Does anyone else live in a rough area?

[harman]

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Transfer list.
Other housing associations in your area?

Thing is, charlie, most places make you prove a level of income before renting to you. And if you have to use housing benefit to meet that level of income, then they have to option of not renting to you.

If rickman started getting her rent paid to her now, whos to know that the wad of cash in her hand is HB?

Like I said, if you have to prove minimum income, and you need the HB to meet the minimum, that's where it comes into play.

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How about tied accommodation, harman?

Like giong back to university and applying for housing there?

Or a job with tied accommodation?

i live in peckham/camberwell! the crime around here is sooo bad, i dont go out at night any more

Me too PM, but our road is lovely. Admittedly I wouldn't go out around here at night, but then I don't really go out anyway these days!! Still walk back from the station at night, but not that late...
However, did have to call up the council this morning and ask them to remove three used condoms and packaging from the children's play area up our road ffs!!

I could have done it myself, but for some reason I felt really squeamish about it, and just resorted to keeping DS out hte eway, and warning others .... :-(

I am sick of how no one cares about wherethey live - or that's how it seems. It's small stuff that adds up for me rather than the murders etc (I know, that shoudl bother me too)... non stop spitting in the streets, roaming gangs of kids just intimidating you so they can laugh at you. etc etc....

Only reason I'm happy to be moving to Oz sometimes, but we'll be back soon enough.

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don.t lose hope try private landlords two of my friends have both got houses privately rented ,landlords advertised no dhss my friend was walking past one day and stopped stared at house ,bloke came out and spoke to her,she said i would love this but on benefits he said prefer otherwise but eventually rang her and said she coulds have, when my daughter and partner split up she couldnt afford house and landlord said she could stay even though he thought he would have to wait. its worth asking and as hb is paid straight to you he would not have to knowx

harmen. every local council has a 'private rental officer' call them and he will find you a private property to rent. councils are crying out for empty properties and this scheme helps them to get them iyswim? give them a call.

meant he/she.... how sexist of me

Good idea elesbells. Our local council also has a scheme called Private Sector Leasing and is mostly for families looking for a long term rental. Here, the council pays the private landlord/homeowner the rent and then claims it back from the tenant.

Harman, sorry you feel stuck - I can sympathise as we deal with a lot of people in similar predicaments at work & council/housing assoc properties in nice areas are so scarce now.

Re work, why not get to know your children's schools? Join the PTA or volunteer as a classroom assistant and once the staff know you're reliable, ask them about jobs in the school office or similar. Then if any work comes up in the school, you'll be in a strong position to apply. That worked for a friend of mine.

Re your employability harman, is your caution for something violent or sexually related? Because if not, once it is 'spent' you needn't worry about it ever coming back to haunt you. Even if it was violence, many employers would accept extenuating circumstances if you wrote and emplained.

Are you in a position to think about going to work now, or would the childcare be too difficult at the moment?

i dont know about yours mercy but ours make sure the lease is a minimum of 2 years. the landlords have to accept all types of tennent eg: housing benefit to be eligible to join.

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It sounds like working at a school would suit you really well then. I'm not sure about all the rules regarding child safety/CRB checks but I would think that your caution would be acceptable. Definitely ask about the secretary's job, and if you are on benefits you are eligible for help with training so even if you weren't fully qualified for this job you could get sorted for the next one IYSWIM?

Your situation does sound rubbish but don't lose hope. When my mum left my dad she had 2 children and had never worked and no qualifications. We had to move to a horrible scary council estate. Mum found a job with prospects and although we started off living on less money than if she claimed benefits, she worked very hard and got promoted constantly. Now, 20 years on she is a very highly paid and in demand manager. That has been a great motivator for me for all of my adult life. There is no reason you shouldn't do the same if that is what you want - have faith in yourself and think long term

Do any of your close relatives live near but under different local authority control? If they do you might be able to apply to that council and claim a local connection through your relative. Try your council to see if they do any rent deposit schemes whereby they provide a local landlord with your deposit and then your HB is paid directly to the landlord. I work for housing in Leicester and they have a list of landlords who are willing to take people through this scheme. Worth a try.

Try other HAs as well. Some HAs do reciprocal exchanges.

Good luck!

i too live in kent, i think you are lucky that you have a council house harman ive been on the council list for years and never been offered a bean despite ringing and applying for properties i have 3 children in a 2 bedroom house.

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harman - don't give up hope. I remember reading your posts about the crap you went through with your xdh and you have made the right decision. You can get a job - my df has just got one, she has 6 kids and hasn't worked for 18 years.

harmen i know exactly how you feel as i live with ds in a shitty council area, have the same concerns, cant ever imagine letting ds out to play round here, there are a load of loud mouths and wierdo's round here and can't see anyone exchanging in their right minds either. i do feel lucky to have a home because on the inside i have made it a nice home for me and ds and he has stability and its more than i had but its just the area, can totally relate to you about giving them the better life....
i will not be letting him go to the local school either as i have heard the way the kids speak around here when they're out to play, they curse and shout like you couldn't imagine, will be applying for the school i want him in in about a year and if that doesn't work i will DEFINATELY be appealing....

i didnt mean to be shitty harman,coucil gets on my tits lol,i live in rainham, its quite nice here schools are ok,i dont let my kids out to play which is sad but i think thats just todays society, and also i know for a fact that the council have just moved a pervert from gillingham to rainham, thats another thing that gets on my nerves, why should they get a 3 bedroom house grrrr

just read down smudger lol common assault for a slap lol ive never heard anything so funny, when i found out my ex was having a affair i beat ten barrels of shit out of him kneed him in the testicles and left him laying in the back garden on his back, i should be in prison, god what twats men are bet you wish youd punched his head in now