HOUSING stress feel trapped and lost!

[nataliesa]

hiya, im a single mum 24, 5 yr old son, i was put in temporary assured shorthold accomodation by the council paying the depoisit(was homeless before that).Iv been here for 5 yrs, i want to leave because the flat has bad mold, very cold and i have very noisy neighbours upstairs.Council inspected the place it was catergory hazard 1 i was moved.My son has been give inhalers for his cough, i have alot of alleries due to this flat.Nothing is being done, went to solicitors about disrepair getting a court date soon for compensation.I recently got a letter from council saying i can no longer bid because im adequately housed and not eligible anymore, but i do not want to stay here and in these conditions and this is only meant to be temporary what can i do? (ive been bidding for 7 yrs now)...i feel so lost and trapped. :(
ps the agentcy also told me im 600 pounds in arrears from last yr but none of this was in writing and last jan when i spoke to them they said i didnot have to do anything about it until all the repairs in the house were done...now they saying i have been invoiced 60 pounds a month since then...but what i do not understand is that i did not get nothing in writing and i certainly did not get any invoices throughout the year so im completely oblivious to all of this even taking place.

Council inspected the place it was catergory hazard 1 i was moved.

I'm guessing from the rest of your post you're still there.

In my Council the arrears you have could prevent you from moving, unless you have a repayment plan in place and you're sticking to it. Since nothing is in writing from your agency about repairs, get it in writing from them - are they charging you for repairs they should be doing (eg the mould and whatever's causing it), or repairs for damage they say you caused?

Get in touch with your local Citizens Advice Bureau / Welfare Rights / Accommodation Concern. Make friends with your lead councillor for housing - see if he / she can help you.

I suspect that your council say you're adequately housed because the property is suitable to your needs (size wise at least). Do you have anything that shows it was to be temporary?

Can you approach the landlord about the heating? Would imagine that if it's not properly heated that's likely to be the cause of the damp and mold. Switching to an electric oven rather than gas can reduce damp. As can making sure your ventilation vents are all working and not blocked by anything.

If the council say you're adequatly housed, your'e probably wasting your time bidding - can you tell whether any properties actually go to anyone in your band? Otherwise, what you need to do look at their rules for deciding whether you are adequatly housed (should be in their all,ocations policy), see if you think they've not followed them properly and then put in an appeal. Can take a while though.

Do you have anyone who would lend you the money for a deposit for another private rented place?

The thing i would recommend is to phone shelter, they may well be able to assist you. They are doing everything they can for me and i would highly recommend them. I have already written a letter of thanks.

You need to go to your agency and have them print out everything in writing for you relating to the accrue-ing costs, rent statements, along with a copy of your tenancy agreement, and take all along to the Citizens Advice Bureau (tip, queue up outside before they open .. it's a first come, first served basis and you could be sat in there for hours waiting to be seen).

The council have their own investigating officers who you can call out to inspect the property to see if it is up to standard. Phone the housing section.
If it isn't, they can rehouse you assuming properties are available, whilst they enforce the property owner to repair and make habitable again.
But you won't be rehoused in a council property permanently whilst they can legally enforce a refurb.