AIBU to not understand why we don’t meet social housing criteria?

[Lulubon]

Does anyone have any experience with social housing?
We have been on the register for a year, band C and 13 points

Our situation:
My partner was made redundant during the pandemic and found it hard to find a job, he now works a low paid nhs job, full time.

He has a previous ccj which prevents us being accepted for rental properties. We’ve been turned down more times then I can count.

We live in one of the most expensive areas of the country. (Just happened to be where we grew up and we previously were relatively high earners)

We have a 7 month old son. I am currently receiving statuary maternity pay which ends this month.

I am a nursing student and will be returning to my studies in September full time.

We currently rent a small flat which is £1000pm. We originally lived her a few years ago when both in full time work, well paid jobs.

Rent is almost all of my partners earning and we are left with just enough to cover bills and food. Although I often have to put at least one food shop on the credit card.

Our flat has been sold and we have been served notice.

We have nowhere to go as we have been frantically applying to rent through letting agents and haven’t been accepted for low income and the ccj.

We contacted the council to ask if we have gained priority and they said no!?

I am completely at a loss and so heartbroken to be in this situation, we were living a care free lifestyle with quite a bit of disposable income pre pandemic.
I want our son to have a secure home but the woman we spoke to today from the counsel said we would need minimum 25 point (we have 13) to even be considered for a housing association house.

Can this be correct? If so what can we do in this situation?

Thanks in advance

Can people please stop telling OP that she’ll be priority need if she’s homeless? That is simply not what the law says. Some councils may give greater weight to homelessness in their allocations but it’s not automatic.

OP, please ring Shelter for some professional advice. I’m so sorry you’re in this position. It sounds like you’ve had a really tough time.

What skills does your partner have?

You really cant have looked at the job market if you are claiming there aren't any jobs. Right now there is a HUGE shortage of skilled workers. There are real problems with hiring in our sector (tech) due to lack of candidates.

[quote Lulubon]@Iwonder08

Did you read what I just wrote? I’m worried about housing, not looking for income advice. If I get a job now it will not help my housing situation because you can’t rent on probation, you need to have worked there 3-6 months depending on the company 👍🏻[/quote]
No, but it'll give you an income. Putting issues of housing and housing entitlement aside, isn't it always preferable to have more money, especially when your situation is so precarious? Private landlords might be more amenable to someone who can pay, say, the deposit and first few months rent in cash.

There are jobs obviously but firstly most at his level are the same rate of pay. Secondly, he’s doing a course to try and get a better job in IT but he has applied and been turned down for higher paid jobs and therefor went for the current job as it was the only one he was accepted for.

If you need to stay in area then what can anyone say?
Your LA has accepted you on their list they just haven't awarded you enough priority to get to the top.
In my LA (good SH stock) you don't always need priority but it's no help to you.
Short of reminding people to vote in whoever has a decent SH restock policy what help can anyone give?

@Spanielstail The law is actually pretty clear in prioritising a family's right to a roof over their head over a landlord protecting their investment. And surely everyone knows that investments come with risks - otherwise they'd just be crooks and extortionists demanding money for nothing, right? We've been governed by the party of landlords for over a decade now and even they haven't seen fit to change the law on this.

@Spanielstail

I can't believe how many people are suggesting she overstays get notice and waits to be evicted. That costs the landlord money!! (s)he owns that property and has a right to sell it without someone squatting in it refusing to leave.

Perhaps you should campaign for more social housing so that councils don't have to take the strictest possible interpretation of what "homeless" means, @Spanielstail.

Landlords know the risks, if they don't like them, they can always find another cash cow investment, but they are landlords becaues that gives them both an income and an appreciating asset, few things will do that.

And that income is often subsidised by the taxpayer via housing benefit and UC because rents are often unaffordable even for people in work.

The system is fucked.

Just to echo what others have said - stay put as long as possible as that's what will get you up the list.

My council housed us in temporary housing before it got to the stage of bailiffs but even then it was a good 7 months after we'd actually been served notice before we had to leave. Probably longer now with COVID and court backlogs etc.

The temporary accommodation was horrible buy it was only 4 months (shorter/longer in different areas) and then we got keys to a permanent place which we love.

Your 7 month old won't have any idea any of this is going on.

No advice OP, but I really feel for you. Awful situation to be in. And sadly not an unusual one. Shortage of housing is a massive problem, not helped by the right to buy. Good luck with your course & for the future.

Sadly op councils have huge waiting lists, with people in horrible temp accommodation. So they need to make peoooe get to eviction status to delay them joining the list. Once you are evicted they will home you, but likely in a b&b, hostel etc. Then when a home becomes available house you, which may not be quick.

However being evicted and with a ccj may make it difficult to impossible to get private rental again, or any decent one, but it could take months to even a year or two to get a social property.

The only thing I can suggest is is there anyone you can borrow from and pay your rent up front for a private rental? If not I think thr both of you need to do what you can to earn extra money, night shifts, weekends etc, there are always manual jobs if you want them.

