Will the council house me?

[Becca997]

Sorry I had no idea where to post this thread but really need some advice.

Im a single mother of two children under 5 and I rent privately. I've been told my landlord has passed away and I have 6 months to leave the property as it now needs to be sold. As we all know private renting is very expensive at the moment and the landlord did me a big favour giving me the tenancy as I failed the credit check and I also wasn't earning much money. I paid all my rent on time every month and just cut down majorly on everything I could to afford this. Since hearing about my house being sold I've contacted many letting agents. They won't even consider me as I don't make enough money to rent (I need to earn double the rent amount). I've applied for everything available but even the smallest and dirtiest properties are out of my price range. I've also contacted the council to go onto the housing register.

I am terrified to say the least. I feel at this point council is the only option I've got, I live in a small town in wales so while I know there will likely be thousands on my county's housing register I imagine it's a below average number In comparison to the rest of the country. What I'm wondering is has anyone been in a similar position and managed to be housed before being evicted?

I hear horrible stories of families in other parts of the uk being put into homeless shelters or single room bnbs for months on end. I'm terrified this will happen to me. I can't do anything to avoid this situation, I took care of my home and worked hard to afford the rent every month and I just feel so powerless. I'm aware I might be jumping the gun and I might be housed within 6 months and I'm worrying for nothing. But I also don't want to be naive as I know this isn't the case for so many people.

I don't have anyone I can stay with and I of course have all my furniture and appliances here so I don't even know what I'd do with my things if I was put into some sort of homeless shelter. I know the closest hostel/homeless shelter is 14 miles away. Would they put my family there if I'm too far away from work and my child's school? (I dont drive).

I'm so sorry to ramble on and post such a long message. I can't get over this worry and the day I need to leave getting closer. I'm worried I'm going to end up in a position where I'm not able to leave by my eviction date and I'll get into trouble and eventually physically removed. Please someone help

Have you been issued with a Section 21 yet?

There are two things to do.

Apply for your local councils housing register. You won’t be a priority yet but you might get lucky.

Make a homelessness application when you are able to. You can’t now as not yet served notice.

I can’t advise in specifics as you are in wales and I only know English law. However have a good look at Shelter Cymru for info.

I've been issued with the wales equivalent which is a RHW16 notice

I've read up on this, when the time comes to leave, refuse until you are forced out otherwise you are making yourself "intentionally homeless"(absolute garbage I know). Your best bet is to contact shelter about it they will give you the best advice

I intend on doing this if it gets to this, I'll of course carry on paying rent I just feel so awful having to put the landlords family through that when they'll be grieving still. But of course if I have no choice I will have to

Just be aware doing this totally fucks your credit rating and you'll not be able to rent privately for a long while as you have court judgement against you

Refuse to leave but get a job inbetween negotiations

In England most councils won't consider you homeless until the court appointed bailiffs are at your door.

I'd advise speaking to the owner and let them know you haven't found anything else affordable so it's unlikely you'll be able to move out once the notice served expires.

The council will have to house you once bailiffs arrive but where will depend on availability of property at the time.

You've mentioned your child's school so is working additional hours whilst they're at school, or a second job, not an option?

Thing is your credit rating might be fucked afterwards but you can't rent privately now anyway - thats why you need to go down the route of being evicted so you're not making yourself homeless.

Has the Welsh equivalent section 21 been done correctly - many landlords don't do these correctly - its worth taking to the homeless department at your local council and asking, if not let the new landlords know so they can put it correctly together.

As pp state - get yourself not he council bidding system and keep bidding every single week

The OP doesn't say whether she has a job or not.

I was housed before it got to eviction. Speak to your local council/HA

It's definitely not impossible I would just have to see if family would consider helping with childcare for the next 6 months, its hard right now as my only barrier is childcare, I just wish I'd been putting money by all this time incase this happened, I've been privately renting for 5 years in total so I really should have considered this would happen one day

She mentions the homeless hostel being too far away from work, in her first post. So I suspect she does have a job.

I've submitted the form to the people who do the housing application so I'll phone tomorrow just to see if everything has been done right

I don't have any advice but I hope you get something sorted out, OP.

Op the same thing happened to me, private rent for 7 years. Always paid on time and looked after the place. Got a section 21 notice. Luckily the council got us a house but it was a very stressful time. Talk to your housing officer and get on the list x

Unlikely until you homeless which is vvv stressful and not great for you credit wise

OP, before following any advice from any posters wrt waiting for bailiffs, withholding rent, etc PLEASE seek advice from someone who knows how it works there (does Shelter cover Wales?) as most posters will assume (despite being told otherwise) that the English system applies everywhere, which it may not where you are.

Good luck.

Sorry I should have been clearer I do work but part time, more hours could be an option I'd just have to ask for help from family which is hard as of course they all work also

Don't feel guilty about your landlord's family, they could sell with a sitting tenant if they wanted to. You now need to do what is best for you as they are doing.

That means waiting until the bailiffs turn up, unless you are lucky and find a council or housing association property before then.

Talk to Shelter for advice, they are specialists in this area.

When the eviction date is getting close check out storage units and move most of your stuff out a day or two before eviction. Then you can leave it in storage if you can't take it to the temporary accommodation. However not all temporary accommodation is a hostel or B&B some authorities have houses and flats that are used for temporary accommodation too.

Yes we have shelter cymru in Wales, I'll definitely phone them for advice and maybe citizens advice, I'm hoping maybe they'll know the housing situation in my area so maybe I'll have some idea of what's realistic

Yes you take the paperwork to the local authority. They should offer to move you into a temporary flat for a couple of months. After that you’ll be high on the list to be allocated housing. Your children aren’t compulsory school age so they can place you out of town a bit. You mustn’t leave until the council offer you something or you’re formally evicted but in my case I was moved into temporary a few days before my date to quit and after 11 weeks I was given a permanent flat. I hated the flat so after one year I swapped with an old lady and got a semi with a drive and garden. That was just outside London too. Hugely grateful for the security and the affordability. You’d be nuts not to try and get social housing, please make the application asap and get in the system.

Hi @Becca997 I am a housing officer (based in Wales). The first thing you need to do is speak to your LA and show them your notice, the more time they have the more options they can explore with you.

You will need to register for the common housing register to be able to bid on properties. If you are not housed 56 days prior to notice taking effect (very likely) they will accept 'duty' for you and increase your band to a priority banding to help you get house more quickly. They will also advise you to stay in your home until your landlord is granted a possession order by the court to buy some extra time in the hope you will finish in top position for a HA property.

During the time waiting to be housed our LA also works with private landlords who have signed up to the Social Lettings scheme. This is basically private landlords who have to charge rent online with HA's and the LA act as guarantor's. You can be housed this way aswell and given 5 year tenancy

I am in a similar boat to you OP, but I am being evicted from army housing following the breakdown of my marriage. Private rental costs are ridiculous in my area and although I am employed full time, estate agents won't entertain me because I only have the one income.

I have been told by the council that the only way to get accommodated is to wait it out and get evicted by bailiffs, and that temporary accommodation could be anywhere in the county. I also have the added stress that my DS is currently receiving treatment for an aggressive cancer. His consultant is writing a letter to both the army housing and the council, explaining that my son cannot be placed in temporary accommodation due to his condition, but I'm not sure how much weight it will hold. I have to be out my mid-May.