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

Yes I always moved when I was renting with a load of bags.

As another pp said if you really need a van for big furniture you can rent it by the hour. I imagine you're looking at around £100 cost if you try to get it down.

However, it's only a small flat I'm sure you can do it by carrying stuff in batches. Do you have a couple of friends who can help OP?

my main issue is paying rent and a deposit and the rent on my current place.

But this doesnt overlap?

You only transfer the deposit and first months rent on the day you move in - and you wouldnt be paying rent at you current place at the same time. So the rent you have already earmarked for your current place pays your rent and % of deposit in Devon - ie 750 rent and 250 of the deposit ... so you are only £500 short on the day which will come back of your oirginal £1000 deposit - so you are actually £500 up.

As I mentioned earlier you can negotiate a really good deal on a short term let on an out of season airbnb/holiday rental - and as PP said .... no deposit needed for this. So you would have your £1000 back from your surrey deposit in a few weeks and time to look for a long term let.

It’s a huge crisis. Some of the places I’ve seen don’t have anything in the kitchens either (not even an oven???) which is even worse than Surrey. But I’ve got genuine health, wellbeing and personal reasons for the move.

When I moved into my current place, I had to pay the first month’s rent and deposit when I signed my contract. Or it might have been the deposit when I signed my contract. I checked last night and it must have been both because I made a payment of £2100 about two weeks before I moved in, which was the day I signed my AST.

It seems as if your best move is to get yourself down to Devon into a mid term airb&b or something where you don’t need a deposit. There are a few for around the £800 a month mark, I’ve looked.

Benefit from the support from your family.

Get yourself fully out of your current tenancy, getting back as much of the deposit as you can (in my limited experience, the deposit protection system is pretty fair and reasonable so fight any deductions he tries to make.)

Save for a few months and start again in rented. It’s always easier to rent whilst there as you can view and apply the day they go on RightMove.

The housing situation in this country for people who aren’t already on the housing ladder is terrible and I really feel for you. Xxx

Hi OP,

If you want to move but don't have a way to take your furniture, would it be an option to ebay it or freecycle it? That way people would pay to remove it for you, and when it is gone then you can just pack your bags and go.

What a twat of a human he is.

Thanks - I don’t have any furniture so the costs associated with that are getting new furniture and transporting it to a new place (I don’t drive; medical reasons)

OP you’ve had some good advice already but also get in touch with Acorn renters union. They can assist groups of people fighting rent rises/evictions. You’ll find them online.

Your landlord is an arse and I’m sorry you’re in this position.

Hi, sorry if this has been suggested but have you looked into a credit union loan? My brother was in similar-ish type situation and after a short period of making saving payments he got a loan. Maybe don't mention it's to move out the area as it's unusually a community based thing.

Could you talk to your bank about a short term arranged overdraft? Just to pay the deposit on new place. pay it off and cancel the overdraft as soon as you get your deposit money back from current let.

Have you asked your work whether they can give you a pay advance? I didn't even know my company did this, before my direct report asked me. I think he got 1/2 a months pay in advance, but it had clauses and couldn't be done again within 12mths.

Clothes, my laptop, bedding, all my kitchen stuff. Books. Just stuff. And not even a lot tbh.

Price this up.

How much you can carry?
How much can you post and what is the cost?
How mush can you sell?

Is it cheaper to replace - get new bedding delivered?

Can replace kitchen stuff from charity shops locally in Devon. Ask local family and friends to look for you ahead or put out a list if anyone is decluttering.

I haven't rtft. But....

....all councils have a legal duty to provide at least advice (not necessarily housing), to people who are at risk of homelessness. They are normally called the homeless prevention team, or something similar. As your rent is becoming unaffordable you may be classed as at risk, so you might be able to get some advice and guidance from your council. They would be able to speak to you about any deposit loans/grants that might be available to you.

The SW is really expensive. Parts of Somerset might be cheaper such as Bridgwater/Chard, so it's worth looking into the cheaper areas.

