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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to expect the council to house us even though DH is sshh ..... working!!

332 replies

EverSoSlightlyStressed · 22/03/2010 11:18

Landlord has a court order for possession which runs out tomorrow. Council have basically said we will have to wait for the court bailiffs to physically kick us out and then go to them with our stuff in binbags before they will provide us with anything even emergency housing which is quite a stressful thought . It could be that we have no more than 7 days until we get kicked out depending on how long it takes for the LL to arrange the bailiffs to come. Obviously I have no problem with the LL wanting us out and feel terrible that he has been forced to take us to court but it is the only way the council will help us.

BTW we are not feckless or scroungers! We have 4 DCs - youngest 2mnths old. DH works around 48 hours a week and has a relatively good wage. We are not entitled to tax credits (child benefit only) and have struggled with the massive amount we have to pay in private rent but scraped by without too much hassle. LL decided to sell house last year, we knew we would have problems renting again as we are both had to go bankrupt (1 year ago) since we moved into this house so our credit is shot and no chance of ever having a mortgage again . Current letting agents said they would not be able to rent to us again because of this as we have no one to be guarantor even though they have had no problems with us and nor will any other agent. There are no properties being advertised by individuals that would not need a credit check round here (except for shared house rooms) and anyway all 3 bed properties are like gold dust so we are in deep shit!!

The council keep telling us that as DH works we should find our own property. We keep telling them that we can't for reasons detailed above. It seems that if he was not working and we were on benefits, they would bend over backwards to help but as he is a taxpayer, they will not do anything. Is it me or is this a bit arse about face??

OP posts:

pearlym · 22/03/2010 12:43

How much rent is the landlord owed?

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 22/03/2010 12:44

They were getting £50 a month....that's not a lot, so her DH must be earning very near the top earning threshold of £55k....on our combined salary of about £30k when DS was under 1 we still got about £80 a month. They have 4 kids.....work it out.....

fernie3 · 22/03/2010 12:44

the OP says

"we ARE entitled to about 50.00 per month but due to an overpayment last year of £480 we are currently getting nothing".

for four children including a baby if they are only entitled to £50 a month they must be at the top end of the bracket otherwise they would get alot more.

ASecretLemonadeDrinker · 22/03/2010 12:45

Hmmm... on the one hand I think it's silly (for the council) to wait until you are homeless, but on the other hand you must be able to find somewhere? Even a 2 bed for a while, even a 1 bed and use the livingroom as a studio type room. Of course it would be easier, and nicer, to get a cheap 3 bed from the council but it's really your responsibility to house your family. Move areas for a while even. HOw long did you know this was going to happen? Has nothing come up in that time?

morningpaper · 22/03/2010 12:46

The OP said: "we ARE entitled to about 50.00 per month but due to an overpayment last year of £480 we are currently getting nothing"

So he is earning around 50k

and have shafted their landlord because they want the council to help them

sorry but these people need to take responsibility for themselves

ASecretLemonadeDrinker · 22/03/2010 12:46

O, OP hasn't been paying rent? I thought the landlord wasn't paying mortgage and they had got caught up in this.

ScreaminEagle · 22/03/2010 12:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

fernie3 · 22/03/2010 12:48

I think the landlord wants to sell the hosue but the OP refuses to move out.

omnishambles · 22/03/2010 12:50

ScreaminEagle - its not the situation more the attitude I think. And because this is one of the obvious consequences of bankruptcy that you have to take responsibility for as well.

morningpaper · 22/03/2010 12:51

Income has a lot to do with it because a private landlord will probably be quite happy with someone with a large salary, even without a credit check

LadyBiscuit · 22/03/2010 12:52

Their income has nothing to do with it - I just find it a bit bizarre that anyone would expect the Council to magically find a 3 bedroom council house at the drop of a hat when I think most people know that there simply aren't enough council properties to go around. I also found some of the statements in the OP about people on benefits being feckless scroungers a bit unpleasant tbh.

