eviction looming

ouch.

The only way I can think is to get a loan. Can anyone reccommend a company?

Unlike others, I won't advise you not to get a loan. An unsecured debt of £1700 isn't as likely to get you evicted as £1700 rent arrears. Clearing the arrears with an unsecured loan makes total sense.

That said - do you rate your chances of actually getting a loan? Forgive me, but I think you wouldn't even have posted if you could. The clock is ticking, we wouldn't want you to waste time chasing after a loan you're not going to get, just to end up evicted anyway. It's much more important to speak to the CAB or Shelter first.

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.

Have you checked to see if you qualify for Child Tax Credit?

Jules says ...

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

I hate to shatter Jules' illusions, but I think that's a myth, propagated by papers like the Daily Mail. I think that Shelter is a much more reliable source of information on housing and homelessness.

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

Don't blame yourself! Don't let anyone convince you that the whole of London's problems are singularly down to you - because they're not. Take no bull.

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.

Whoops. It's too late now but ... I would have advised against paying the TV licence that week. Technically, you only need a TV licence if you watch or tape stuff on the telly. You don't need a licence just to hoard TV and video equipment - and you don't need a licence to watch movies or play games that you've rented or bought, or watch programmes that you taped before your licence ran out.

But the TV Licencing authorities use heavy-handed tactics with anyone who doesn't have an up to date licence or not. They don't seem to care whether you're breaking the law or not, they still try to intimidate you either way. I'm sorry this has caused you to break the judge's order on your rent.

Fran says ...

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.

I agree with that totally. Take your child along to the CAB too, and save money on the child care costs. If your employer is inflexible, then phone in sick.

traf says ...

It is still possible to stop this even though you have defaulted on the possession notice ...............

That's true. Just because you have the possession order from the court with the date, doesn't mean that the bailiffs are going to turn up out of the blue on that day. Unless I'm much mistaken, the council has to apply to the court again to enforce the possession order - which means, you'll get at least 24 hours notice of the time that the bailiffs will come. (Check with Shelter on this one, I might be wrong.)

In retrospect I should have done something about this a long time ago, but I did what so many people do, buried my head in the sand and hoped it would go away.

I respect that - but I'd advise against talking like that to the council, just in case they can use it against you somehow.

I think your best chance would be to make sure the council have done everything by the book - because they haven't, and you appeal, then the court will reject their enforcement attempts, and you can stay a bit longer. Don't worry, the CAB should guide you through the process. That's why it's so important to see the CAB as soon as you can. Don't try to negotiate with the council until you have spoken with an independent trained advisor.

Shelter line: 0808 800 4444, for free housing and homelessness advice.

Today (Friday) is normally the day when MPs have their constituency surgeries. Have you thought about going to see your MP or local councillor. You will find that these people can have a lot of influence. For example, a letter or a phonecall from an MP goes straight to the top and things tend to get done quite quickly as they can make life quite difficult for housing managers etc if they want to.

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.

What a !!!!!!! I think that comment about social services especially is totally out of order.
This woman is dealing with a public organisation. That is the type of comment that one would expect to hear from some shadowy debt collection agency.

Whenever I said earlier that Homeless Officers help thousands of people in situations like this every week, I was basing my comment on the work I have seen our Homeless Officer succeed in. I work in Welfare Benefits with a team of Welfare Benefit Officers who advise on predicaments like this every week, one of whom is a Homeless Officer. All of them give out advice and intervene with problems which aren't resolvable over the telephone and require further action. Our Homeless Officer receives details from Housing Agencies, daily, of tenents about to be evicted and his role requires him to step in, whatever the situation, to halt the proceedings and liase with the tenants and relevant authorities to come to some sort of repayment agreement, to allow them to stay in their homes.

I advised clair to contact her Homeless Officer or Welfare Benefits Dept as I have seen their success rate with my own eyes. However, I regret the authorities she's dealing with in this case are obviously not as sympathetic.

I hope she is able to resolve this matter and finally put it all behind her.

Please, please, please dont think that if you are evicted for rent arrears you will definately be rehoused. The Local Authority can find you intentionally homeless and have no duty to rehouse you. You would then have to find your own accommodation. Of course where you are in the country determines how strictly the LA adhere to the letter of the law or how strictly they apply the intentionally homeless criteria. If you have received a possession order and have to pay by the 22 then take advice now. It is not too late to apply for a stay with an offer to pay the arrears off weekly. I see too many people who believe they have to be rehoused if they have children - its not true. For anyone in this situation TAKE IMMEDIATE INDEPENDENT ADVICE FROM SHELTER OR CAB. Even if things have got as far as clairbing's its still not too late but you must take action. Good luck.

anyone know how clair the original poster is getting on.... would hope its better news