Also you might be able to join the social housing waiting list. You can google the local authority where you live and will see the criteria. You normally need to be earning under around 35/40k. Councils do help people without children. One bedroom flats are allocated to childless singles and couples. It's just that you might not be a high priority unless you have specific vulnerabilities.

You could also look at the criteria for the council in the area you want to move to. Some will accept you with a local connection such as close family in the area, whereas some will say you need a very good reason to move to be near those family members.

If you manage to register on the social housing waiting list, you can then look at options like this (where you don't need a local connection)...

homefinderuk.org/my-cbl/property-search?bedrooms=Studio-1&propertytype=select&housingcategory=999&tenure=select&radios=Y&checkbox=

I'm rambling on about all this because I really feel for people in your situation. Im single and I used to private rent and it was so hard. I eventually moved into a council flat (due to some specific life circumstances). Paying private rent as a single childless person is very difficult. But, it is not true that the council won't help. They have 1 bed flats, which are not available for people with children. And they are legally obliged to provide advice to people who are at risk of homelessness even if they are single, child free and without vulnerabilities.

All of this is based on my own experience of struggling with housing in the past. I believe what I have said is accurate! But I'm not a professional and I don't have any special knowledge in this area, so I really do apologise if I'm wrong about any of it.

I know the furniture thing seems really overwhelming but I think you should try to put that to one side. Second hand or gumtree you can get a lot, when we moved into our house with barely any furniture a few years ago (we did have a futon though) I bought loads of stuff from the local charity shop and they delivered for £10!

Also while they only had a few bits of furniture in the shop they actually had a huge warehouse so I just listed what I wanted and the style I liked, and they got photos of options they had and I picked from that. Over time we've replaced a few bits but a lot of it was really good quality so we still have it! Even got some g plan tables for £2.50.

You could become a property guardian as an easier way to move. My brother did this and stayed in a fantastic old house with loads of storage room for his stuff when he moved from London to the Midlands

https://www.adhocproperty.co.uk/guardians/guardian-lifestyle#:~:text=How%20it%20works,owner%20%E2%80%93%20simply%20by%20living%20there.

To get a place to live in the de or Devon people are actually offering to pay 6/12 months rent in advance and every property that becomes available, they’re at least 30+ people actually applying for each one, the whole housing situation is just crazy x

Not sure where in Devon you want to be but if you would consider being lodger, costs are lower. Would have to check they were ok with working from home.
m.spareroom.co.uk/flatshare/?search_id=1337059738&mode=browse&

This is a sensible idea. Have a look at https://www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk

Somewhere like this might be suitable
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/4511287?adults=1&category_tag=Tag%3A8678&children=0&enable_m3_private_room=true&infants=0&location=Crediton%2C%20United%20Kingdom&pets=0&photo_id=1691313252&search_mode=regular_search&check_in=2024-12-15&check_out=2024-12-20&source_impression_id=p3_1733855542_P3_bC98PNYvNnx9T&previous_page_section_name=1001

I know. I had to provide my credit rating to somewhere to be considered to be allowed to view the property or not. They didn’t get back to me. Shock.

if you’re working 60 hours a week and warning g £27k…. os that minimum wage?

This is the case perhaps in Exeter or other desirable places, but Crediton (no offence Crediton!) isn’t anywhere near as competitive. This is according to the friend I’m having a drink with who by coincidence is a letting agent in Devon.

We’ve just been chatting about it. She agrees that it’s easier if you’re already here as you can set up an alert on rightmove and act quickly.

There’s a few up in Crediton OP

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E379&sortType=1&propertyTypes=&includeLetAgreed=false&mustHave=&dontShow=&furnishTypes=&keywords=

Hi OP - last bit of advice - try a firm like AnyVan for the move. They shifted a proper lorry load of stuff for me for £300, including the movers and getting it all in and out of the house, with two drop offs.

get off mumsnet if you’re out having a drink with a friend! 😆

Ha! You’re right. I was just doom scrolling whilst waiting for her to arrive and then showed it to her.