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Original poster

Can I be evicted a week before xmas? Argh!

44 replies

mummyvontummy · 13/12/2007 20:56

I rent my house from my university, am entirely up to date with rent payments, but have had a problem with my bond as my old (private) landlady tried to keep it as she couldn't get another tenant after my tenancy ended. FINALLY got it back today (three months later!) but it is £300 less than the uni want. I don't get my student loan until the 14th Jan, so have asked if I can put £300 on my credit card and pay the rest in cash-they have turned round today and said pay it all in cash tomorrow or you're out. WHAT DO I DO!!!!! IT'S FREEZING OUT THERE AND WE'LL NEVER GET A NEW PLACE IN A WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!! We really do have nowhere to go-my parents live 250 miles away.

OP posts:
Original poster
mummyvontummy · 13/12/2007 20:57

Oh, forgot to say, the uni said they would wait for the bond until I got it back from ex landlady, as I didn't have £1800 spare to wait until I got it back.

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mylittleponey · 13/12/2007 21:00

doesn't seem right - could a tutor help you deal with the uni authorities?

HarkTheHassledAngelsSing · 13/12/2007 21:02

I think if your local press heard that a Uni was evicting a student who happens to be a mother a week before Christmas they would be very interested indeed. I'm not recommending that you use press coverage as a threat (at least not yet!), but you need to talk in a measured, calm manner to the most senior person you can in the relevant Uni and explain your situation in full. Then go to your Students' Union Welfare Officer and ask for advice - they may have crisis loans. What a nightmare situation - good luck.

ravenAK · 13/12/2007 21:03

Can you take out £300 in cash on your credit card? I know it's a PITA & expensive, but just to save yourself the hassle before Xmas?

(Although I really doubt they could actually evict you on the spot for being effectively £300 in arrears - I think they'd have to get an eviction order & show they'd given you every opportunity to pay?)

Original poster
mummyvontummy · 13/12/2007 21:04

They've all gone home-term ended on the 30th November, so there is only the accommodation service there, and they are the ones telling me to pay up-I feel sick! I'm a good tenant-I could understand if I was having wild parties and wrecking the place but all we do is eat, sleep and dress here-the rest of the time I'm studying and dd is at nursery.

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Original poster
mummyvontummy · 13/12/2007 21:06

That's the thing-I have £300 in cash, but that means I can't pay the rent on the 1st as it's £900 pcm. Good idea re the press as a back up option, especially as I'm a single mum-don't think Cambridge would like that kind of publicity!

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Freckle · 13/12/2007 21:07

Do you have an assured shorthold tenancy? If so, they will have to take possession proceedings to get you out. And that can take quite some time so you would have time to get the extra money.

I think you need to point out that there is no way they would get another tenant before you have your student loan and surely it is in their best interests to have a good tenant in place with the promise of full payment in a few weeks than an empty house.

ravenAK · 13/12/2007 21:10

Ouch, £900 pcm must be hurting your student loan...

I think I'd pay them the £300 now. No-one's going to be hammering on your door on New Year's Day I wouldn't've thought - & at that point you can tell them it'll be less than 2 weeks till your loan comes through (& hopefully before than SU will be open again & you can get some proper advice & support).

Original poster
mummyvontummy · 13/12/2007 21:11

That's what I'm getting so about-I'm not behind in the rent at all, it's the stupid bond, and surely they would rather have £1500 now and the extra £300 later than go through all that faff. I've signed a two year tenancy, so think it's assured shorthold. They haven't even asked for it until today, let alone given me chance to sell my soul/dd's xmas presents to raise the £. Bad people!

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Original poster
mummyvontummy · 13/12/2007 21:13

The rent's on direct debit so the direct debit will miss, so I'll be in trouble for that. Urgh and poo! Surely they have worse tenants to chase than me-they are student landlords!

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YuleLoveHekateAtSolstice · 13/12/2007 21:14

Evicting someone is a long process. They can't get you out that quickly.

ravenAK · 13/12/2007 21:20

If you've got a 2 year tenancy I would be amazed if they could boot you out, in less than a fortnight, for a third of a month's rent!

Go in tomorrow with the £1500 & explain they'll be getting £900 on the 1st, which they can choose to regard as rent, or as the balance of the bond & 2/3 of January's rent - the balance will be forthcoming after the 14th (give them a post-dated chq).

If they still say they're kicking you out, politely offer to give them the other £300 & worry about the rent on the 1st (cancel dd). Explain that you will now not be in arrears, at all, until the 1st, so they have no reason to contact/hassle you till then...

