Facing homelessness

[Boymamabee]

Has anyone had any recent success getting a council property?

Our landlord has issued a Section 21 and we have until June. I’m due a c-section at the end of next month. I had to stop working due to pregnancy complications and I wasn’t eligible for SSP or UC because I’m doing a degree.

We only have my husband’s income and my student grant. Basically we’ve been priced out the private market. Husband is very down about it because all we keep hearing about is the housing crisis and how hard it is to get somewhere. He’s scared of ending up in temp accommodation but we may not have a choice.

Has anyone been through this process?

Didn't want to read and run.
It will depend a lot on where you are in the country, but in this neck of the woods, you would not be guaranteed anything permanent, and would be steered/supported to get private rented,as even housing associations are short on supply.

Agree it totally depends on where you are. You'll probably need to wait until you are served with the Eviction Notice and then take that to the Council's Housing Office.

They should at least offer temporary accommodation as you'll have a baby, although I know that won't be ideal.

Around here you are likely to get a Council House fairly quickly although it's probably not in your first choice of areas.

I know that in some places they might offer you a house in another part of the Country. I work with a few Londoners who have taken up the offer and are very happy and are moving more of their family up because the quality of life is so much better.

And I'd also be honest with your Landlord. Tell them that you need the Eviction Notice abs you want it to go to Court.

Do not do what @PritiPatelsMaker said.

I'm a housing officer.

Contact the council straight away, provide all the info they ask for. You can make a homeless application if you have a VALID notice. They will accept either a prevention or relief duty depending on what stage you're at.

You don't need to leave when the notice expires. The landlord will need to apply to the court for an order for possession, and then fircan eviction order. This can take months

The council should have a homeless prevention fund to help with private rent deposits. Whether you'll get a council house any time soon depends on many variables.

@Bemyclementine they can do that however as a landlord I would be charging the tenants to go to court cost of bailiffs etc which would run into thousands of pounds plus a possible CCJ if they couldn’t pay

@Parsley1234 yes, there will be charges. Of course if OP finds somewhere else to live, then they can move sooner. My current experience is putting people in temporary accommodation the week before bailiffs arrive. Not because that's what I want to do, it's hideous. But because there is no other option.

5 yrs ago people were being housed soon after their notice had expired, we could work with landlord to prevent court action. These days (in my area) people are in tdmp for months before getting an offer and months more before that offer is ready.

Yes the situation is awful all round

If you don't move out when eviction order date comes your LL will take you to court and you will get costs issued against you which will be expensive and if you do t pay a CCJ against you and your credit will be screwed meaning you won't be able to privately rent again. I don't think LL's will rent to people with a CCJ. I'd be asking council for temporary accommodation before getting a CCJ. There is still a bit of time to look about and try to find another private rental, perhaps in cheaper area or with less bedrooms.

@caringcarer this is what my husband’s worried about. We’re applying for cheaper flats, etc., but there’s so much competition at the moment. The cheaper areas are more rural and my husband would have to drive further for work which would end up costing around the same.

@Boymamabee you don't have to pay it all in one go. You can apply to pay in installments.

If you don't move out when eviction order date comes your LL will take you to court and you will get costs issued against you which will be expensive and if you do t pay a CCJ against you and your credit will be screwed meaning you won't be able to privately rent again

I think you'd be best soaking to Shelter if I'm honest OP.

You're getting a lot of very conflicting advice and most Possessions do not end in a CCJ.

Shelter gave free legal advice for housing and are usually very good.

Can you approach your landlord as a fellow human being and explain to them your circumstances and that you are looking? As a landlord myself in the past (one property myself) when my tenants were served notice because we were returning to live in the UK we liaised with them and negotiated an exit which suited them the main point is they were willing to continue paying the rent but actively looking at the same time. We just delayed our return. Have you tried to talk to your landlord?

@Thatdarncat4 we’ve never spoke to the LL directly, just the letting agency, but I’ll ask them to forward him an email. From what they said, he’s in the middle of a divorce and has a buyer lined up.

Okay so not as simple as my situation but simpler than courts and fines it depends on the chain and the others involved too but worth a shot. Maybe think wider afield. What is your husbands job? Can he move to a cheaper area? I don’t know the answers but I always start by trying to communicate and see what happens. I hope you get a workable result 🤞

Are there no family you can stay with while you recover from birth and save every penny towards your future?

Could dh get an evening or weekend job to supplement your income?

Whereabouts in the UK are you?

Have you consulted your student welfare service? The only person I know who got social housing was a teen single mum whose mum was a senior housing officer in another borough and even with her mum’s knowledge she was placed in a hostel before she got a flat. Are neither of your families able to act as guarantor on a private rent or house you on a temporary basis?

Sorry you’re in this situation.

Bemyclementine gave good advice, I hope you get some help and get sorted quickly.

Please take advice from CAB or Shelter before moving in with friends or family. Depending on where you are it could make things more difficult for you.

If the landlord needs to go to court for a possession hearing there would not be a ccj unless the rent was in arrears.
The court usually orders tenants to pay court fees and bailiffs fee if necessary circa £400. This is then deducted from the deposit.

If you do not continue paying the rent once the section 21 is served, the local council will not house you as deemed to have made yourself intentionally homeless.

My friend had a situation when she was pregnant with a private landlord selling and her health visitor helped them get a social housing place not exactly the area they wanted but do-able then they applied to swop and moved a couple of years later.

I'd say give it a try youve nothing to loose.

It's fabulous how this advice works.
My beautiful Sister died almost 2 years ago.
She had a rental property.
Her tenants were initially devastated by her death.
My parents are very elderly and unwell.
They verbally agreed a date when they would leave.
My parents were very grateful for this.

They stopped paying rent, and basically fucked my parents about.
They didn't leave.
The woman then pretended to be a single parent, and accused my Mum of harassment.

My Mum is very unwell, and cares for my Dad, who has Alzheimer's.
She was very distressed, and instructed a solicitor.

She is about 5k down. The woman actually admitted in court that she had lied about her plans to leave. Lied about being a single parent. Nobody seemed interested.
Shelter have told her to stay put until the bailiffs visit.

Meanwhile, they have nicely trashed the house.

I do hope that they are rewarded with a nice secure council property.
That'll teach the bastard landlord.

Hi Op. What was the outcome in the end? Hope you're all safe and well. X