Refused temporary accommodation

[BabyMama2025]

so I am currently pregnant I did my homeless application in October and got offered a temporary accommodation on the 7th of November. However I refused it as the room was absolutely tiny literally just fits a bed. Of course I am grateful to be offered the help and roof over my head. But, how would I know how long I was in there not only that it was unsafe front door didn’t lock. Crazy man screaming and shouting in the shared kitchen. Writing on the walls saying theives work here. Google reviews of the place showing mould in the rooms. So yes not safe as I refused I explained to my council why and wasn’t offered anything else I have since been sofa surfing but I am due end of jan. my relief duty is now coming to a end and I’ve had no contact from the council. I have been trying to get private rent with the council but before I say I want it the lady says it’s now under offer 🙄 so she’s not very helpful in helping me find a place. I have been trying myself but I live in London so it’s incredibly hard. Anyway any advice on what may happen when my relief duty has finished ? I’m planning to email my housing officer and ask.but maybe they could dismiss my duty as I refused the temp accommodation. I am still with my partner too who works full time I have already started my mat leave

Yes, when you're spending someone else's money you have fewer options. This isn't a rant it's a fact of life. We can talk about the housing market in Greece all we like but OP should explore all her options and be certain that any constraints she's adding are necessary. I hope she finds somewhere to live with her baby.

Why do you keep using 'I' there seem to be you and your partner so I would have thought it was 'we'. Or was the room offered just for you and the baby when it comes or for you and your partner + baby? Where is he living currently, is he homeless too? Do either of you have family you could move in with until you find somewhere?

You would have needed to put in a review of the suitability of the accommodation. I agree with others, speak to Shelter or Citizens Advice asap

Is the UK your home Nation OP and if not how long have you been working in the Country?

Obviously it's not ideal and not somewhere most people would want to stay but London has a huge housing shortage.

@x2boys other areas of the country also have huge shortages of houses to rent.

I agree. I've just looked at our town and there's one home to rent on Rightmove. Just the one. I have no idea what people do who need to rent. The situation is truly appalling.

I dont know when your day was but you dont honestly think that children are taken into care because their parents are homeless do you, or even viewed taht much dfiferently to other children unless there are other factors at play like DV, substance misuse, poor MH, neglect, SA or physical abuse. If the children are well looked after there is no role for SSD

Social Services dont have a duty to accommodate families, they might provide financial support under S17 for accomodation but that is in circumsances where its complicated. Housing has a duty (if its assessed they have a duty) to provide accommodation to the homelss, however they are able to discharge their duty in OPs circumstances as she has turned down suitable accommodation. She can reapply probably once the baby arrives.

But along with lots of posters, Im saying too that she should really be looking at studio rooms that can take 2 people with the baby, no guarantor needed, she says that housing are going to pay the deposit and the rent should be just about covered by HB if she looks in the borders of london

They dont come with flooring or wallpaper, the tenant is responsible for that

????My mortgage was,more than that 20 years,in the northwest.

I think children’s have a duty to accommodate the child under section 20. But as I said that essentially means that they’d remove the child as their needs aren’t being met, but it’s unlikely that would happen, that’s a bit extreme and I’m sure all steps would be taken to prevent that ever being needed… but I was just saying if I were OP I’d be sorting it out without relying on children’s social services once the baby arrives.

Its a sad situation and I hope they sort it soon

Section 20 is with the parents consent or parents request (although over 16s can sign themselves into care but thats not what we're talking about here) and no, that wouldnt be appropriate for homelessness reasons

No LA is going to initiate proceedings on the basis of homelessness only which would be asking the court for permission to remove.

Yes I wouldn’t sell either if I already had a property either - the rental sector is indeed a complete mess nowadays. I do wish I’d managed to buy about ten years ago.

If I have to move out my HA flat before I’ve saved up a deposit, I’d probably move out the Uk although I don’t know for sure if any country has got it right with the rental market, since my friends around the world cite similar issues. I’d need to make sure I wasn’t going from bad to worse.

It’s absolutely grim though. People shouldn’t have to leave their cities, let alone their countries due to unaffordable housing. Especially in a country like the UK.

MichaelandKirk what a dreadful thing to say - don’t you ever watch the news? Rents, particularly down south are sky high. I’ve seen reports on the news of people that work full time as security guards in high end designer stores being homeless & sleeping on the streets in London. On my own street a landlord increased the rent from £500 pcm to £900 in one go & that’s on inner city Nottingham. It’s Christmas, she’s pregnant & homeless and asking for support & advice. Have some compassion please & if you can’t do that, keep quiet.

Really after the relief duty ends, you should (to some degree) br put in main duty, if you're still homeless. But there's no duty to accommodate you. Only question is, where have you stayed since refusing temporary accommodation? As they may say you have a form of accomodation and it's reasonable for X months. Reality is, they can put it down as refusal of temporary accommodation and refuse to accommodate, and they would stay until you found another tenancy. (Private or council) that would reset the clock as the saying goes.

* I*f you work you can buy immediately in the North and start a new job there. Mortgages are 100 to 400 pounds

I had a look at the cheapest place to buy in our town in the North. It is indeed much cheaper than most rents but the OP would have to find £10.5k deposit, furnish it and find new jobs for both of them. Plus pay all of the legal costs associated with buying.

I'm not sure they would be accepted either without jobs in the area.

Jobs are a bit hard to get and public transport is so poor it might as well not exist so they would still probably have to have at least 1 car.

The OP is essentially trapped at the moment.

You should have accepted the emergency accommodation.
I know a couple of young ladies that the council have refused to help because they turned down the emergency accommodation offered.

@Drummergirl1971
It’s Christmas, she’s pregnant & homeless and asking for support & advice. Have some compassion please & if you can’t do that, keep quiet.

This isn't Mary and Joseph in a byre with a donkey. Much as the accomodation offered might not have been ideal, it was better than having no roof over her head. She made the decision to refuse and from what I can tell was told it was a take it or leave it situation and no other offer would be made. When your in dire straits, going on google to check reviews of where you are offered is a bit optimistic.

Find out who your local homeless outreach team is for your borough. Approach them and explain that you’re sleeping on sofas etc. but are essentially homeless. They usually have a lot more experience of working with the council, they should have someone that knows about housing law and they should be able to help. Out of interest how old are you? Do you have any vulnerabilities, learning difficulties, health problems etc? It’s a horrible situation that you’re in. The housing may also ask if you’re willing to move outside of London, this doesn’t always mean really far away, it could be just a train ride back into London for visiting friends, family etc. so it may seriously be worth considering. Your main priority is to get housing where ever it is because life will be very different once you give birth. Wishing you all the best.

Once you have accepoted an offer they are very unhelpful about changing. By the sound of the place they would be so very very happy to have iuit tenanted.

She may be young, she may be naive and never been in this situation before or just not know her options. Compassion doesn’t hurt.
(Mary and Joseph in the bryre did make me giggle though! - not that her situation by any means is a laughing matter poor soul)