Moving home - council help!?

[Feelinglost10]

Hi

basically I just need some advice as I am so stressed at the moment. So I am currently private rental but my IDVA and the council have given me priority to move as I am currently under a DV priority so have band A I’m extremely grateful as iv never even been on council housing before and I know this is a lot more secure than private renting, however in the mean time my landlord has decided to sell next month! So I am really struggling as I’m bidding every week and getting nowhere, however I need to be out by the end of next month! I have a dog so temporary housing isn’t a option as I would be most likely be given a hostel and have to give up my dog who is my entire world, however if I try and find a temporary house myself I would be removed from the council list back stuck renting private and unsecure incase the new landlord decided to sell again. I just don’t really know what to do at the moment?? Any advice will be welcome?

YABU would you wait it out and see if I’m offered something by next month and risk the temporary housing

YANBU find another private rental in the mean time and lose my place on the list?

Dogs Trust do a temporary fostering service. Might be worth looking into. Then you can hold out for permanent council housing.
I hope it all works out for you. Best wishes @Feelinglost10

You do not leave at the end of a S.21. The council will not help you if you do. Wait for court action, it'll take months and months. Keep bidding!

Yeah it'll be months before you actually need to leave. You can't leave next month or the council won't help you.

This is what worries me the council refusing to help me but I’m scared I’m going to end up homeless and nowhere for my dog. Iv been in my house over 10 years and always had a good relationship with my landlord never missed one days rent, she mentioned in Jan she may sell this year and would let me know if she decided to, next thing Iv come home to a section 21 for May with no heads up or anything. It’s came at the worst possible time as I was getting a DV move but now if I move privately they may feel I don’t need help, but I’m scared to even get private again and end up on this situation again house hunting and rent increases etc. it’s like a lose lose situation!

You might as well look for private for the time being, you have nothing to lose. Hopefully you'll find one then you won't need to use a council property.

Council property is better all around as I won’t end up in this situation again of finding myself potentially homeless through no fault of my own and you have the chance of buying your council property. Iv worked and paid taxes all my life so I most definitely would like some sort of security offered.

Why not go and discuss your options with the council? Face to face is much easier than on the phone.

If your circumstances have changed since you made your housing application you need to run it past your housing team and see if it changes your priority

Have a chat with your IDVA, they can advocate for you with the council. There are good pet fostering services designed for situations like yours so try not to worry about housing your dog. And well done getting away from domestic abuse - that’s much harder than anything you’ll face from here on in.

Nothing has changed at the moment?

Have you updated your council about the s21? I'd do that first - it should hopefully bump you a bit higher up the list

Thankyou.
that’s what I mean though I would never allow for my dog to be separated from me so this is where I’m stuck with the temporary housing situation. It’s a really difficult one as when they were moving me through DV I had the option to wait it out, now my landlord is selling I need to be out by a certain date which leaves me in a situation because then I will lose my place on the list and realistically that’s a much better option for me so I don’t know what to do at all 🙈

Did you read the posts above re not leaving next month?

Stay put in your rental, don’t leave.

now my landlord is selling I need to be out by a certain date which leaves me in a situation

Cross post. Stay put, do not leave.

Do NOT move, it sucks for your Landlord I know but it takes ages to evict so you have time
Also if you do leave before eviction it could be said that you have made yourself homeless and you may not get the help you should.
Crappy situation all round but its best for you to stay put

Even if you find the perfect house and they offer it to you, it is really unlikely you'll be in within a month. Friends in that situation have been 2-5 months after they knew they were being offered the house, depending on the house and situation.

You need to speak to your IDVA and arrange to take the section 21 to Housing. If you just move to another private rental you would risk your place on the housing list. You are not obliged to leave a private rental unless there is a court order.

Don't leave your rental. Has your landlord actually sold with a a completion date? The same as your s21? They are living in cloud cook land if that's the case. Stay put. Tell the council you've been served a s21.
Check that the s21 is legally applied.

But that's not what council properties are for. They're there to catch people when they fall when there is no alternative. If you're able to pay for a private rental then you don't need a council house. If you take one, despite being able to rent privately, you are depriving someone who really needs it. They're not there to provide an easy route to long term stability, they're there for people who are desperate.

If she moves to another private rental, she doesn't need her place on the waiting list and therefore someone who does need it will get one quicker. Obviously if she can't find a private rental within her budget, that's different. But it has to be her first port of call.

No she hasn’t sold yet just given me a section 21 for the 30th May. I can’t believe she didn’t even tell me or give me a heads up. Mentioned casually in Jan she was thinking of selling this year then did this to me. Iv never even been late with rent in 11yrs! I’m just scared of baliffs turning up

I think being evicted following domestic abuse is pretty big fall. The reality is council housing does provide a good degree of stability which I imagine @Feelinglost10 needs right now.

Listen I don’t meant to be rude but iv lived here all my life and paid taxes since I was 18yrs old … if I can get a secure house for me and my family I am accepting it! Never mind that’s not what theyr for when the majority of people living in them have never contributed a penny to the system, I don’t even want to get into a conversation of that nature though!

@Feelinglost10 your landlord can't sell next month . They have to give you at least 2 months notice

How have they How have they given notice? Is it a section 21?

As someone else said it can take months and months. After the 2 months has run out you can still legally start there . A section 21 is a request for you to leave you don't have to . Your landlord epukd have to get a possession order . And that an take a while.