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Original poster

Homeless help

150 replies

Ilovecustardxx · 16/04/2024 20:03

Myself, partner and daughter have been made homeless today - our landlords were selling our house - council advised us to stay until the last minute - which we did and we have now been placed in a b&b.
has anyone been in a similar situation? We currently have no cooking facilities and no money right now - as my partner is long term sick and I have taken some time off work due to my mental health with all this stress, so can’t get takeaways and things like that. we are in a pretty run down place with a shared bathroom and some very loud neighbours!
What can I do to cook meals?! How can I take the best of this for my 5 year old? At the moment it’s an adventure for her but I’m in pieces! I have no clue how long we will be here - no family very nearby either. We are also 2 bus rides away from
my daughters school, no car as had to scrap it due to broken gearbox, we’ve had it all thrown at us recently!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Janetime · 18/04/2024 19:09

AngkorWat · 18/04/2024 18:59

Clearly you don’t know how the system works.
CA and councils tell everyone to wait to be evicted. It is only when you are literally homeless that the council can help you. No one wants this but it’s the only way to get help.
Yes I know the system. If you leave of your own accord without eviction they cannot give you emergency accommodation, fact!
Its a disgusting and demoralising way to treat people, that’s how our system works!

So I asked one question only in my post ie did OP look for any other accommodation as there is a long period of time after s21 to bayliffs and even longer if the landlord has given them prior written notice. It’s a Reasonable question.

My post was a very simple question to OP who clearly has experienced the process as she’s just been through it.

OP answered a page back,, Thankyou OP and job done.

Show quote history

The reason people are taking issue is you simply stated to the op you were wondering why she had not looked for alternate accommodation , that she had enough time then asked her why she did it to herself.

you did not ask her, hey op, did you look for alternate accommodation?

it would have been a ridiculous question, but at least a question on her actions rather than an assumption she didn’t bother then asking her why she’d done it.

Intheair24 · 18/04/2024 19:14

Ilovecustardxx · 18/04/2024 16:22

LHA rates do not cover the rental costs for a 2 bed property in my area (roughly £1500 minimum) the current LHA rate is £815.

so that’s just under half to find. My partner had a heart attack (at 46 years old) and is currently recovering - I took some time off to look after him and our daughter, and as well to look after myself following a ridiculously stressful time.

yes we have had a long time knowing this was happening - of course I’ve looked in to private rental again it’s one of the things the council ask you to do.

it’s pretty impossible to find a private rental - whn they ask you to make anywhere between 4 & 6 times the rental annually.

i wasn’t making this post to ask for advice on how to find a private rental nor to tell peope
what I have done in order to not be in this position I was asking if people had practical advice about cooking with no facilities and any advice on being the best mother I can be to protect my daughter in this shit situation.

Edited

People asking theses questions have absolutely no idea . Familys are being evicted via section 21 left right and centre. And it's near impossible to get another private rent. Sadly the council can put you in a b&b for upto 6 weeks. Although it could be more as councils do not follow their own criteria. You have nothing to loose by appealing the accommodation. You need to give very good reasons though.

caringcarer · 18/04/2024 19:19

If you can get a microwave Morrisons have budget ready meals lasagne, I think maybe sweet and sour chicken and rice, there's a third one but I can't remember what it is. They are about £1 each.

Kalevala · 18/04/2024 19:24

And it's near impossible to get another private rent.

Off topic, but for anyone looking, my single parent sibling managed to find a rental directly through a landlord after no luck with agencies. Still needed a guarantor though, it's shit for people who have literally no one to ask.

caringcarer · 18/04/2024 19:27

Have you got any friends who would feed your DD a hot meal somewhere evenings for you? I'd willingly do that for my friends dc. Definitely speak to school and explain you'll have problems giving your DD hot food. If they have an after-school club they might give her toast there before she is collected.

caringcarer · 18/04/2024 19:30

This reply has been deleted

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Countrylife2002 · 18/04/2024 19:44

Intheair24 · 18/04/2024 19:14

People asking theses questions have absolutely no idea . Familys are being evicted via section 21 left right and centre. And it's near impossible to get another private rent. Sadly the council can put you in a b&b for upto 6 weeks. Although it could be more as councils do not follow their own criteria. You have nothing to loose by appealing the accommodation. You need to give very good reasons though.

