Eviction (what do I tell my kids & nice neighbours)

[openways]

hi all, unfortunately, I will moving out of my property ASAP due to eviction.

I am wondering if I can get any advice on how and what to tell the kids who love our home especially their bedrooms.

Also, what do I tell my neighbour. I'm so so embarrassed & deeply ashamed about all these. How does one go about telling their neighbour oh by the way I am moving because I am due to be evicted 🙄🤦🏽‍♀️

Pls someone help me navigate this pls

I would be honest with your kids, and keep being honest. You're all team family and you will get through it together. They can understand money, and the concept of not enough money right now. Don't keep them in the dark, it will make it harder for them to process and understand what's happening to them. But good luck, for sure.

@GingerAndTheBiscuits What you said used to be the case but not anymore. Now the council ONLY provide temp accommodation if you stay until Bailiffs arrive on the actual day of repossession/eviction

Talk to your Children's headteacher if you can - they can signpost to appropriate services and support the children if the move negatively impacts them. Things will get better but don't hide your circumstances- nobody can help if they don't know it's needed

Oh shit, @openways
Sincerely hope you can get back on your feet again.
Neighbours need never know.

Your children.. Maybe tell them.
Housing is a huge issue in UK {if that's where you are} ... Maybe a housing association?? Could they help?

Best of luck for the future.

@openways

Thank you all

I gave moved out of the house now which I owned & lived in for 8 years.

How do I now go into the rental market? How do I secure a property with BAD credit?
I found a place I really like & I am thinking of offering the landlord through the agents, 6 months rent in advance, starting to pay monthly rent after 2 months, providing 2 - 3 (one from firms that provide rental guarantees) guarantors. But I don't know if this will be good enough for the landlord. what do you all think?

Well the worst they can say to that is no. So I figure you have nothing to lose by offering the deal to the landlord. We have done similar and have people have generally welcomed our honesty and transparency.

It is worth putting in an application to the council as a back up. These days they seem to be the catch all for housing associations and also have some private landlords on their books.

Good luck!

Oh my goodness, I am so sorry to hear of your plight. No advice for the kids, but I wouldn't be telling the neighbours - you have enough stress without that.

Wishing you all the best OP, and I hope something works out for you.

As someone who was homeless, I got social services involved who were invaluable in advocating getting us somewhere to live when the council tried to fob me off. I know people are scared about involving ss but forget their first priority is supporting children by maintaining the family unit.

Speak to shelter, they are also very good and I have inferred from this that you are a single parent? If so, also speak to gingerbread who will be able to talk you through your options.

Take it one day at a time, 1 step at a time. You WILL get through this and you will thrive. Don't be embarrassed, take all the support offered to you. You will not be the only one and opening up to people will show their good side. It doesn't need to be an in depth conversation but something along the lines of "covid buggered the business, we've lost the house" is enough. With the kids just tell them that you have to give the house back, and that might mean some changes, but the main thing is you love them and this won't be forever.

@openways

Thank you all

I gave moved out of the house now which I owned & lived in for 8 years.

How do I now go into the rental market? How do I secure a property with BAD credit?
I found a place I really like & I am thinking of offering the landlord through the agents, 6 months rent in advance, starting to pay monthly rent after 2 months, providing 2 - 3 (one from firms that provide rental guarantees) guarantors. But I don't know if this will be good enough for the landlord. what do you all think?

Can you afford to pay 6 months rent in advance? Just you said you were broke, so I'm worried that you are just going to get into more debt/trouble. Can you afford to pay rent?

I think you need to draw a line under the past and start over fresh but doing this means you have to be realistic about your current situation. I know it's embarrassing but loads of people have financial difficulties. It's nothing to be ashamed about.

Take whatever help you can get!

You definitely should have stayed until evicted by bailiffs.

By leaving your property and moving to rented that you cannot sustain you have (as far as the local authority see it) 'made yourself homeless'.

Had you stayed until evicted, you wouldn't have and would have then been higher up their priority list - unless the council system works differently for people being evicted due to house repossession by the banks (I do not see why they would though).

Still apply for council/social housing - but you'll be down the list until you run out of money in AirBnB's (not remotely a sustainable place to live!).

OP you NEED to start talking to people and asking for help, bugger this 'I am embarrassed' shit, it isn't important. I'd be much more concerned about what happens when you cannot provide your children a roof over their heads. Living in AirBnB and hiding the truth from folk is much more likely to result in upheaval and shock for the kids. Potentially if somewhere cannot be found for you all, they could end up in temporary foster care.

Agree with @WiddlinDiddlin. You really need to start asking for help.
It can and will get better Op. I have been in your position and it did get much better.

do you have a budgeting organisation nearby? An independent sort?

That would be my first call as sometimes having an experienced outsider look over your financials can bring a lot of good ideas and great relief/solutions!

Please do not be embarrassed to seek help. That's what they are there for and have seen everything. As an aside, sometimes the very people who help at these organisations are there because they found themselves in the same position and just want to pay the help back by helping others.

