Can someone advise me regarding my housing situation

[SPT2001]

Hi everyone,

I was hoping someone on here may be able to offer me so advice on my current housing situation. UK BASED.

Me, My partner and our 2 kids (twins) were given a 2 bed flat by a London borough through a homelessness application. The accommodation was found by the council but has a landlord so is technically privately rented by the rent goes directly to the landlord.

My partner was recently a victim of a physical assault in the street opposite our home and due to having severe mental health problems he know struggles to leave the house due to this issue enhancing his already bad mental health conditions. Therefore we have been trying for the last 2 months to move property.

We were told by our council that basically its our problem and we need to find private rented accommodation ourself. We tried using platforms such as OpenRent, Zoopla etc. and been unsuccessful due to the fact of being on benefits, having bad credit history and not being able to provide a guarantor. So we are now at our wit send and need to some advise on what we could potentially do regarding this.

Any advise would be brilliant.

Thankyou

Are you in employment at all?

Is he on sick leave from work? Is he able to do any of his job from home? Are you able to pick up more hours yourself and he does more childcare?

Have you spoken to shelter? https://www.shelter.org.uk/

The council housed you
Your partner needs to address his mental health issues
not uproot the entire family and run away from them

You’ve been housed. As PP mentioned, your partner needs to address his MH issues. What else would you like the council to do, find you a new property? What if something happens again? What do you think should happen OP? Do you work?

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Unfortunately unless you get issued another section 21 - the council have housed you. Theres nothing to be done unfortunately you cant do a mutual exchange as its private.

You need to find work, improve your credit rating and get off benefits.
Your OH needs to get help with his mental health problems.

he may be able to access nhs therapy - probably CBT initially but EMDR is also helpful in these cases.

does he wfh? Is this impacting his job? Can you essentially escort him in and out? I’m presuming it’s the specific location not being outside generally c

Nope, neither of us are employed

Thankyou, I will contact shelter and see if they can give me any further advice. He gets capacity to work on his UC and hasn't worked for a few years now. I also don't work but I am actively looking.

How old are dc? How long have neither of you not worked for?

I’m sorry this has happened OP. But I think your options are very limited. Moving is expensive, how will you afford it?

I would spend your energy on getting help for your DP to cope with what has happened and getting him into work and getting a job yourself.

Its tough but I think everyone would be in the the same boat. Private renters would not be able to move in these circumstances, it’s expensive and there’s not a lot of property available and private owners would definitely not be able to move at the drop of a hat.

Unfortunately the councils advice is correct. They have adequately housed you and as sad as your partners assault is, it's not actually related to your housing situation and therefore the council have no legal responsibility to move you.

If the property is otherwise suitable for your needs, your options are move in to another privately rented property or stay put.

Unfortunately the renting situation in this country is awful and getting worse as the government keeps introducing anti-landlord legislation (with no plans for where people who can't or don't want to own will live). Even if you get a job, finding alternative housing will be difficult.

Well that’s the first thing you need to sort. It’s really not for the council to pander to your needs. No offence op. It’s just people need to work for better things. That’s just how life works. I’m glad you’ve got a place but honestly if you want to improve your living situation only you and your partner can do this.

About the assault: you might have a case for asking to be re-homed if you and your partner were regularly threatened/harassed in the property.

But it sounds like this was an external, unfortunate event that is not linked to your home address.

My advice would be for your partner to seek help with his GP and ask to be put on the counselling waiting list and maybe look at medication to help with his anxiety and trauma.

You need to get to work and start providing for yourselves.
You're living off taxpayers money and the Council has found you a flat. They've discharged their duty to you.
Why do you think everyone else owes you your lifestyle and someone else should sort your problems out.

And this will be partly why the op and her partner are both unemployed and entirely dependent on the tax payer for their home and income…. When there’s a problem do they try and address and resolve?

Nah… they just look for another way to dodge the problem and for someone else to fund it

You are incredibly lucky to have been found housing and given money to live on so that you don’t have to work.

Council housing you in a London borough is like gold dust. People sometimes have to move to far flung areas or to temp accommodation with small children in tow. The advice given above is apt. Find work, tackle mental health problems.

Who assaulted him? A random stranger or a neighbour? Was it reported to police? If it was reported and it was a neighbour the victim might assist with a move as a victim of violent crime, if he is fearful of a repeat attack, it would be into another private rental most likely

God, you poor thing. It sounds awful. I don't think anyone would choose to be in a situation where they're living on the mercy of the local council/taxpayers, it isn't in anyone's life plan, and shit happens. I also don't think many people understand how hard it is to get a job, especially when you have kids in school and a husband with MH issues. It sounds like there's a lot of weight on your shoulders, OP. I don't think anyone on this thread would feel comfortable living on a street where they were assaulted.

I’m sorry about your partner’s attack but do you really expect the council to find you a new home which houses you and your children every time something bad happens? What if he gets attacked in the next place too? Council resources are stretched very thinly as it is and often council accommodation isn’t in the best area.

I think you need to work out a plan to become self supporting asap and improve your credit history. Then you’ll hopefully be able to access the private rental market. Even with mental health issues your partner should be able to do a wfh job and/ or childcare so you can go out to work. I’d be focussing on what you can do independently to better your circumstances.

Before your partner's MH issues, what jobs did you both do?

Is it a difficult question?