I wonder if they have asked the DH's work to act as guarantors?

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 22/03/2010 12:54

I suggest that the OP finds somewhere to stay for cheap/free for three months. (friends/family). During that time, save the money you would spend on rent, then go to a LL with deposit plus three months rent. Go for a smaller place to make this affordable. Take a 6 month tenancy. You are sure to find a LL who will take you if you can stump up that much cash in advance and if you agree to pay rent immediately - so your paid for months are at the end of the 6 months, not the beginning. Then save up over that 6 months and work on finding a larger place. It's all possible.

PootleTheFlump · 22/03/2010 12:58

You could try contacting a national charity such as Shelter, think they have an adviceline?

Tiredmumno1 · 22/03/2010 12:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

PootleTheFlump · 22/03/2010 12:58

here

HTH

fernie3 · 22/03/2010 12:59

Im not sure what you would do about the fact that you have now had to be taken through the courts to evict you. It was a mistake to let it get to that as now not only do you have bad credit but you also have the fact you have been difficult tenants for you prvious lanlord, so I take it he is not going to give you a glowing reference.

When we had to move a few years ago we moved into a bed and breakfast but went in explaining the situation to the owners so that they agreed a reduced fee on a second room and also gave us access to the kitchen (unofficially) to cook food they then also acted as one of our references. This would help with that problem if you could manage this.

cupofteaplease · 22/03/2010 13:00

I wish you the best of luck.

We were in a very similar situation to yours- couldn't rent through an agency due to bad credit, and there were no private lets, perhaps as it was over Christmas and New Year, or perhaps it was just the area we live in.

The council told us we would end up in a hostel. I just had had to say, ok then, a hostel it is, as we literally had nowhere else to go.

On the Wednesday we were handed the keys to a temporary house, we were being evicted on the Friday! The house was fab, only 2 years old so in really good condition. Even had an ensuite bathroom which we didn't have in our previous home! The area was a bit dodgy by reputation, but our neighbours were fab and we never had any problems whilst we lived there.

After a year, a HA got in contact with us to offer us a rental in the home we live in now. It is small, but on a lovely quiet road (we are the only HA property) and we know we are very lucky.

OP, I hope you read this post, as it may give you a little hope that things will work out ok. I know it is hugely stressful, but if the council say come back with your life in binbags, you just have to agree.

Good luck.

pearlym · 22/03/2010 13:02

has the landlord lost out on rent for the property since November?

LadyBiscuit · 22/03/2010 13:03

Tiredmum - no, she didn't come looking for advice. She has already been in touch with Shelter and CAB if you read the thread.

As far as I can tell, the OP is just wanting to rant about the fact that if her and her family were on benefits, the council would 'bend over backwards to help' but because her DH has a job, they aren't. I can't see how being on benefits would make a difference personally but heigh ho.

omnishambles · 22/03/2010 13:05

But cupofteaplease why should they take that place from the next person on the waiting list who hasnt known from November that this would happen - from a family who might be in a b&b or a hostel or a woman with kids in a hostel - it doesnt sit right with a lot of people.

And lots of us have been through similar believe me but this wasnt the choice we made - theres no way in the world I would put my kids through that if there was something I could have been doing instead.

cupofteaplease · 22/03/2010 13:08

Ominishambles- I'm not sure I understand? What place would they be taking from someone else? If they need temporary housing, then they might well be placed in a B&B or a hostel, they will still be further down the waiting list than anyone else in temporary housing waiting for a better option.

As I said, we were extremely lucky that our temporary option was a good one, but we were still in it for a year. That would have been the same if placed in a hostel.

Tiredmumno1 · 22/03/2010 13:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

morningpaper · 22/03/2010 13:09

Sorry but I am really baffled as to why anyone thinks I am being really rude

morningpaper · 22/03/2010 13:10

oh tiredmummy take your racist bollocks elsewhere

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 22/03/2010 13:10

Tiredmummno1 - since when do 'foreigners' get housed right away?

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