Show quote history

Absolutely agree. Prices and demand are crazy. Private rent is out of the reach of increasingly more and more people .

WiseKhakiGoose · 19/04/2024 01:03

Kalevala · 18/04/2024 18:44

I was speaking from personal experience with mental illness where I could have easily stayed off work much longer than I did. I was responding to a comment that made the assumption that people were 'ignorant' and did not understand mental illness if they mentioned going back to work. It's my personal experience that going back can help. I would assume that people are replying from their own experience before I would assume they are 'ignorant'.

If you don't have your own place, then being in work can also help. I wasn't properly homeless but sharing a room with my child while living out of suitcases in someone else's home for several months. It helped being somewhere else in the day, I needed that space.

There are some people who physically can't make themselves go back. A friend couldn't manage, and he is in a desperate situation now as a result. Not his fault at all of course.

Show quote history

Even if you meant it, you didn't write: "When I had mental health issues, going back to work ASAP helped me. But, I understand that everyone is different and not all people are able to follow my advice and do the same".

Instead, you wrote "It's about weighing up what is best for you in your situation, what more you may lose by not being in work and comparing against the gains. " - meaning that everyone with mental health issues can "weighing up" what to do, to work or stay home.

It is ignorant to write it and assume that only because you managed to keep working while you had mental health issues, then everyone else can do the same. You don't even acknowledge that some people have it worse than you had and can't follow your advice.

I am talking now from my own experience too, and I know very well how it feels to be able to carry on working despite struggling with mental health issues versus not being able to work at all. It feels terrible either way and has nothing to do with being able to magically "weighing up" to work or not.

OP made it clear from the start that she can't work now because of her mental health issues. There's no reasons for anyone to question her why she doesn't work and give her advice to go back to work, especially if she has a fit note from her GP.

Mental health issues and physical issues are similar, we can't control it. In both cases, all depends on how severe it is. There's nothing worse in this life, than feeling so bad that you can't work because of your own health. It automatically means that you can't enjoy your own life outside work.

It doesn't matter if it's physical issues, mental health issues or both at the same time. It's unfair to judge any person on what kind of body they have and how healthy they are. Because what kind of body and health we have is not our choice, it's something what we were born with and we don't have power to control it.

Kalevala · 19/04/2024 06:09

@WiseKhakiGoose
I'm also autistic. Sometimes I don't realise I haven't written everything as it takes a lot of effect to write sometimes, particularly when I've been misunderstood.

Kalevala · 19/04/2024 06:30

@WiseKhakiGoose
I'm exhausted and leaving now so please don't quote me.

TCThree · 19/04/2024 06:56

It's a shocking system and there must be thousands of people caught up in situations like the OPs through absolutely no fault of their own.
Housing in this country is a joke and much of the problems started in the Thatcher years so it's going to take something monumental to change it now.

Best of luck OP, I hope your husband makes a good recovery and that you are soon rehoused somewhere suitable.

Original poster
Ilovecustardxx · 19/04/2024 08:16

mitogoshi · 18/04/2024 15:03

Just checking in to wish you all the best tomorrow with the housing officer. I would advise writing down the questions you have and your essential requirements. If they offer you a flat or place with a kitchen tomorrow that's good if not I strongly advise you state that you need access to a microwave as a minimum tomorrow, it may be that they can negotiate this for you.

