To feel increasingly pissed off about our living situation?

[Tiredboymum22]

We rent a lovely property (below market price) off a family member’s ex partner (they were still together when we signed the contract.) It’s spacious, close to town, has a relatively big garden and I can say objectively that we couldn’t afford it if we were paying market price. The most we could afford (privately) is a 2-bed flat (2 DS).

We’ve been here just under two years and we were told it would be a long-term tenancy. After a year of renting, another family told us they were thinking of selling the property so they could buy something bigger but I didn’t hear it from them. I was worried but accepted it (as it isn’t our house) and made sure our names were still on the social housing register. We were told our situation wouldn’t change and that our tenancy was secure. A few months later we received a text out of the blue giving us two months notice threatening court if we didn’t leave by the date set. I have an autistic son so I let him know straight away to give him enough time to adjust to the change. I contacted the council and they asked for our Landlord’s registration number. He admitted to us that he wasn’t registered or insured as a Landlord (as we’re family) but he would get registered with an agency and then “officially” evict us so we can ask the council for help (we have an IVA for six years so privately renting isn’t an option).

As far as I know, he still isn’t registered and now him and said family member are rumoured to be getting back together. I’ve been waiting for weeks for someone to look at a bow in our kitchen ceiling as it was flooded last month. A plumber fixed the pipes which caused the leak but there’s a still a massive bow in the ceiling and there was a light drip the other night (only lasted ten seconds).

From what I’ve gathered, he’s changed his mind. I’ve now told my son we might not be moving but he wants certainty which is understandable.

I was having a moan to DM and she thinks I’m being a bit unreasonable as the house is still above our financial means, but I would honestly rather live in a more rundown 2-bed with so-called “rough” neighbours than deal with this bullshit every few months.

AIBU to ASK our Landlord for a letter of eviction and risk temp accommodation? Or do I just wait it out?

I know the uncertainty is hard, but I’d wait it out.

There is no such thing as a letter of eviction. In order to be housed by the council you will have to be actually legally properly evicted. That is a long process it's expensive for your landlord and very stressful for you. You are fortunate that the new renters rights Bill means they cannot evict you without due cause. If they want to sell the property they can, and they can evict you but it's going to take a lot more than a letter. You were too premature telling your child that you were moving. I suggest you sit tight, continue to save money and worry about moving only if you actually receive a notice seeking possession. And again, that is not an eviction letter and that's not sufficient for the council to house you.

There’s no such thing as certainty when it comes to renting (or to owning if you are paying a mortgage).

in future don’t tell your son until much much further on in the process.

if you do want to go to the council you’ll need to correct paperwork and I’ll bet a mars bar your landlord won’t have it.

You can’t get housed by the council until your landlord takes you to court and then if the judge agrees your landlord can instruct bailiffs to evict you.

It the eviction documentation from the bailiffs when they turn up to your house to evict you that you need.

If you leave because you got an eviction notice from your landlord, the council will say you made yourself intentionally homeless and are not their problem.

Read up about your rights on Shelter's website.

I didn’t know this, how ridiculous! So they want people to overstay and the poor landlords to have to go through the process of taking them to court? What a waste of court time if the tenants are willing to move as soon as they are given notice.

OP I would wait it out and then honestly just rent privately, as I don’t think you’ll have any luck with the council. Can you move to a cheaper area so you could afford more?

I would struggle to live with the uncertainty.

Speak to the council and explain your situation that you only have 2 months to leave.

It may be that you have to wait until that actual date and then be put into temporary accommodation first.

Hopefully it just means going higher on the list.

How high are you now?

Just do some fucking research.

He can't evict you.

I he didn't follow the correct processes with registration etc has he been completing the correct checks for gas/boiler?

I would honestly rather live in a more rundown 2-bed with so-called “rough” neighbours than deal with this bullshit every few months Me too Have you started looking elsewhere? I'd prefer to move now in the holidays rather than put up with the stress and uncertainty for the rest of the year.

Yes because there is a housing crisis. Councils don't have access to housing for everyone who needs it. If you have any other option you have to take it. Only people with genuinely no other option will wait to be evicted. If they accepted people who have just been served notice they would 100% end up housing people who could actually house themselves if they really had to, putting even more pressure on the system.

Don't just look at the Shelter website. Call them. As your landlord isn't registered, you might need more specific advice from one of their staff.

They don't only have 2 months left. A notice seeking possession isn't a notice of eviction. They don't even have that as far as I can see, so far it's just a text which has no legal relevance.

He can if he wants to sell the property.

There is way more demand for social housing than supply. This means local authorities have to prioritise. A family with a roof over their head awaiting eviction by bailifs still has a roof over their head, so is lower priority than a family who have been evicted.
The wait buys the council extra time, so they're not shelling out on emergency accommodation before they absolutely have to. Which is cheaper for the tax payer.
The 'poor landlords' generally do pretty well from the public purse, so they shouldn't really complain about this particular business expense.

True dat...

Like others have said, please get advice from Shelter on next steps.

This may be difficult as you know the landlord personally, but if they are renting you an unsafe property, without proper safety inspections, then you may be able to report them to the council which can be another route to being rehoused. Check your local council website and ask Shelter if you think this might be the case.

That's why she needs to do some research instead of asking mumsnet

Don't do anything that could be construed as making yourself voluntarily homeless.

Phone Shelter to get factual information about your rights.

Wait for social housing.

He cannot evict you without the proper legal paperwork. That said you can take him to the council if he’s not doing repairs & leaving it dangerous.

Not if he doesn’t have the correct legal paperwork, which he doesn’t.

Im sorry you are in this precarious situation @Tiredboymum22.

If that bastard Thatcher hadnt sold off council houses you might be in a better position.

Its a disgrace and im sorry.

Sorry to drip feed… Just to clear up a few things…

He withdrew his notice as soon as the council asked for his landlord registration number. He told us he would get registered so we could stay an additional 6 months before he serves us notice again (legally). My family act like he’s doing us a favour but really it’s just annoying because it’s almost pointless bidding on properties although we know he wants us out. There have been council/housing association properties become available which are by DS’ school (where he receives sen provision), walking distance to the surgery, supermarket, etc… Ideal for me during the day as we live in a rural area and only have one car. I know the likelihood of us getting a property in that area is low giving the housing crisis but low is better than none. It’s just prolonging the process.

After telling us he’ll get registered and serve us a proper eviction notice after Christmas, him and said family member are apparently getting back together so he no longer needs to move back in and maybe we can stay (until they have their next argument). Six months ago they told another family member they were selling the house but not to tell me. I get that it’s his house and I like them both as people but I f**king hate my home security being at the mercy of their turbulent relationship!

My family think I’m overreacting because we’re still living somewhere we otherwise couldn’t afford… but I’d rather have security and a little less space (it’s a 3 bed) than have to deal with this every few months. I don’t care about a postcode.

Unless you’re in social housing, you’d have the same landlord BS or worse in a run down 2bed with loud neighbours for the same monthly rent.

As for the bow/sagging ceiling, you can investigate & repair it yourself as LL isn’t going to.
It might be wise to learn some DIY.

How long have you been on the housing list for? What band are you in? I'm not sure where you live obviously but in most areas you wouldn't get housed in any of the properties you're bidding for as an emergency option, you'd be housed in temporary accommodation and keep bidding from there. It would be beyond lucky to get to the top of the bidding list just when you get made homeless. Those properties aren't for people who are made homeless, they are allocated by varying criteria and you will only get one when you're at the top of the list.