Worried about my son who can’t find anywhere to live.

[justacastle]

(nc for this)
DS finished university and has spent 18 months applying for jobs (450+). A few interviews who say they recruited internally or need someone with more experience (that old chestnut). Most just never reply. We live in London.

He finally gets a job but it’s in Oxfordshire. The company will let him stay at their accommodation (usually for customers) for a maximum of two weeks.

He cannot find any accommodation after this time. He has tried spare room app but when he gets a response people are asking for females only or more often there is no reply. He messages them a couple more times but nothing.

He doesn’t drive but willing to walk/cycle. He does have T1 diabetes so that is a consideration with distance.

He then put an ‘I’m looking for’ ad another site and a woman contacted him to say that, following throat surgery, she would be renting out her 2 bed house and moving in with family. It looked amazing and the woman said that the bills & council tax. A 25 minute walk to work. Paid the holding fee and arranged viewing for Sunday (he starts work on Monday).

DS was excited about job & house finally the months of angst were coming to an end.

So this morning he received an email from the lady saying that the rental company (?) wanted an extra £750 deposit before they would let him view the property. She said that she would pay £500 but he would need to pay another £250.

DS asked who this company was (not found on companies house) and their contact details so he could discuss it with them. She replied that they ’do not speak to prospective tenants’.

She also sent him her passport details by email as proof of her identity. Trouble was that the Passport had a spelling mistake in her name 🙄 🚩

Bank notified & they’re dealing with it.

Big problem is now DS is starting work on Monday but will have nowhere to live by the end of the month. As it’s quite a tourist area the Airbnbs and bed & breakfasts are thousands. He’s on the list at local estate agents but he has no salary history yet. They are really out of his price range but we’ll help him.

Just as an aside UC have paid him nothing for months, just the odd £15 here and there.

He’s desperately worried that he will lose his job.

Any ideas folks?
I’m so sorry for the long post.

There isn't a train station in Wallingford. (Only a steam train line) The nearest station is Cholsey.

Can he get a UC Advance, OP?

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit-advance-hardship-payment/unexpected-costs

This seems odd. As a newly claiming young person, he should actually have weekly appointments and be entitled to 335 quid a month. Has he missed an appointment accidently and been sanctioned perhaps as that could explain it.

Swindon is cheaper than Reading.
There's a Swindon to Oxford bus (S6). I'm not sure of the drop off points.
Lots of HMOs.

If it's a big enough employer he could put up a notice or send an email asking for a room or roommates?

I think spare room vacancies change a lot? What about Rightmove when they need an extra roommate for professionals?

No not missed any appointments. It was fine when he was living in Wales after university. When he moved back down here he couldn’t get to see anyone regularly. He was advised to close and reopen his account and that prompted a payment of £15.

Sorry if this has been suggested already but i have a couple of leftfield ideas! What about a mobile home rental? Cheaper than an airbnb. Also, a very cheap motorhome or trailer tent on a nearby campsite? Not ideal i know but some campsites take a long staying pitch and have nice facilities. Similarly, a glamping pod?

OP a quick search on trivago shows rooms in the Wallingford area from £31 a night, if booking a few weeks in advance and YHA from £40 a night. I am sure they wont be luxurious but they dont need to be, just a place to sleep and shower until he finds some decent accommodation, which he will ( likely a room in a shared house to start with which is fine.

@justacastle

When he logs into his account, does it show when his next payment is due?

https://www.gov.uk/sign-in-universal-credit

Open rent wallingford you can set alert if anything comes available. Also challenge the benefit situation, that can't be right - he needs to check his claim and escalate it as can be backdated a month in some circs which may not be much but better than nothing

If you look on Facebook there’s a local
group called wallingford matters , they are great at helping with all things local
and might be able to help look.
for accommodation , wallingford has an x40
bus direct to both Oxford and reading that runs every 20 mins and also buses to didcot regularly which has a train station as well as other villages .

All a bit odd as when a claimant moves they just need to change their address not close the claim. I wonder if he was late in reporting the move and so had received overpaid housing element thus causing the lower payment . Anyway diverting from your actual question but I suggest he actually goes into the job centre and finds out what is going on.

OP you might want to start a thread whose title asks if anyone can offer accommodation short term , saying which area he needs,. There just may be someone who can help or is maybe looking for a house/ pet sitter. Or he could try TrustedHousesitters

Try joining any local facebook groups and asking there. Ours generally have a lot of stuff like this and people are helpful.

He didn’t close it when he moved. He did it some months later at the suggestion of the trainer. He tried going into the job centre but they wouldn’t even talk to him without an appointment. He’s sent dozens of messages to them and they completely blank him. Frustrating.

OP, I would advise your son calls the UC helpline 0800 328 5644 to find out what's happening on his claim, his messages should not be ignored, they are supposed to be reviewed on a daily basis.
If he has no money coming in at all, then he should be receiving some payment and definitely not just £15!
If he asks for urgent escalation to a Case Manager due to severe financial hardship, that should hopefully result in someone at DWP reviewing his claim.

There’s a couple on spare room for Henley.

https://m.spareroom.co.uk/flatshare/oxfordshire/henley-on-thames

And a bus

www.oxfordbus.co.uk/services/THTR/33

Openrent? Flatshares, hmo, even with students (although he’d need to pay council tax)

There’s a youth hostel in Streatley and a very regular bus service to Wallingford as people from Wallingford commute into London by train from Goring& Streatley. I’d be surprised if he couldn’t find a room in Didcot though.

Has he signed contract with employer? Have you looked over it?

This sounds like quite a vulnerable and naive person…. Moving hours away from family,
knowing no one, starting a new job….
do you feel confident that this is the right move for him rather than just overjoyed that he’s got
something?

How long on a bike?

Depending which area of Oxfordshire he is working Id advise trying places like Banbury Carterton or even Swindon and Faringdon. Also to consider park homes

Go to the local Tourist Board who have lists of Lodgings.

Eh?!? He just sounds like a normal typical young person to me?? They’re all a bit naive but we all had to learn once!

Op I suggest he speaks to hr at the new company- they may be able to advance some pay before payday, there maybe other be other youngsters in the same situation they could put him in touch with to get a joint share. Maybe posting on the company intranet might generate colleagues on the lookout or lodgers etc.
a young grad joining a large company was put in touch with another grad and they ve sorted a house to share.