To ask what you’d do in this dire situation?

[ReallyStuck2024]

Posting for traffic.

I live in SE England. I’m trying to move to a cheaper part of the UK and I’m making plans to do so.

I work FT and have an additional PT job. I’m working around 55-60 hours a week.

No savings, can’t get a decent credit card or even a loan due to previous poor credit (which I’m working to resolve).I’m not entitled to any benefits.
I don’t drive so can’t take on work as for eg Deliveroo or Amazon or otherwise

Family can’t help me with financial support. I also cannot stay with family in the short term due to valid but complicated reasons.

the situation is: it’s going to cost me thousands to move: in terms of arranging a move but also because my current flat is furnished and I’d have to furnish an entire new house. So I need to save for six months or so.

whilst this is all going on, my LL announced he was putting the rent up by £450 a month, effective March. I can’t afford this and will need to move. But I can’t afford to move.

I am wracking my head for solutions here - even moving into a house share and getting rid of most of my belongings but that still wouldn’t work because I’d need a months rent and deposit up front and tbh, house shares and one bed flats aren’t that different in price where I’m looking.

What on earth am I meant to do? I’m seriously panicking

Has he definitely served the notice to increase properly, I know it has to be in writing etc… our landlord served a notice via email/text once but it wasn’t valid as it hadn’t been properly served so we didn’t pay the increase the next month and negotiated a price in between (he was increasing far beyond the local rent).

Moving a bit cheaper is entirely possible - pre Brexit I had loads of furniture transported from Ireland for less the €200 as a truck was coming this way with a bit of space they wanted to fill. If you put how many boxes you need to move on shipley you may get a mover who has space to fit it in with another shipment at a reduced cost - you just have to be a little flexible on your dates and times so they can fit it in with another shipment. We have also used enterprise car club to hire vans and but you pay per the mile so probably better for short distances - handy for picking up furniture locally!

Facebook marketplace has lots of secondhand furniture, there are also quite a few charity shops that sell furniture, some of which deliver locally, so don’t let that element put you off!

We were in a rental years back managed by Oceans letting and in the contract they had the clause of professional cleaning (house, oven, carpets) which was particularly annoying as the house was dirty when we moved in - particularly the carpets! We pointed out it was cleaner now and we had photographs etc… but they said if we didn’t produce a cleaners receipt they would keep part of the deposit so we found some cleaner who does all three things together for £160 but didn’t do as good a job as I would have done myself.

Personally I would move, put some stuff in storage if you have too much for a room rental, save and then move into a bigger space in a few months.

Apart from airbnb whilst you save you could also go for

Narrow Boat rentals / long term holiday lets

There are actually quite a lot of options the OP has which have been outlined by many other posters. All far more likely lead to a successful outcome than “thoughts and prayers” ever could.

Right, come on. Here I am. The Cavalry.

Background: I've been living in the mire you are now peering down at for some (fairly long) time (in my case due to abusive ex and super-abusive witch behind him extorting a stack of cash from me to save my and my daughter and son's lives but that's another Netflix ; ) .....

So.

I have a horrendous credit history. No money. And for a while have had no income (due to stopping doing what had been doing with him - previously had come from a very solid writing career).

Listen, and follow these instructions : )

If you are currently paying £1,100 a month rent and £400 bills, that is £1,500. You move up north. You move to somewhere actually very nice around West or South Yorkshire. You sit in a lovely little house and do your work.

This will cost you maybe max £750 a month for the house and say £300 bills, so we have £1050. BUT, you have 2 bedrooms. In one, you kindly home a Ukrainian refugee (carefully selected - ask me - I have lots of lovely friends I have helped, I know something about all of this). You get from the council a payment of around min. £425 a month to say thank you. So now your £1,050 is £625 a month. This is £775 less a month. So basically 2 months here is less than 1 month where you are.

And you are not alone.

And you are living somewhere lovely, where everything (and I mean everything, even a carton of milk) is cheaper. So, for example, in the SE where I am now sadly forced to be for a while, the cheapest diesel is £1.38/L. In Yorkshire I have seen it for £1.29/L.

It all adds up, OP, it all adds up.

It will not take you 6 months to furnish a place. You go on Facebook marketplace and get ludicrous bargains from people who went all out furnishing their place then split up 6 months later and now don't want to look at any of it. And you buy the stuff up there. Your removal costs are £350 for whatever you're taking up.

You do this. The deposit is £750 not £2,750.

Move North.

It's a different country.

A better one.

PS
Oh, and you will actually be changing someone else's life and helping them. And you might learn a bit of a new language. And feel like you are trading kindness and not money for home and pleasure.

Try it.

@ReallyStuck2024 how about an interim move to somewhere like Andover? Much cheaper and on the way to Devon.

I suggested a move up North but op said no as wants to be near support from family which is understandable but unfortunately when things are dire we do have to compromise and affordability must come higher than location.

I can tell you’re a writer. This was so persuasive. Have you considered working for the Yorkshire tourist board? That’s a joke but you know what I mean.

It all feels like a huge fucking slog with no chance of freedom or let up. I want to be somewhere secure so I can save - I want to eventually learn to drive (I can’t currently because of meds related reasons but that won’t be forever).

