Can't afford to pay rent - WWYD?

meredeterre

lemonjelly...that sounds promising....although I'm not hopeful our council will see it that way. The form we filled in gave no opportunity to state that we needed council housing because we can't afford to live in our present home. DH is calling them later so shall get him to ask them about this. Our council has a bidding system & we get to make 3 bids per week I think...still not absolutely sure which properties we are eligible for, especially as there are several councils who have joined togther to use the same system.

Temporary doesn't worry us...we just need to have somewhere we can afford for a little while. We have decided that we really don't see a future for us in this area, especially as the job situation is so bad so are planning to relocate. We just need somewhere cheap until either DH gets a job and/or we've saved enough for a deposit, 1st months rent and a van for 2 days.

lemonjelly

The bidding system is called choice based lettings. Part of the governments great agenda to give us all more choice. What it is more likely to do is actually show you the limitations of what is available. But you can make the best of it.

You are likely to be "banded". Each council has their own type of scheme. Specific properties are given preference for people in particular bands. Monitor their site to see the types of properties coming up.

I'd strongly advise you have any advice the council give you double checked by an independent organisation (trust me, having worked in advice for 10 years, the council don't always have your best interests at heart).

My post doesn't guarantee success. There are 5 tests you have to pass if the council find you homeless and have a duty to re-house you. Therefore, taking advice soon is in your interests to know whether there is a realistic chance or not you will be found homeless & the council does have a duty. One of these tests is that you are not intentionally homeless. If you are evicted for rent arrears, you are intentionally homeless. If the tenancy is ended because it is not realistically financially viable for you to continue there, then you are not necessarily intentionally homeless.

Councils have their own targets - one of these is to keep homelessness figures down. Hence they don't always want to find you homeless. Get support from a local charity/advice organisation with whom you can share all the intricate details of your case confidentially.

Good luck.

meredeterre

Thanks lemonjelly. I tried to ring Shelter this morning but they were busy so shall try again later when DH has finished his long list of calls.

tbs624

meredeterre wrote: »

No, the landlord doesn't have any other properties. Might be worth a shot asking them if they can recommend us...but I doubt any landlord would be willing to accept us without a deposit.

Some Councils will help with a tenancy deposit bond - no money changes hands, the Council promises to meet any costs that would normally be covered by a deposit & chases up the T to recover the amount, where necessary.

meredeterre wrote: »

A lodger isn't something we would consider - we have a young son (he is 4) and value our privacy...not that anyone would take a room that small - you can barely get a bed in there!..

Lots of people with young kids take in a lodger - you just make sure that you have an appropriate vetting procedure in place. Switch your son to the smaller room.

meredeterre wrote: »

No I don't work - I'm a SAHM to our son. Although I have been looking every week at the papers and on the net...but there aren't any jobs that I could get to easily or that I could do....unemployment is VERY high here atm.

See if the LL would agree to you registering as a childminder. You can get help with childcare costs if you find a job. If Dad is currently at home he will be there for your son anyway in between job searches.

Fire_Fox

meredeterre wrote: »

I realise that not paying rent is a bad idea...and we have managed to pay it so far by taking the car off the road, selling a few of our belongings etc...but there is only so long you can go using half of the JSA on rent and just existing - we pay our bills and eat - no luxuries like new clothes, shoes for our son at all. Our budget is about as frugal as it gets.

Have you sold your car or just registered it as off the road? Have you tried the Up your Income board - surveys, matched betting, mystery shopping? Have you trudged the streets with a batch of CVs or put cards in shop windows for work?

Why not post a Statement of Affairs on the DFW board? I have never yet seen a SoA that they can't help with, usually savings but sometimes ideas for benefits not thought about. It's a really friendly place too, with others in a similar boat.

meredeterre

Thanks for all the suggestions tbs...

Our council does do a deposit scheme but I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole again. We are currently arguing with their solicitors about the deposit they just handed back to our previous landlord no questions asked, based on an inspection that took place 3 months after we moved out :mad:...(this was the landlord who didn't have permission from her mortgage company to let the property and then didn't pay the mortgage for 7 months :eek:).

WRT being a childminder - If I was self employed would that not affect all the benefits DH gets (JSA, HB etc)?

meredeterre

Firefox - no we've not sold the car. It's just been registered as SORN is sitting on the drive unisured for now as we couldn't afford the tax or the insurance premiums. If DH ever gets a job then he will need it as we live in a rural area with a crap bus service.

Doing the odd survey just isn't enough unfortunately. Our HB is £126 per week and the rent is £167...you do the maths . No opportunities for mystery shopping round here...even if I did have the money to spend LOL. What's matched betting?

DFW board? SoA? sorry you're blinding me with letters now!

Fire_Fox

Sorry ... SoA = Statement of Affairs. Basically a full summary of your income, outgoings and debts - link on a sticky on the DFW main page. DFW = Debt Free Wannabe board.

Surveys won't make you a millionaire, but there are MSE regulars making £100s a year from them. I don't qualify for most as I am a student, no kids and few possessions so it's just pocket money for me. Read through the 'Up your Income' board.

Matched betting is a way of taking advantage of the free money offered by betting companies to use their 'service'. Note that it is NOT gambling, just time learning the system and maths to work out the odds. See the 'Gambling Loopholes' board on MSE: you need about £50 to get started but can make a couple of grand fairly easily if you invest the time.

meredeterre

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Matched betting is a way of taking advantage of the free money offered by betting companies to use their 'service'. Note that it is NOT gambling, just time learning the system and maths to work out the odds. See the 'Gambling Loopholes' board on MSE: you need about £50 to get started but can make a couple of grand fairly easily if you invest the time.

I'm sorry but that made me laugh...£50 to get started!!....that's more than our weekly food budget...there is no way I have that kind of money just lying about...I wish :rotfl:

But thanks for the other pointers Fire Fox. I've just had a quick look at the SOA link and it looks pretty similar to a spreadsheet I did a few years ago and still use to work out our spending vs income. But I shall look into it further and see if we can shave a few pennies of some things.

I already do the yougov & pinecone surveys but haven't had many through from either recently so they aren't paying me anything worthwhile...shall have a look & see if there are any others I wasn't aware of.

We are still no futher along with anything. The new agent is definately avoiding us - DH has left several messages with them but still no call. I think he will probably call in on their offices tomorrow when he's signing on and see what they have to say. I've not been able to get through to Shelter so far so shall keep trying....and we are still waiting to hear back from the council re our waiting list application. Gawd I hate waiting

Fire_Fox

I haven't tried the matched betting yet, so it might be you could get away with less. As far as I can see you'd have your stake back within a week, from then on you are working with the bookies money and your winnings. Why not ask on the Gambling Loopholes board? I don't know if a week is even possible on your budget with some clever juggling of when you pay what.

Perhaps you could both do surveys and free scratchcards and set the money aside for your matched betting stake? I usually get a lot of Valued Opinions surveys, but generally don't qualify for them hence my low total. You have kids and all the associated purchases so would do better I am sure. All my Pinecone surveys seem to be the result of having a Nielsen tracking thing on my computer. Don't much like the idea of it, but I am supposed to be paid £3 every three months for it as well as the extra surveys!