A bit ironic you accused @BrieAndChilli of being rude and now it's you basically telling people you don't want their advice.
I agree with the posters who are saying it sounds as though you can't afford to be a student. There is a job I would love to do which would mean I would have to go to uni. We couldn't afford it to be without my wage so I'm not doing it. I completely get you want to make a better life for yourself. But by the sounds of it you need two incomes coming in. There's things we would all love to do but you've got to be realistic.

Some HA allocate a proportion of properties to or prioritise NHS employees/key workers, so it might be worth asking hospital hr or your uni if they know of any such properties.

You should contact your uni and ask to defer for a year. They might let you with the pandemic and no detriment etc.

Otherwise, why can’t you work evenings now in hospitality or similar?

At this point, you can’t afford to be a student. You need to be earning.

OP

Long shot but have you contacted your uni? They may have help whether financial or even accommodation.

There should also be help with childcare if you are getting a bursary - up to 85% of costs.

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2020-07/Help%20with%20childcare%20costs%20for%20NHS%20Bursary%20students%202020-21%20%28V1%29%2007%202020.pdf

Agree with what others have said most of us couldn't afford to take time out to study or live in the most expensive part of the country when neither parent/adult is working full time - sometimes you have to make difficult choices. Not sure why you decided to stay on SMP and not look for work - taking a year of SMP is a luxury when you can't afford housing

I haven’t read the full thread but can’t see that anyone has picked up on the conflation between council and housing association housing

They are different things. The council is only one option. Get on the phone to all your local housing association. Get on their allocation lists. It’s easier to get a housing association property. You may even be allowed to buy a shared ownership using local authority mortgage- I’m not too sure about that, but definitely call them individually to discuss.

Sorry I don't really understand the system but if you can afford to rent ,bills etc (even with credit cards which most people use ) why would council think you are a priority?Even if you are being evicted surely there are similar places you can move into?
There are plenty of people who live month to month without disposable income and that doesn't mean they should get councils help. I really don't want to sound harsh but I know people who are in a council house and end up having more disposable income (sky ,newest phones etc ) than my partner and I do and we both work.
Its should be only for those who have no means to support themselves without the assistance

Have you got a guarantor if so you may be able to rent somewhere.

[quote Lulubon]@Iwonder08

Did you read what I just wrote? I’m worried about housing, not looking for income advice. If I get a job now it will not help my housing situation because you can’t rent on probation, you need to have worked there 3-6 months depending on the company 👍🏻[/quote]
So start working now...then, when eviction actually happening you will be 3-6, months on a job.

I get the impression that you don't want to work and be a student. I know your baby is only 7 month old, but you cannot afford this luxury atm

There are millions of families in private rentals struggling every single day, 2 families I know had to merge homes as they can't afford separate rent so there housing need is no less than alot of others Including you.

And there is literally no social housing left.

Someone from work had Been bidding as long as you as thought she would get a council house being single with a child and renting and was promptly removed after they realised she didn't have a housing need as had been privately renting fine for years.

Band C is pretty low for the council when you consider most have 20,000+ people on their lists and get maybe 2 dozen or so vacancies of all kinds in a week.

As others have said, you need to actually be homeless before the council will help & then you could end up in a B&B miles away (for example Tower Hamlets Council often send people to Birmingham) so that may not work for you either.

Could you use a guarantor to help rent? Or speak to Housing Options who may be able to help locate a landlord happy to take you.

Sometimes we all have difficult choices to make, and it helps to be more flexible and less rigid in thinking. Sure a nice council house at a low rent is appealing, but what are the chances even when you are homeless that you will get that? Emergency housing can be pretty varied, and anything from ok to downright unpleasant. Some councils in London have such high demand they are rehousing people out of area, down in Medway or coastal areas of Kent for example. Is this something your council does? You may still end up with a long commute to your uni if so.

I agree with pp in your situation I would have been trying to pick up evening or weekend work over the last few months where possible to improve the overall financial position. Two working parents is always more attractive to a landlord, especially when there's a previous CCJ in the mix.

Also if your partner works in IT, why was he not working to develop himself/ his skills in his own time before losing his last job? That's pretty essential. What course is he doing now, and is he not still applying for roles in the meantime? I imagine one problem he will have is that a lot of roles are financial services related, and often it's a condition of employment that you don't have any CCJs against you (I know it is in the organisation I work for). Has the CCJ been paid off or is it still outstanding?

@Spanielstail

I can't believe how many people are suggesting she overstays get notice and waits to be evicted. That costs the landlord money!! (s)he owns that property and has a right to sell it without someone squatting in it refusing to leave.

It's unfortunately what many councils are advising tenants to do - pushing the problem (and cost) onto landlords.

OP should of course continue paying rent so as not to harm her credit score, but also wait for eviction if that's what the council advises.

I am so sorry your family are in this position.
I think sometimes people who are homeowners don't understand the stress renting brings, especially when you're in a corner.
Good luck

Can you privately rent just in your name?