Rent increase - just venting really

[Pepperoniextracheese]

First of all, this isn't a begging post. Or even a can I challenge this post. I'm just venting because this couldn't have come at a worse time.

I've just seen an email from the letting agents. My rent is going up by nearly 20%. I've lived here 9 years and it's never gone up, so it is a reasonable amount considering how much rents have changed. I've emailed back asking to meet in the middle, but I don't hold out much hope there.

If i was working right now it wouldn't be so bad. However my fixed term contract ended a month ago and I've barely had a call back since. I'm a single parent to two small kids. One in nursery, the other in primary. Eldest has ASD & ADHD, I'm very doubtful he'd cope in after school club (I'm not even sure they'd take him, given his needs). Because of this I need either part time or very flexible hours. It's so hard. If i didn't have the kids I'd get another job so easily, but I'm so restricted.

They're with their dad 50/50, so no maintenance and he gets the CB for one of them. This isn't a complaint, he's a great dad. It's just for context. Now that I'm on universal credit only one child is included on the claim. How anyone lives off that money long term I've no idea. I'm already dipping into my savings much more than i thought I would.

I've got just over 5 grand, so I'm in a better position than many. It took so long to save that, I always thought if it as the beginning of my deposit fund, for when the kids are bigger and i can work more hours. Get a mortgage, own my own home. That feels further than ever now.

Just....fuck. Fucking fuck. I'm going to have to find the money. Anywhere else would cost at least as much, and who wants to rent to a single parent on benefits?

You never think lifes going to be like this do you?

I am really sorry OP, it’s a horrible situation and horrible timing.

Time and time again I read on these boards that the LL hasn’t increased the rent for X years, and all of a sudden they wipe out all your disposable income in one fell swoop. I know most of them are doing it from kindness: for good tenants who look after their homes, but more often than not, it ends in disaster. I remember vividly being a single woman and not having a rent rise after year 1, and at year 2, the LL asking for an extra 20%, because “that’s market rate.” I had always felt it was suspiciously cheap for the size and quality of the home, but it still came as a massive blow.

LLs should keep up with the market so tenants aren’t suddenly out priced. You mould your standard of living and work around your rent, and it’s a huge upheaval when you are made to make changes, even more so with kids.

The good news is, if you decide it truly is unaffordable, we are now fully out of the crazy rent rise summer period which happens each year from May til mid August. In the last 10 days I have seen price drops of between 7 and an astonishing 24.4% hit my inbox (I use Property Log).

For all the talk in the news about horrific rent rises and landlords getting out of the market, I am not seeing people queue up for Any Old Home because there is so much demand. If I can get an appointment a week in advance there ain’t a long queue, that’s for sure. This week I am seeing discounts hit my inbox for the lower end of my search criteria too.

Wishing you all the best for whatever decision you make.

Thanks @KievLoverTwo you've got a really good understanding of the shock I felt when I read that email. If it'd been more gradual I'd have had a chance to work my budget around it. 30 days notice isn't a lot for such a big jump.

I haven't heard back from the letting agent yet, which hopefully means the landlord is considering my suggestion. I don't want to push too hard though, and make them think I won't be able to pay it. The last thing I need is a section 21!

Is there? In England and Wales? Would love to see a link as I can't find any reference to rent controls being introduced.

Yes, this OP.

If you receive DLA for your child, you'll have that money + around £400 extra for the child and £200 extra for carer element.

This just over £600 will be paid monthly through your Universal Credit.

We've already got an agreement to share both the DLA and the extra universal credit element once we get it.

My ex gets some universal credit top up, which is why I can't do the claiming both CB and transferring one back thing. I had no idea DLA would be that much though!

I had it in my head it would maybe be an extra 100 or so each. 300 would make a massive difference!

This. The OP has been very fortunate for years.

I wasn’t born a unpleasant human being, it was being treated like shit by successive governments that turned me that way.

If your ex is having your children for half the week and you know what nights you will be free, you could go for a hospitality or retail job until you get something you’re qualified for.

It would be great if you do get DLA, but spending that on rent should only be a short term thing as it is possible for you to work.

Could you join a care agency or hispital bank and pick up shifts when the kids are at their dads?

I'm a nurse and have worked in many hospitals and care homes where we have agency or bank staff that pick up 3 or 4 shifts a week to suit them. You could do nights or days and its generally reliable work that doesnt always need previous experience.

For me… to get more money without working is invest.

I done a lot of reading and learning from YouTube, library books and the news. Done my homework… I earned 25% last year. Find a way to make passive income when you’re sleeping is a way.