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Original poster

Self employed and renters have been completey shafted.

165 replies

Greysparkles · 20/03/2020 17:23

Just that really.

OP posts:
CandlesBlanketsandTea · 20/03/2020 17:27

I feel stressed as my current project is nearing the end as the main bit of the project currently delayed, I'm really concerned about where it will leave me.

Mintjulia · 20/03/2020 17:33

If I was a landlord, in this situation, and my tenant couldn't pay because, like a few million others, he or she had lost their job, and couldn't cover the rent, I would have a couple of options...

  1. file for eviction, which costs a lot of money, takes months and is very stressful. Followed by having an empty property not bringing in any money at all and then a new tenant I don't know who may or may not be able to pay.

or

  1. I could accept the mortgage support being offered by the govt, lower the rent to whatever HB will pay, maintain my relationship with my nice clean decent long-term tenant and wait for this crisis to pass.

Which would you do?

EachandEveryone · 20/03/2020 17:35

What if you never had a mortgage? Thats the reality of landlords in London. How do people in normal jobs pay their rent if their hours have been cut. It wasnt very clear was it?

Elizadoeslittle19 · 20/03/2020 17:39

Absolutely devastated at this news for the self employed.... not even paid a week of minimum wage absolutely nothing. So far I thought all measures had been good by this Government... we cant live on my income, if we could we would already be doing that???

thetartantart · 20/03/2020 17:50

Should have been a true UBI to everyone none of those measures protect me.

thetartantart · 20/03/2020 17:52

So many facing destitution now 😢

Original poster
Greysparkles · 20/03/2020 18:02

Honestly. I'm stunned.
Thrown to the mercy of universal credit, which is monumentally shit even when their isn't a pandemic happening, probably to be told you're entitled to fuck all if your not working at all, as there was mention of the £1000 extra year.... Is that on top of the benifit cap? Or has the cap gone who knows 🤷🏼‍♂️

Id be entitled to £380 per week.
£260 is rent

Whilst next door they have a 3 month mortgage holiday and 80% of their fucking wages.

But on another thread I'm told I'm ungrateful. Cunts.

OP posts:
StarUtopia · 20/03/2020 18:05

My husband lost his job on Monday - but he was agency staff so not fully employed.

I'm self employed and losing money quickly.

Fucked both ways.

eatyourcake · 20/03/2020 18:25

I'm really scared, I'm self-employed and will no doubt lose all my work very soon. Can't claim UC that Govt promised because we don't qualify as a household, but just because my husband has a good salary doesn't mean we can suddenly live on it alone, not like our bills and mortgage are suddenly going to reduce too :(

Elizadoeslittle19 · 20/03/2020 18:26

Devastated doesn't cut it right now.

Original poster
Greysparkles · 20/03/2020 18:27

It's the clear disparity that fucks me off.

OP posts:
GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 20/03/2020 18:29

@mintjulia doesn’t work for those in social housing. They won’t have mortgage breaks.

shreddednips · 20/03/2020 18:30

I'm not even sure I've completely understood what he meant. We are both self employed and still have a small amount, but our income is so dramatically reduced that no way can we continue to pay our basic outgoings. I sense that this is going to be enormously complex to figure out, I can't even estimate what our income will be going forward as I don't know how many more clients we will lose. No idea what to put as my income on application!

eatyourcake · 20/03/2020 18:32

On top of feeling completely alone with no help available, very very scared to actually get sick and not able to work, then I will lose the few clients who do still need me :(

Thescrewinthetuna · 20/03/2020 18:32

I’m devastated

thetartantart · 20/03/2020 18:32

We need a strong campaign for a UBI for all now! Otherwise the fall out will be catastrophic.

BumpkinSpiceBatty · 20/03/2020 18:35

So scared. Self employed childminder here. Been forced to close my business with no notice and now have no financial support.

KoalasandRabbit · 20/03/2020 18:39

Nothing for self-employed or those already lost jobs unless I'm missing something. The mortgage thing is better than nothing but means your payments go up after the 3 months and the interest gets added on so that wouldn't help us either. We are lucky DH job will still pay him but I will get nothing until summer and have 2 kids to educate.

Innitogether · 20/03/2020 18:39

I got the impression that measures for self employed are still under discussion and more details to follow? One reporter asked the Q I think. Plus market rent allowance is being changed so it won’t be as strict, people claiming UC will be able to apply for rent and council tax too. I know it’s still pants, but better than it was. I do think the government are getting advice from agencies and ensuring cross party consultation and agreement before rushing out plans that may not work.

BarbedBloom · 20/03/2020 18:40

I am really frightened now. Landlord already said he expects rent in full or we will be evicted as soon as possible

The80sweregreat · 20/03/2020 18:45

I'm so sorry for all of you on here! It is horrible. I hope they come up with something soon.
I'm truly devastated for people.

skankingpiglet · 20/03/2020 18:46

I'm SE. My clients one by one have been postponing indefinitely and today I lost my last two. I now have no more work booked in and as I have a trade working for individual households I am unlikely to be getting any between everyone self-isolating and clients worried about their own cash flow. I guessed there would be a measure introduced to pay a 'wage', but naively thought in this situation they would for once remember the SE. It was an unusual moment of optimism and I should have known better.

DH also works in construction, but salaried and in an office, and I'm very grateful we have that at the moment. However we are under no illusions how volatile construction is and there is a good chance when the economy tanks he'll be out of a job too. We were both made redundant in the last crash and it was very tight for some time, but at least we didn't have children to worry about then. I'm really worried.

I'm going to down wine tonight, and find out tomorrow what exactly I can claim under UC (not a lot).

youcantellthem · 20/03/2020 18:47

@BarbedBloom what a horrible landlord!
What I'd say is that for him to be able to evict he would have to convince the courts and they is currently a ban on evictions proceedings starting for no payment of rent.

Fact is that even if your landlord evicts you, he will have to re-let the property. Who is going to want to view at this time and how many others are going to be in a similar situation to you?

Speak to the Citizens advice baeureu or Shelter for more advice and see what you can negotiate with your landlord. Good luck

janelmac · 20/03/2020 18:47

I'm devastated. I feel utterly shafted. I've always done the right things. Declared all my income, paid all my tax. Tried hard to save for my old age so I won't be a burden on the taxpayer.
And my rich friends will be toasting with champagne tonight that the government will be paying most of their wage bill.
I'm absolutely gutted. I'm going to get drunk and think about what to do next.

janelmac · 20/03/2020 18:48

I should have said that all my income has gone...