Terrified of losing children 😞

[charM89]

Okay here's my story any advice please...
I'm private renting, our landlord is evicting us for 2 reasons...
he's selling (no argument ofcourse I understand he needs/wants to sell)
ground 13- we have deteriorated the condition of the property (this one I'm arguing here's why)
We have lived in the property for 10 years, we have had many structual repairs that needed doing, I approached the landlord who told us that due to us not ventilating property it's caused the damp and mould.
I went and bought dehumidifiers, opened windows etc... cleaned all the mould off however the mould would always return!
I called environmental health round an improvement notice was served to the landlord, he was advised of every repair that himself as a landlord needed to fix!
However this was not followed up as the envirmental health officer at the time passed away.
However the landlord was still aware of the problems and chose to not do them!
I contacted environmental health again recently as the damp,mould and other issues were still not resolving no matter how much we cleaned the mould or using a dehumidifier.
A new improvement notice was served to the landlord.
He has now issued us with a section 8 notice using grounds 1a and 13 :(
Again I'm not arguing that he needs to sell, but ground 13 I find extremely unfair as most of the condtion of this property is down to him!
He is now also increasing our rent :(
Ofcourse there are days we forget to open windows and we don't always keep the home to a high level of cleaning, I have depression and anxiety (have done since my son passed) my partner is autistic our 4 year old is autistic and I have a typical teenager!
If we're found to be intentionally homeless due to ground 13 the council won't help us and we are passed to social services which could mean we lose our children :(

But you can live with your parents.

You really need to just sort out facts from your fevered imagination.

She said social services would explore options, if all options were unsuccessful they removal of children could be considered.

I strongly suggest you get off the internet. You stop googling. Instead first thing tomorrow morning you speak to your LA and SS and ask them for support. Then write down exactly what they say to you.

My parents are in a 2 bed house there is 4 of us, we couldn't stay there permanently. If we chose to move in with them temporary whilst searching for a new home, the council wouldn't help. My parents couldn't have us there for more than a couple of months

Ask her to put in writing that there is a risk of your children being removed

You'd then be overcrowded, so they should still help.

If a council house is what you're aiming for, please just speak to the council about how you go about achieving this.

And at that point your parents tell the LA they can no longer accommodate you. The LA can then offer you accommodation (possibly miles away and not particularly nice) in the form of a b&b or emergency flat that you will have to contribute paying towards.

I agree. If Social housing is what you want then be honest here , it’s anonymous!

I don't care if I have to private rent again (very hard to find somewhere that doesn't want a guarantor)

These threads are painful. She's just not listening. I really hope she can find somebody who can advocate for her, as otherwise it'll just go wrong.

I’m in TA and I have not been told this was reported to children a services, nor have I had any comms with them.
this was actually due to my DC dad being abusive. Is that normal?

Then speak to your LA to see if they aware of LL who are happy to work with them and some LAs help you out financially for the initial costs. Where is your partner in all this? Do either of you work? Are constrained to a particular area due to schools or jobs?

If you can stay with family short term then that would be the best case and then go to the council advising family want you out and they will put you up in a hotel short term. That’s what happened to me. I left my place moved in with my ex he was abusive in the end and I left stayed at my parents and then went to the council. None of which was planned of course but fight tooth and nail when it comes to your children. It doesn’t sound right that they would be taken away though due to this

I would hope that it is incase they can support you in anyway. How awful if not. Hope you are out of TA soon

OP. I’m spamming you I do apologise but council have me in a 1 bed with 3 people! They will not take your kids.

It doesn’t sound right because based on what the op is saying it won’t happen

SS were happy to return my ds whom I had voluntarily given up for adoption (whole other story) when he was still a newborn and we all slept on duvets on a floor together.

Because I've read that because my parents house would be overcrowded social services wouldn't see this as suitable accommodation

She means social services. She's right, that social services can and must pay to accommodate children of parents who are intentionally homeless under section 17 funds where there is nowhere else for them to go to prevent children sleeping rough.

That early help worker was talking out of their arse

Stop reading things online and get everything in writing from professionals.

Who is telling you that? Apart from one early help worker???

This is laughable. I've been to court to apply to remove children living in squalor and been denied. They can't just take your children!!

How often do SS remove children rather than work with LA to accommodate the family when there is no abuse or neglect?

@charM89 I know its a big worry but honestly you will be ok. Your landlord has stressed you for no good reason he's selling regardless. He didn't need to add section 13. The council will NOT see you as intentionally homeless as hes selling anyway so either way you have to leave. Also you have alot of evidence through environmental health he was given 2 notices. Thats on him not you.

They will not take your children. There are thousands of family's in temporary accommodation. If that was the case thousands of children would be in care there would be no children in temporary accommodation.
I had 2 evictions with 6 children and we were found temporary accommodation on both occasions. We were not split there was no mention of social services. They will find you somewhere it could be in your area or out of your area. It could be a self contained flat or house. It could be a hostel or a hotel..

There is also a thing called homless intervention where they will try and find you a home in the private rented sector. They will have landlords they work with.