Trying to help London family on verge of eviction

[Rentaway]

A lovely woman who helps with our cleaning is desperately trying to find a flat by April for her and her husband and nine year old son. They currently live in north London near Bounds Green but the landlord company has given the entire block Section 21 notice.

She can only work school hours and earns about 800 a month. Her husband is a builder but works for a company so is employed but does not bring in that much. She is the one with the get up and go in that relationship…

Their maximum for a rental is £1100 a month and they are after a one bedroom (which is still too small but that’s all they can afford). She is willing to move anywhere in London that is within catchment of a decent secondary. Her year 5 boy is already crying himself to sleep that he will probably have to leave his primary school.

What on earth are people in this position meant to do? Her English is insufficient to be pushier with the council and they have offered zero help so far. I have urged her to call Shelter but I think she is on the point of collapse from the stress.

I have been looking online too and cannot find anything in that price where children are accepted, let alone near a good or outstanding state secondary.

I know she can try and make it difficult and stall the Section 21 but I also know she really is intending to move as she does not want to cause trouble and has to move within a few months for schools in any case.

Does anyone know of any acceptable
properties or landlords within an OK school catchment in London or is she asking for the moon on a stick?

Yep it's so straight forward to move up north- they won't be able to reference using current earnings because an agent will instantly think- they are moving without jobs - so no guarantee what they will earn up north.

If they did move away it would make more sense for the guy to get a job in advance and stay in digs and then sort a house based on his earnings and then the lady and child move up.

Something like this might work OP- they just about fit criteria for a 2 bed- def a 1 bed

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86061690#/?channel=RES_LET

To rent a 2 bedroom house in Hull, in East Yorkshire cost about £500 pcm. Why on earth would you be penniless in London when you could be comfortable up North. Also Hull will have jobs as going to be a free port and has the docks.

Are you sure they are living here legally OP? You say they aren’t getting any additional benefits etc, which may suggest they might not be eligible because they could be living here without permission. Especially with the jobs they do - it’s common for people living here illegally to work cash in hand in construction. Also, she needs to learn English so she is able to deal with things herself. Madness that people settle in other countries and don’t even bother to learn the language of the country they choose to live in. It would benefit her massively and increase her independence,

She is asking for the moon on a stick. Either she or her partner increase their incomes (she works only part-time) or they need to move to a cheaper area.

I have no idea why people live in London if they are not socially housed. Just get out and have a far far better quality of life. I did just that. I have a 3 bed for 650... brilliant schools , lots of the same shops and a real community. London in less than an hour.. we also need builders AND cleaners cam and £17 an hour...

Because some people don't want to be subsidised by the taxpayer?

Definitely asking for the moon on a stick. The child is 9. They have lots of options that don't require state subsidies. She could work more hours, get a job evenings and weekends, they could even return to their home country if they are not war refugees.

How the fuck is she the one with the ‘get up and go’ in the relationship when she earns £800 a month vs the husband at over £2000?
I know this is MN where it’s ‘cool’ to hate men, but he’s carrying them financially!

He’s earning nearly 3x what she is, yet he’s the problem? The mind boggles

She needs to increase her hours. My mum worked as a cleaner when I was a child. She did commercial cleaning in the evenings and weekends. It wasn't ideal but it paid the bills and kept us all clothed and fed. My parents were like ships passing in the night for a few years but it meant they didn't need to pay for childcare while my dad was at work during office hours. When my younger sister was finally at school my mum worked school hours but also kept the evening work to build up savings.

In an ideal world my mum would have worked school hours only but financial security was more important.