Breaking rules to pay the bills...

[wheresmymojo]

We've stuck to the rules all the way through however we're going to have to break the rules in this lockdown because the alternative is that we can't pay our mortgage/bills/for food.

Just wondering if anyone else is in the same position?

@Ilovecheese53

I would do it in a heartbeat to feed my child. But of course we are in MN land so people will “claim” that they would rather have to put their house on the market before breaking the rules 🙄

Agreed. Ridiculous suggestion.

@zoemum2006 but it's so much more fun to bash company directors isn't it, obviously they are all on the fiddle and will go to any lengths to avoid paying tax 🤷‍♂️. As you say depressing.

so why have the country been in lockdown if it’s doesn’t matter if the odd individual can break them.

Are you being for real? Just imagine you were at risk of losing all your worldly possessions, losing absolutely everything you had ever worked for, by working there's a chance you won't be facing homelessness. Would you willingly hand your house keys over to the mortgage company because you didn't want to break the "rules"? I'll be honest, I'd walk over hot coals whilst breaking every single rule in the book to avoid that.

zoemum2006 quite. It's a convenient way to manage a vary variable income. You can't pay yourself what isn't there.
I find the accusations of tax evasion both ignorant and offensive.

@wheresmymojo

Let's be Frank here. Your situation is unsustainable.
You're probably going to need to look at selling your home or end up with repossession and 10000 fine for breaking the lockdown.

So either find an outdoor space, or another alternative.

It's shit. But your situation as awful as it is, does not justify breaking the lockdown.

There is no justification for breaking the lockdown.

You need to think out of the box.

Perhaps start to sell things off too. Lol for anything you can do wfh.

Start the ball rolling with putting it up For sale. Better to rent than be repossessed and ladled with the bad credit. If you sell now people are more likely to buy given the stamp duty waiver that ends in March and there's still time for it to go through.

My exH used his limited company to try to side-step paying proper maintenance. He claimed a tiny salary, and said he only had to pay the maintenance based on that. Twat. Im glad he's struggling now, its only a tiny reflection of how he made me and DD struggle before.

What penalty would your husband face for running one on one sessions in the park? If they are less I’d take that gamble. If he’s questioned he can Does he have an established client base? If so set up a WhatsApp group for advertising - keep the circle tight. I suggest this because if you were to run the business from your home some busy body would no doubt report you.

You rent breaking the rules though he I allowed to wrk - it's the people trending breaking the rules but even then they're doing it for exercise and you are allowed to meet one person outdoors for exercise so I don't see where the rule breaking is in this scenario?

I hope you manage to find a solution. Self employed people have been treated very shabbily by the government I feel. Whilst a dip in demand is part of self employment (although who would have anticipated a pandemic!) so is losing your job due to companies not being able to pay your wages. I remain unsure why employees ‘must’ be protected from that with furlough, but it’s fine to leave the self employed to cope on their own. My DH is self employed as a sole trader in a sector badly affected. He earned over the 50k cap. We have had no help. Obviously we have savings but those have been used for living and keeping the business afloat. I still fail to see why it is fair that someone earning 49,999 gets help but not 50,001. The furlough scheme does not have the same cap - and I am glad that support has been there for them. For those who have benefited from the schemes, I would hope they would not want such unfairness - the cap, the percentage of self employment, new traders etc if nothing else as it will mean the government will feel free to carry on such arbitrary limits and it might affect them next time.

Sorry, posted to soon - if your husband is approached in the park- swear blind he’s just taking his exercise, how would they prove otherwise?? ..

Just after the last lockdown I saw a gym in Central Manchester having a class on the pavement outside.
Can your dh do zoom classes from the garage?

@Poniesbest that 50K cap was a disgrace. I can't imagine how badly businesses in affected sectors must be struggling now.
How does this government expect someone to last a year or more with zero income? Living in the SE with a mortgage and a family means it's hardly a massive income.

Who have you spoken to at they council regarding using the park?

Contact your town councillor, county councillor, county council cabinet member for commerce or leisure or health (whatever they may be called and whoever may relevent to your cause), and your MP. Cc them all into one email/letter and cc the local newspaper in as well.

