Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Urgent advice needed

15 replies

123cupcake4 · 25/03/2022 11:20

Not an aibu but I need some advice please!

My SIL is a single mum with 4 children in Enfield. She's been in a temporary council house now for about 5 years. She was in a lot of arrears as she was having a difficult time sorting her UC etc as her husband abandoned her and the kids abroad and took their passports. She got back and sorted but living and UC took a long time resulting in arrears. She was originally 9k in arrears. Her rent is 1600 a month and the council agreed if she paid £50 a month to go towards the debt. All fine. The housing officer has now changed and they have just called and said this isn't good enough and agreed an extra £20 a month on top. They then called again to say actually this isn't good enough. She needs to pay the remaining 6k now otherwise they will give her notice and contact social services! I'm not sure if they can do this as they had a payment plan in place? She hasn't had any complaints from neighbours and just quietly living her life looking after her kids. She argued with them and they said they will check nd call back. So now obviously she is in a panic. I could help a bit towards the arrears but really in a great financial position after the pandemic. Not enough to clear it. Her ex dh is not an option as she has an injunction against him. Me and my dh said we will do what we can but more concerned about the kids. She has 4 and I do too and don't really have room for everyone!

Can the council just change their mind nd throw threats like this? I'm on hold to shelter to ask advice but it's a long wait and she's now distraught and needs to go to work.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

OP posts:
Mischance · 25/03/2022 11:22

She should consult the nearest Citizens Advice Bureau.

Original poster
123cupcake4 · 25/03/2022 11:23

Thank you

OP posts:
NewtoHolland · 25/03/2022 11:24

She needs to speak to citizens advice bureau.
The council absolutely are not allowed to harass her like this.
CAB are amazing and should be able to help advocate for her on her behalf.
I would also be calling the council and complaining to the manager of this department that she was harassed and threatened with social services when she has been keeping to the agreement previously set. Not everyone has a supportive family like you and I hate to think the effect that individual is having on people ringing them and being so threatening about their debt.

WeDontShutUpAboutBruno · 25/03/2022 11:26

The payment plan will need to be realistic. 15 years to pay back rent arrears isn't realistic unfortunately.

I'm also not sure what your areas rules are, but here you can't be offered a house if you're in rent arrears with the council, and they won't want her in emergency temporary accommodation for 15 years.

Contact shelter or citizens advice, they will be best placed to help her.

sunisblinding · 25/03/2022 11:28

£1600 is very high. Unfortunately she's living in a very expensive part of the country.

Could she consider moving somewhere cheaper?

scoobydoo1971 · 25/03/2022 12:05

Former housing officer here. This is what I would do:

Contact shelter for legal advice. Their legal advisor can step into case management with permission of the tenant, in certain circumstances.
Ask SIL to insist all comm's with landlord are in writing by email or letter. No phone calls as there is no evidence of who said what.
Consider complaint to Local Government ombudsman for unfair treatment (not now, but if the eviction was actioned).
If notice is served on her, she should look into appeals procedure with housing department.
Get her to write a letter to the housing manager (find out their name...not a dear sir/ madam) outlining financial position and what was previously agreed in terms of repayments. There will be many social housing tenants with arrears and it is not a question of the debt size. Family context helps to make decisions also, and the prospect of rent recovery in the future also factors in.
Budgeting loans from DWP cover rent. Sure it is not ideal, but a lumpsum gesture towards the housing department may be all that is required.

MrsMoastyToasty · 25/03/2022 12:11

Citizens advice will also check that she is getting all her benefit entitlements to maximise her income.

Original poster
123cupcake4 · 25/03/2022 12:21

Thank you just got through to shelter now

OP posts:
Original poster
123cupcake4 · 25/03/2022 22:14

Got some excellent advice from shelter. But I managed to speak to her council and arrange a payment plan of an extra £100 a month and we will help her out. It wasn't worth the time and stress of eviction notices, court and rehousing efforts.

OP posts:
LakieLady · 25/03/2022 22:28

@scoobydoo1971

Former housing officer here. This is what I would do:

Contact shelter for legal advice. Their legal advisor can step into case management with permission of the tenant, in certain circumstances.
Ask SIL to insist all comm's with landlord are in writing by email or letter. No phone calls as there is no evidence of who said what.
Consider complaint to Local Government ombudsman for unfair treatment (not now, but if the eviction was actioned).
If notice is served on her, she should look into appeals procedure with housing department.
Get her to write a letter to the housing manager (find out their name...not a dear sir/ madam) outlining financial position and what was previously agreed in terms of repayments. There will be many social housing tenants with arrears and it is not a question of the debt size. Family context helps to make decisions also, and the prospect of rent recovery in the future also factors in.
Budgeting loans from DWP cover rent. Sure it is not ideal, but a lumpsum gesture towards the housing department may be all that is required.

Doesn't housing have its own ombudsman, separate from the LG one?

And you have to go through the LA's own complaints procedure before you can go to the ombudsman.

LakieLady · 25/03/2022 22:30

Great update OP, and I'm pleased it's sorted.

Your SIL is lucky to have you in her corner.

ididntevennotice · 25/03/2022 22:32

Is her rent paid directly to the landlord? I would be cautious about paying someone's debt like this, what if she runs it up again?

custardo · 25/03/2022 22:35

yeah you do have to go through the housing complaints before you go to ombudsman.

Original poster
123cupcake4 · 25/03/2022 23:46

It is paid to the council. She has arrears because her husband abandoned her and the kids abroad and took their passports. It took 6 months to get back and when she did they put her into temporary accommodation with out having received any universal credit yet. It took a fw months to sort out and the rent stacked up it wasn't her fault and she pays the rent monthly on time. I know because I do it for her via phone. Her english is OK but not excellent and I help if I can. So that's ok. Shelter said to complain but I think she's been through enough nd for the sake of £100 a month I don't want the kids to go through any more trauma or uncertainty. Thanks all for the advice

OP posts:
Original poster
123cupcake4 · 25/03/2022 23:48

Shelter also said they should have put in more suitable accommodation that she could afford or provided peppercorn rent rate and ao this si of their own doing and so an eviction was unlikely to hold in court. But we don't want to deal with all that for the kids sake. They are settled and in nice schools ith friends. Not worth the drama and headache.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread