Council Housing Arrears Help/Advice needed.

Vanilla-Ice

Hello People

I moved into a Council Flat in Oct 2007 and it was for me and for me to have my two children off the Ex wife now and again and I needed a Flat for them to come and stay in and the flat was very cold and had insufficient heating in the property,I did report this and over christmas 2007 the council arranged for a new Electric storage heater to be installed by this time I had become really ill and was off work,through depression and Anxiety and I gave up the flat and moved in with my Mum. the keys where handed back into the council with a 3rd party person along with a covering letter as I was Ill at the time with a sick note form the Doctors as proof and I was not fully aware of implications of giving up the Flat as I had no clear mind at all.

The council have just got in contact with me Now in Feb 2008 and said I now owe them 2500 pounds rent arrears as they kept the property on till July 2008 for me and as Ive said they have now taken me to court in my absence and Im now being chased by bailiffs for money I had no idea about and now Im becoming Ill once again and its just like this doesnt stop. I am worried sick every night I go to bed wondering what the next day will bring so any help would be greatly appreciated indeed. I am looking into the CAB tomorrow if they can be bothered to help me at all. :eek: :eek: . Im at my wits end can anbody help . I received no notification that the Flat was still be rented to me as like I said I was Ill and they have just contacted me now which seems totally unfair to say the least. My children where ill as well as they sufferd from asthma as well and I did think the flat was not ideal at all as it was too cold for them and it had 2 bedrroms and 1 massive lounge and only 2 electric storage heaters and a 3rd one not working also the electric storage heaters where approx 20 years old.I have since found out that the council has put in gas central heating for the new tennant but they would not for me.

Any help appreciated - Im desperate.

tbs624

You would be expected to give the Council four weeks written notice, usually ending on a Monday, and even if you weren't physically present at the property for that final 4 weeks you would still have had to pay the rent.

When you gave your keys in did your letter clearly say that you actually wanted to give up your tenancy? If you did, did you keep a copy? Were you given any form of receipt for the keys?

Did you at that stage provide them with an address at which you could be contacted? You say that they have contacted you now so they must at some point have been given your address - for the Council to have been to court in your absence you must have missed several letters that they/the court would have sent out to you prior to this.Are you certain that you did not receive anything?

Your best best is to gather your tenancy agreement, any copy letters, a list of relevant dates etc and then ring one of the following numbers for advice:

Is there a law centre near you? - you can check here

You can talk to someone at Shelter on 0808 800 444 (7 days, 8-8) or at community legal advice on 0845 345 4 345 ( m-f 9-6.30)

If you do go to the CAB ask for someone who has experience of council tenancies and rent arrears.

Vanilla-Ice

Thanks TBS

The truth is I was mentally ill at the time so not in a fit state to do anything let alone keep receipts etc and someone else did the leg work for me and now Ive lost contact with them but yes CAB I think i will see what they can do for me.

Regards

DawnW

Vanilla-Ice wrote: »

Thanks TBS

The truth is I was mentally ill at the time so not in a fit state to do anything let alone keep receipts etc and someone else did the leg work for me and now Ive lost contact with them but yes CAB I think i will see what they can do for me.

Regards

Shelter will be better, and quicker.
Good luck.