Hadn't your partner just moved in with you? Are you all together now, can he help financially?

Negative equity after 8 years owing the home OP? That is terrible luck. There aren't many places where houses are worth less today then 8 years ago. That sucks

Council have schemes to help you into private rented. Please ask for help op. Best of luck

Do you have any CCJs or just arrears and missed payments? Only public records ie CCJs show on a rental credit check, repossession isn’t one of those.

Be very careful offering six months up front if you can’t genuinely afford it. You don’t want to end up even worse.

Shelter website is worth a look. england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/homelessness/intentionally_homeless

@openways, Unfortunately, unless people know the rules, the system often works against them. I hope you get the help you need. As others have said, speak to social services. Your children deserve to be housed equally with those who do wait for the bailiffs!

You should find a course to help you with money.
Moving to an AirBnB will be expensive and any money you have will quickly disappear (same with storage). I did this when had house renovations and although I had managed the pricing it was still was very high and I had to save beforehand. I believe some churches run courses to help people (I think it’s like when they run the Food Bank - no affiliation required). You need to do this quickly as any remaining cash you have will be drained.

Don’t offer more upfront money for rent - this makes no sense at all. Find a private landlord for rent you can realistically afford on a monthly basis as in six months time you will be in a similar position again.

Stop being embarrassed for a start - starting a business is incredibly brave, and these things happen in high stakes situations.
I know you’ll be back on top in no time

Before you move out of your house please take advice from CAB x

[quote GrannytoaUnicorn]@GingerAndTheBiscuits What you said used to be the case but not anymore. Now the council ONLY provide temp accommodation if you stay until Bailiffs arrive on the actual day of repossession/eviction [/quote]
The prevent duty isn’t just about temp accommodation, it’s about any other steps that can be taken to prevent the person becoming homeless - my original point (perhaps badly worded) was that the council has a duty to assess once the person is 56 days from homelessness, not just once the bailiffs come knocking.

It is very easy to be in negative equity if house is repossessed by bank, even if house value has risen.
Debt will have risen due to interest and missed payments. Late fees, admin fees, solicitors fees. Estate agents, bailiff and all the legal fees for the bank all added to your debt and interest adds until property is sold, There may be council tax fees and the bank change the locks and and debit the account. Other costs are continuing building insurance and vital repairs eg if roof leaks or hedge grows onto public footpath.
Also bank have to get the best price at sale, but don’t have to wait for it, often sold lower than usual depending on market.
Most people don’t realise how much the debt rises by what the bank can charge for..
To avoid more cost and trouble, some people do hand the keys back, but families cannot because it would be seen as making yourself homeless.
Some of the debt is offset, as the bank may claim on a mortgage guarantee policy, but they can and do come after you for any shortfall for up to 8 years.

Obviously this does not help poor op, but shows how the cards are stacked against you in this situation, heads they win, tails you lose.
I think it shames this country that children now so frequently lose their homes like this or just because the landlord wants you out.
There used to be generous help as diss would pay mortgage interest instead of now paying high rentals. This is long gone, replaced by a loan but it kept millions in homes for years and was often cheaper than rent.

What has it come to when secure housing for a family is a luxury that much of the population cannot afford.? Why have we let this happen in one of the richest countries on earth.?
Good luck op , hope you are soon in a better situation

I am sorry to hear your story OP. As others have said be honest. Talk to your local landowners if you have them. Farm cottages are usually basic but long term lets. The Richmond Fellowship helps the homeless too if you have had MH problems.
Did you have the house valued before it was reprocessed? Have you still got keys?
We lost our home after the crash 2009. We sold at a loss because we were desperate . Watch that that the estate agents dont do that to you.
There is help out there but it is very difficult to access. I would also check entitled to website for benefits.
Also ask at your church, they may hsve houses plus national trust.
If you have a masters try the civil service, they are recruiting. Good pension, flexible and hybrid working.

Best of luck, OP. You and the children will come through this. I wish I had some helpful advice or information. But you’ll get through it. I hope better times start for you soon.

More bad news, it is not within your power to ‘ stop the estate agent doing that to you’
This is considered a forced sale and could be lower than what you would get if you could wait for a high offer.
Bank has to get a couple of valuations, but will only advertise for a month, then you see adverts like ‘ we have an offer of ‘ xxx’ any higher by such a date and cannot be in a chain.
Bank decides which offer to accept and will be bullet proof if they have followed the rules. They really do have all the cards, At possession you no longer own a house, you have a debt and no control. Estate agent would not talk to you as you now have no legal standing

Oh lovely what a horrible situation, I know you are very proud but it might be worth talking to friends /neighbours about it. We all know someone who knows someone who has a place to rent….. it’s deffo worth a conversation.

I remember always being said we are all two mortgages payments away from losing our houses, it can happen and does happen so much.

Have you spoken totheirnschool? They might be able to help and support also