Yes a universal benefit. For all.

I'm not sure a universal benefit is going to help if outgoings are 5k a month.

Are you being for real? Just imagine you were at risk of losing all your worldly possessions, losing absolutely everything you had ever worked for, by working there's a chance you won't be facing homelessness. Would you willingly hand your house keys over to the mortgage company because you didn't want to break the "rules"? I'll be honest, I'd walk over hot coals whilst breaking every single rule in the book to avoid that.

^^ wholeheartedly agree, can't believe some of the responses I've read on here

If he can work outside as pubs and other shops which are not essential are going to be shut could he approach any of those type places and see if he can work on car park.

Look at all the options, benefit and mortgages holidays and so on.
Also, online. Almost anything can be done online.
My daughter is doing online piano lessons, and her teacher has not lost any income throughout all these from us at all. She had all her lessons.
You can use the screen on TVs these days, and skype, and it is very close to be in person, to be honest. And if you have to lend equipment, that you clean and then they send back cleaned, it is not that bad.
I think the furlough/ self employed scheme applies to you. It is based on your last year's earnings, so have a look to that properly. Just apply for it, and see what they say for sure, not just "I think..."

In the park, I had forgotten about that! There were people joining their usual classes in the parks around here, during the easing of the first lockdown. Not sure if that is allowed for this lockdown though, you will have to ask.
The council gave them the tennis playing area here.

[quote SoloMummy]@wheresmymojo

Let's be Frank here. Your situation is unsustainable.
You're probably going to need to look at selling your home or end up with repossession and 10000 fine for breaking the lockdown.

So either find an outdoor space, or another alternative.

It's shit. But your situation as awful as it is, does not justify breaking the lockdown.

There is no justification for breaking the lockdown.

You need to think out of the box.

Perhaps start to sell things off too. Lol for anything you can do wfh.

Start the ball rolling with putting it up For sale. Better to rent than be repossessed and ladled with the bad credit. If you sell now people are more likely to buy given the stamp duty waiver that ends in March and there's still time for it to go through.[/quote]
If OP, or anyone else, can't pay the mortgage and bills how are they going to pay rent? Selling up isn't a magical fix, you are still homeless and have bad credit/CCJs etc if you can't pay rent and who is to say that selling a house would even pay off a mortgage? They could end up with debt and nothing to show for it.

Unless OP is sitting on some extremely valuable items it's unlikely selling their things would keep them going very long.

It's all well and good judging when you have an income but the self employed, and particularly those who are new like the OPs DH have very little in the way of help through lockdowns.

The one think I enjoy about covid is the a lot of deadbeat dads who were not actually declaring their income to dodge paying proper maintenance will have had the tables turn.

I don’t have a maintenance paying ex but it makes me glad for the women who do!

I think the rules are important but people also have to get by. I woke up at 3am with mastitis feeling horrific. I’m 8 weeks pregnant and also have a teething 8 month old. My DM is now at my house caring for DS whilst I cry in bed and feel sorry for myself.

I’m not sorry.

I totally feel for you - the situation is absolutely awful. I think you should think about a debt management plan - look on mse for recommendations but essentially they renegotiate your unsecured debt and you pay far less. It'll scupper your credit report but that's prob the least of your worries at the moment. The car loans alone are tbh very silly amounts to have x2 of.

I also know why you are considering breaching lockdown in this way but my main concern would be if a client has an injury - your insurance will not pay out and it's the sort of thing that could ruin you financially and your business forever, if not gave criminal charges

Why can't he to 121 training outside at a park? No need to do it inside.

Some people are utter arseholes. I’m sorry. I worry that the risk of the £10k fine would be utterly devastating for you. Please do explore the option of outside. If you’re going to get into hot water, I reckon it’d be less hot water if a public space rather than your home.
You’ve had some good advice so hopefully it’ll help. Keep open minded about all the options and ignore the ignorant people.

I read this morning that it's always better to speak to the mortgage lender early and they should be understanding in these times and come to an arrangement