house because I fled. My address is confidential. If I lived there he would know where I live. I spoke to shelter and they said that because the house is unsuitable for me to live in because of domestic abuse, and because I have no tenancy agreement living with my dad so I am essentially sofa surfing, the council should definitely consider me.