Original poster
mummyvontummy · 13/12/2007 21:23

I'm really because when I applied I was told that all I had to worry about was studying as the university took care of everything else including accommodation, and the studying is the least of my worries!

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Original poster
mummyvontummy · 13/12/2007 21:26

Thank you all so much for talking sense-I'm too screwed up to think straight! V good idea about giving them a post dated cheque-it's not like I'm hiding the money from them, I just don't have it. I could understand if they had caught me out in the pub after a stint at John Lewis, but it's very obvious that we are broke! Thank you xx

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LOVEMYMUM · 13/12/2007 21:34

Uni can't boot you out if you have a child - i think it may be illegal.

I know from my own knowledge that its v difficult to evict a tenant once they are in - it may sometimes take a Court Order (which the uni will have to apply for).

Original poster
mummyvontummy · 13/12/2007 21:43

Thank goodness-this is rapidly turning into the worst Christmas ever! x

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natmatt · 13/12/2007 21:48

i was evicted for being 2 weeks late with rent, they went in and threw everything of mine out in the street
i have 2 kids.

Zazette · 13/12/2007 21:49

I'm sure they haven't all gone home - academics just don't disappear off in the vacations the way students do! I lecture at a different university, but we tend to be in and out of our offices during the vacation (and if not in offices, often no further away than the library getting research done, and thus can be dragged back by an email).

I'd start with the college porter, if he's at all friendly/approachable - throw yourself on his mercy and ask who is around and likely to be helpful. good luck!

Original poster
mummyvontummy · 13/12/2007 21:55

Thank you-there are Directors of Studies and lecturers about, but they don't deal with finances, our tutors do, and mine is in New Zealand until the 15th Jan. Natmatt, I feel ill again now! Will go and see the porter tomorrow-I have kept them fully informed of the situation all the way along, which is why I was so sure that it would be ok to put the £300 on my cc as they never stated that it would be a problem, and they have just suddenly turned around and said no. Scary people!

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callmeoverchristmas · 13/12/2007 21:57

I am near you if you need a hand to hold whilst you talk to them, or someone to play with your DD. I am free 2 days a week so just give me a shout.

Stand your ground and stay put, offer them what money you have and they can wait for the rest.

ravenAK · 13/12/2007 22:01

OK, Doomsday Solution if they really won't see reason & no-one can help...

Pay Uni the £1800.

Put all shopping from now till January on credit card (just don't do what I'd do, think 'sod it' & go nuts on the spending).

This should claw back a bit of the cash flow shortfall. Work out how much else you'll need to honour £900 direct debit, take it as cash on credit card & stick it in your bank account before the 1st (keep an eye on bank holidays).

You'll have to pay a bit of interest if there's a credit card payment due before your loan comes in (just make minimum payment if so - allow for this when withdrawing the cash on your card). But it shouldn't be THAT much on £300 over a month.

Then settle up with credit card on/after the 14th.

Original poster
mummyvontummy · 13/12/2007 22:01

Oh you wonderful lady! I have an appointment with them at 10am tomorrow while dd is in nursery, so am going in with the spondoolies in my hot little hand, a post-dated cheque in the other, and a credit card stuffed down my sock, and if they don't like it then I will cry. Lots. And then they will have to find me somewhere else to live and sort the bond out between their own little departments! Huh! Doesn't it get you mad when you are one of those people that always pays your rent/bills/invoices/whatever on time and they come down on you like a ton of bricks for one anomaly, but some people never seem to pay anything and seem to be fine (seem being the operative part of the word!)

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Original poster
mummyvontummy · 13/12/2007 22:04

I can't believe how level headed you are Raven-you are such a rock-you have calmed me down so much! You are all fabulous ladies-I'll feel like I'm going in with an army behind me tomorrow! x

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ravenAK · 13/12/2007 22:06

No worries - been there! Good luck for tomorrow. Bet they take one look at you & your money & tell you the 14th will be fine anyway...

Zazette · 13/12/2007 22:07

mummyvontummy, if a random student came to me in your predicament, I would do everything I could to help, even if I wasn't the tutor (esp if the tutor was on the other side of the world!). Sounds like you have a good plan for tomorrow, but honestly, if it doesn't work, give people in your college the chance to rally and help you out - you can usually rely on academics to be keen for an opportunity to scorn low-life money-grabbing administarators etc and want to rise above them...