eviction looming

clairbing · 2 November 2004 at 5:10PM

Hi,

I have never posted on this site before, but I just didn't know where else to look.

I am 23 and have a grand debt total of £15,000 partially due to being out of work for a period of time last year and partially due to my partner leaving me.

Part of that debt is £1700 rent arrears with the council. They gave me time to pay, but I couldn't pay what they were asking for as I am on my own with a young child, now they are evicting me. I am working 50 hours per week and trying my best to pay everything off but now i don't know what to do. I have worked out that I can pay it back by the skin of my teeth by the end of december but they are not having it. I have to be out by the 29th November.

The only way I can think is to get a loan. Can anyone reccommend a company? I also have not very good credit rating. If I can get a loan to pay back the arrears then I can at least try and sort myself out.

Please help me someone

XXJULESXX · 2 November 2004 at 6:15PM

Hi

What you need to do immediately is phone up your local council. You're looking for the Welfare Benefits dept and/or Homeless Officer, usually located within Social Work dept. They can liase with dept that's trying to evict you, you need to do it asap so that youre giving them a chance to act on your behalf, and they can also advise you on which benefits you may be entitled to. For exampe when you weren't working before were you not in receipt if Income Support, which would have passported you to Housing and Council Tax Benefit.

Whatever the case they can advise you, but you need to act fast, don't just ignore it, cos if you are evicted for arrears then you will have trouble renting again with any other association or privately. So phone your council headquaters now and they should give you the number you need. Good luck

Fran · 2 November 2004 at 6:35PM

Clair,

Jules is right, you must act on this, people can help you keep your tenancy.

Have a look here at the Shelter Website and check the help you can get near you.

I suggest a visit to your Citizens Advice Bureau who can help you with this and can also look at your overall situation. They can also help you with your debt situation.

The CAB can negotiate with the council over rent arrears and help you fill in the right forms, they can also negotiate with your creditors and ensure that you are only paying back what you can. They can also advise on any other questions such as calculating that you receive the right amount of Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit and whether you are entitled to any other benefits.

Trust me, the last thing you need is more debt by taking out another loan.

Please post and let us know how you're getting on and if we can help any further.

For information here is Citizens Advice Website

clairbing · 2 November 2004 at 6:46PM

Thanks for your advice.

I have already contacted my local CAB who have given me an appointment- in 7 weeks time, so that doesn't help me a lot.

As I have been given an eviction date, there is nothing that can be done apart from me paying the arrears.

I am not entitled to any benefits as I am working, and when I was out of work my partner was still around so I wasn't entitled then either.

I have called the homeless officer and she basically said that what is happening to me is my fault and that I need to grow up and sort it out, obviously what I am trying to do if only she could see it.

I tried to explain that I am working and that I have a 3 year old that has no-one else, she said that I must have a friend that can take me, and that social services will look after my daughter if i 'can't cope' with her anymore. She also said that I will not be rehoused as I will be termed 'intentionally homeless'.I am feeling totally let down by the system. I cannot see a way out of this mess in any way shape or form. I have 25 days to come up with the money or I will be homeless. I called a furniture guy last week and asked him to come and look at my furniture with a view to buying everything bar the beds. He took one look and said he would give me £200 for the lot- this was 2 wardrobes, 3 chest of drawers, a dining table, a leather settee, coffee table, tv stand and bookcase, most of which is no more than 3 years old.

I have someone coming tonight to look at my tv, tumble dryer, dishwasher etc to see if i can get anything from that. Other than that, I have nothing worth selling.

XXJULESXX · 2 November 2004 at 7:08PM

Hi

I'm really sorry to hear that! Your Homeless Officer should have offered you some sort of help. Especially since an eviction date had been given.

I don't understand why this homeless officer was so unhelpful, they help thousands of people in situations like yourself every week.

Did you try your local Welfare Benefits dept directly - most local councils have them. They can't just refuse to help you..

clairbing · 2 November 2004 at 7:17PM

they said the same thing as my housing manager- pay up before the eviction date or they will send the baliffs in. It's totally ludicrous as I will still owe them the money, except they will not get it for a very long time as I will be living on the streets with not a 'pot to !!!!!! in' so to speak.

I just called the welfare department and they said that they cannot advise me as i am a council tenant, and that it is down to my housing manager to advise me.

i am being pushed from pillar to post here. i understand that london is hopelessly overpopulated and that they probably already have someone lined up to 'jump in my grave' so to speak, but I wish they would spare a thought for the young child who will soon end up living with strangers cos her mum doesn't have anywhere to live.

trafalgar_2 · 2 November 2004 at 7:29PM

So you have already recieved a possession order from the court , is that right ???

clairbing · 2 November 2004 at 7:34PM

Yes. It all went to court and a possession order was granted to the council and the judge ordered me to pay my regular rent (obviously) plus another £300 per month. I was paying this weekly as I get paid weekly, and I was short one week when I had to pay for my TV license (have now set it up to be paid monthly by dd before anyone asks) as mine had expired and my mum said they were doing a blitz on the area.

3 weeks later I had a letter from the council saying that i had defaulted on the possession order and that they were now evicting me. Have been given an eviction date and have been told that only way to stopit is to pay arrears by end of the month, which is eviction time.

Fran · 2 November 2004 at 7:36PM

Clair,

Contact the CAB again and tell them you have an eviction date for the 29th and it will be too late to have an appointment in 7 weeks.

Can you drop in to your local CAB or do they only do appointments?

If they only do appointments, go to your next nearest CAB. They are all managed individually so different rules might apply. Go to the nearest one you can get to see.

If you can drop in and wait, you will have to take time off work if necessary and sit in the queue. It's too important.

You are not evicted until you are actually evicted, you have to fight for this and that means getting someone on your side (I suggest CAB, but are there other help centres near you? Shelter can advise - did you look at the website? Have you contacted them?) Have you done a web search for possible help in your area?

CAB are non-judgemental and impartial so you shouldn't get any of the comments you've already had.

You must get help from CAB or someone, they can fill a form in for you on the spot for you to take to the court. It's the only way you won't lose your home.

clairbing · 2 November 2004 at 7:46PM

Hi Fran,

I have just checked the cab website- there is a cab on the other side of the borough that does drop ins- so am going there thursday. Hopefully they will be able to help me. I am not sure how much good it will do as I am prettu certain that the council will oppose any application to stay, but we shall see.

thanks for all your help

claire

MSE_Martin · 2 November 2004 at 8:06PM

I've read this. It sounds awful. The advice you've been given above is very sensible and seeing the CAB is a good move. Fran is great at these things and is quite right with what she says.

I've put a call in to a colleauge on the Sunday Express (i'm a columnist there). If you would like, she can put a call in to the council on your behalf to ask why it is behaving this way.

I would do it myself, but it really isn't my type of story. Think carefully before saying yes, as it may mean some coverage of the story (not definitely it depends on how it pans out) - would you be willing for that to happen. Having said that the press attention often helps councils 'see sense' in these cases.

There are no promises here and the best route is to continue as if this wasn't happening.

If you are willing to allow my colleague to make a call or too, please send me a personal message - you do that by clicking my name at the side of this message. Include in that your name, phone number, address and who the council is. (do not do it by replying here). Alternatively send me an email at martin@moneysavingexpert.com - though make sure you title it 'MARTIN YOU ASKED ME TO EMAIL' in the subject line to ensure i see it.

I hope this may be some help and my fingers are crossed for you.

Martin

eviction looming

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