Soon to be homeless

[Bunnyrabbit123]

Hello 👋
Please could i have some advice.

Ive read that the council want 5 years previous history for help with homelessness. Will they contact my last previous landlord from august 2023 even though ive been sofa surfing (family members) for over a year and lived with my mum for 2 months now. Id much rather they contact another landlord, he was abusive to me when i came for support when struggling with money. I remember the electric/water/gas bill skyrocketted one month making total outgoings for rent and bills almost 3k a month alone! Alot to it to be fair but im really worried about getting an awful reference. There were times i made late payments unfortunately but i had absolutely no way around it. I was honestly selling my belongings and getting loans to make ends meet. He would then come banging on the door and windows shouting demanding money and smacking my phone out of my hand if i tried to record for my own safety because i was honestly terrified…
The previous landlords house is in the same borough im going to the council for too!

Also!!!
I dont want to dive too much into my personal history and how i ended up here. Ive seen some really nasty comments about people judging. The above is just one paragraph, ive been through an awful lot and exhausted all my options, my family cannot help me and i cannot currently work. I have a 5 month baby and my ex partner left me to deal so much unprecedentedly. I am absolutely terrified of whats to come but i will ensure to give my baby a beautiful life, i just need some help getting stable. Ive never had any help from the council so this is all completely new to me. Please can i ask people to try not to judge me from the information ive provided. Id much rather just get the advice ive asked for🙏🏽 💕

So it depends on the council & area really but the main reason a council would usually contact previous landlord is to work out why you became homeless essentially, as if they believe you’ve made yourself intentionally homeless then the council don’t have the same duty to help you.

They will ask for your previous addresses, 5 years is the norm. If you present as homeless they will look at your last settled accommodation to see if you are intentionally homeless. Sofa surfing would not be settled accommodation for obvious reasons.
You need to be truthful with them so you can be correctly advised on your options.

What made me homeless now would be my mum asking us to leave due to no space and her health issues. She said she will write a letter and contact them to explain if need be. Would the council still contact an old landlord? Cant I provide the landlord prior to him

It depends if they think that was your last settled address. You really need to discuss this with the local authority, they will interview you fully and make appropriate enquiries. We can't do that.

That all sounds incredibly difficult and I wouldn’t dream of judging you. I’m afraid I have no experience in this but I wonder if Shelter, the housing charity, would have some helpful information. Also, it sounds like your previous landlord was potentially harassing you, and smacking your phone out of your hand sounds very bad - assault??

I hope you get something sorted @Bunnyrabbit123, you just need that chance so you can make a good home for you and your baby x

@Bunnyrabbit123 did you ever report your last landlord for how he was towards you ? Was there any rent arrears. They would be most interested in that landlord as that was your last rented accommodation.

If you had good reason to leave. The council may not see you as intensionally homeless. Even if they do they sometimes still help because there's a duty of care towards your child.

Also explain to your council about the landlord say what you have here say yiu we're scared etc .

Unfortunately no you can’t provide a landlord of your choosing as it will be the last landlord you left which then led to you being at your mums, so if you are classed as having made yourself intentionally homeless from your last rented property, which forced you into your mums, it is that landlord they would be interested in.