To feel scared in regards to housing situ?

[Thisistheworstt]

2 children, single parent currently in emergency housing accommodation.
NOT shared facilities but it is basically a small studio with 2 beds, just had my housing application back and I’ve been put at band E, does this mean I’m not even priority? It is hell here and after this email today I feel like I will see no light at the end of the tunnel for at least ay year.

Has anyone been in a similar situation?

I’m so sorry you’re in this situation I hope you find somewhere suitable.

@itsmehiii - thank you I never thought I would see myself in this boat!!

Any chance of private renting or is that just too expensive? Which part of the country are you in ? The social housing situation is dire.

Have they got all the relevant info? At my HA you are often activated in Band 4 but that can change once all the information is supplied.

No chance of private renting as no one accepts universal credit as a payment!! All relevant documents/information has been provided they are aware of everything as they placed me into emergency accommodation

In more and more places, private renting isn't so much expensive, as non existent. In some places, there's literally nothing to rent as all viewing slots are taken within an hour of the listing going up, and often nearly all the viewers want it! It's madness. I never realised it was so bad. If your not employed, or got pets or are a smoker, you've really no chance at all in more and more places these days.

Whichever political party that comes up with a reasonable strategy for solving the housing crisis will win the next election. I never realised it was so bad (living in my owner-occupier bubble) and thought people were exagerating when they said how hard it was to find somewhere to rent. We've spent the last few months trying to help our son find a flat in the town where he's got a graduate job and we've had to offer 10% over asking price and pay a full year in advance to get accepted - 9 of the 10 people who viewed it wanted it!

Band E is the lowest. In my council its one to four rather than A to E but I was band 4. I did get somewhere but it wasn't council, it was a housing association, rent is the max I could possibly afford and I was on the list 11 years bidding every week. If you have a secure roof over your head, you aren't priority.

That said, if there are 3 of you in a bedsit, you're technically overcrowded. Is it 2 bedrooms or an all in one room situation?

Are your children opposite sex? If boy and girl they have to rehouse once the eldest is 10 as it is no longer appropriate for them to share a bedroom.

Log in and update all your information including that you are in emergency bedsit accommodation, ages of children, sex of children, etc as I think your banding may be incorrect.

Try and go to your local Civic centre/council offices and speak to a person, make sure your situation is correctly recorded.

@Balloonhearts Unfortunately, they know everything, as the bedsit I am in is run by the council staff. They did my application, I have gone through it and everything is correct.

However, I will definitely give it a go speaking in person as there’s no way this is deemed suitable.

You should be at least band 3 imo, especially if children are primary age. It just doesn't sound right how you're classified. Band 4/E is adequately housed. You should be in band 2 or 3 /B or C.

Sometimes the system just needs a person to apply common sense to it, definitely speak to them. Don't call it a studio either, call it a bedsit. Stress that there are 2 of you living in one room Studio might be taken as a 1 bed flat kind of place where you would be expected to sleep in the living room and kids have the bedroom.