I have also been in much worse circs than I am now. I left a DV relationship with literally nothing. No job and no money in my account. That was about a decade ago and I’d just started to feel I was on an even keel. I’m starting to get bored of my own pity party now. Anyway you sound amazing.

'Bristol is even worse than Devon in terms of the rental market.'
1 bed studio flats on Gumtree £695/705 pcm i doubt you'd get that in Devon.

I know you're panicking right now, but you need to closely assess what you see as a 'need'. It will work out - sounds like your job is stable, and bonus that you can work from anywhere!

Firstly - work to your March deadline. What can you do by then?

Go through your possessions and get rid of everything you can - less to move and make some money. Clothes you don't wear? Put them on Vinted. Books you've already read and aren't your favourite, vinted or charity. Even small value items really add up.

Someone else had a suggestion of long term air bnb. This is great if there is something available. Get something booked for 3 months minimum for the same as you're paying now.

So what do you need to save before March?
Any end of tenancy costs - keep these minimum.
Van hire (if a friend will drive) or man and van costs.
Can a few friends/family keep hold of a box or two each of your personal belongings that you don't need for a few months (and if you don't need them for a few months, think about if you really need them).

If you can save £400/month between now and March and the air bnb is a realistic option then your situation is totally fine.

Continue saving while in the Airbnb and within a few months you'll have enough for the first months rent and deposit in no time.

Continue saving after you move into a rental, and build your safety net so you never have to panic like this again!

Your landlord is an arse, but he's done you a favour and given you focus and a deadline to move. Good luck, and hopefully come back and tell us when you've moved!

Also, what furniture you 'need' is an air mattress. And a fridge. You can build everything else month by month. You don't have to have a sofa the day you move in. You don't even have to have a bed.

I'm 99% sure Andover will be CHEAP and I think it's on the Trainline to Devon?

It is on both accounts. Direct line to EXD. It’s on my right move search list

My company offers 0% loans to some employees which is then being decucted from their wages for X months…maybe you can ask at work and this is something they would consider so you can get a loan for at least a deposit

Perhaps a room in house share in Andover as a temporary half way move?

It may sound mad but how would you feel about contacted some churches in that area and ask if any members would consider a shortish term lodger?

Stupid question but why churches in particular?

oh bless you, and thank you 😘 and yes so I do totally really know where you are.

You will be able to plan a future up there. You will be able to buy a shared ownership house with a £2,500 deposit and it will cost you around £800 a month max. It will be yours (kind of). You will see lots of different people all actually looking happy and having quite a nice life. You will see lots more people having an ok car and a garage. And if you haven't yet had DV counselling etc, it is never too late. If you just speak up, you will find the DV support services amazing.

I had worked myself up through various houses to the point of having a great house in a prime street in very exclusive location. And now I have nothing. But myself and my children and our (sort of) freedom.

Look, life goes in eras. Accept Series 1 and 2 are done. Think about Series 3 now. You choose.

And I do mean it about helping another refugee. Because you too have had your life as it would have been just taken away. So you have something in common. ..

On the Andover theme.... What about Honiton? Nearer and affordable
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/155580446#/?channel=RES_LET
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/155794052#/?channel=RES_LET
But honestly...a total restart up north is not a bad shout. I'm Devonian and it pulls on my heart strings, but lets face it, it is expensive, work/social options are tricky (especially if you don't drive) and 2nd home owners have eviscerated vast swathes....

Can you look at being a property guardian for a while

@ReallyStuck2024 it's not stupid to ask!

I was thinking of Christian churches - because those of faith are called to help those in need. Also they may offer a room to assist you not because they need the money so hopefully more affordable.

A formal house share is expensive because ultimately a landlord is still being paid. At a church someone may not want or have a room they always rent out but would for 3/4/5/6 months for money as someone is in need. They may also offer a more "supportive" environment.

Just basic kindness rather than a business arrangement IYSWIM

Are Yeovil and Bridport on your list? Very cheap for SW and not that far from Exeter.
From a quick scan on right move, they are a lot more cheap rentals there than in Andover.

Find a nice house share for a year. You won't need thousands. Lots of people in similar situation to yourself.
Things will get better for you.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/limit-on-annual-rent-increases-2024-25-from-april-2024

A £450 increase from £1100 is 40%

The legal limit this year is 7.7% ie for you £1187

He is £363 over the limit!

Has he informed you of his proposed rent increase in writing? If/when he does, write back with the evidence that this is illegal.

You can sit where you are paying the same as current rent for 1 year+ while he goes to court to evict you (which a judge won't agree to as his actions are against the law). There is nothing he can do legally without a court order.

There is a huge court backlog so it will probably be a lot longer than a year.

Well done on escaping the abusive relshp.

Apologies if I said this earlier (I typed out a response but then it disappeared) but join a credit union now and start saving a little to build your history. You get better rates on loans and they generally have more flexible criteria.

Given you are likely to be much better off as soon as you move, your problems are getting a way through the short term so you can demonstrate that.

In terms of moving costs, would it be cheaper just to courier most of your stuff? The less valuable bulkier stuff rather than hiring a van. Have you a friend or family member within taxi type distance who would store it for a week or two?

And then take the biggest suitcase you can manage on a train and your valuables/laptop etc in a back pack.

I think 7.7% is the limit for social housing rather than private rents but I’m awaiting on advice from Shelter.