Whilst I do understand why you have gone down this route, I would also spend time between now and your meeting searching for potential rentals as they may be willing to guarantor it for you, they do this here. Finally you need to prepare yourself to be told that you need to move a considerable distance and them saying that if you refuse their offer you will be considered voluntarily homeless - I know this is tough but I've supported multiple people who have been relocated to where I used to live from London in very similar circumstances to you. I hope you aren't faced with this but mentally be prepared. Take care op

Thank you - meeting. This morning I will update you all later

OP posts:
ShoreToShore · 19/04/2024 11:36

TCThree · 19/04/2024 06:56

It's a shocking system and there must be thousands of people caught up in situations like the OPs through absolutely no fault of their own.
Housing in this country is a joke and much of the problems started in the Thatcher years so it's going to take something monumental to change it now.

Best of luck OP, I hope your husband makes a good recovery and that you are soon rehoused somewhere suitable.

Agree
Selling off council housing was a huge mistake.
We live in the southeast and have, in the last 5years near us over 1500 new houses built. Mostly 4bed detached. Less than 10% are social housing. Prince Williams land is about to put another 2500 homes on good farmland and again very little social housing. The developers give money to the council instead.

There are more homes for cars being built here than people.
We need council housing and we need smaller properties or flats so all our good farmland isn’t lost as well. A new development in the news yesterday is getting a lot of backlash as it’s built on excellent farmland when there are brownfield sites nearby not being built on.

Blondeshavemorefun · 19/04/2024 12:31

@Ilovecustardxx Hope todays meeting went well 💐💐

Original poster
Ilovecustardxx · 19/04/2024 14:19

Well, had meeting:

we are going to be in b&b for abother 2 or so weeks - we have been offered temp after that- one room in a shared house, for goodness knows how long. But at least that has a shared kitchen!

don’t know how to feel at the moment - I’m just feeling a bit like it’s all happening. To someone else. Just got to get through the weekend now.

rhanks all for you help and advice.

OP posts:
60andsomething · 19/04/2024 14:50

good to hear there is some progress.

MetaDaughter · 19/04/2024 15:02

One room in a shared house with strangers - for two adults and a child?

That really puts the ‘Great’ in Great Britain …

But the situation would be even worse if you were childless.

I honestly despair of this country.

Original poster
Ilovecustardxx · 19/04/2024 17:01

MetaDaughter · 19/04/2024 15:02

One room in a shared house with strangers - for two adults and a child?

That really puts the ‘Great’ in Great Britain …

But the situation would be even worse if you were childless.

I honestly despair of this country.

Yes I’m nervous about it, but we really have no choice :(

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 19/04/2024 17:17

Where is shared house ? Near school ?

Prob will have similar famillies to you there

MetaDaughter · 19/04/2024 17:21

This is the care and support for a family where one adult is recovering from a heart attack?

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Original poster
Ilovecustardxx · 19/04/2024 18:00

Blondeshavemorefun · 19/04/2024 17:17

Where is shared house ? Near school ?

Prob will have similar famillies to you there

Sadly not we will have to move schools.

OP posts:
bradpittsbathwater · 19/04/2024 18:17

It's shocking. Please try and appeal somehow. You shouldn't have to share one room and uproot your poor daughter from her school. How unfair for all of you.

Bettybooboo13 · 19/04/2024 18:20

I've been where you are.. lived on pot noodles and cold food, takeaways when I had the money. We were there for two months, no meals provided by the hotel. Even with a child (as I was) you could be there some time. I washed things up in the bathroom. I bought paper plates sometimes.
I wish you luck 💜

excelledyourself · 19/04/2024 19:36

This is so sad, and quite shocking. I can't believe your daughter will have to move school.

I'm really sorry, OP. You've had some great advice, that I could never have given you, but I really hope that in the not too distant future you can look back on this time and be proud of getting through it. Wishing you better days soon Flowers

Blondeshavemorefun · 19/04/2024 19:42

That's bad dd will have to move schools.

Be fine if a one move and forever home

But not to move her and possibly move her again

How far away from
Current location. - you may get some help via school paying for transport

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