Help with housing

Becles

I've got a 20 year old friend who is a single mother with two pre-school children. She is living in a house which she claims housing benefit for.

She was with her b/f when they moved in, and he has a car. However she is really struggling on her own now. The village she is living in has no shops, and a very limited bus service. It's a right hassle for her on the bus with two children, a double buggy and her shopping.

She's seen a house in a nearby town which is lovely. The rent is similar to what it costs now, but she'll be within walking distance of a high street of shops, and a regular bus service to other places.

The only problem is that the landlord wants £1200 up front to cover the bond, 1st months rent in advance and credit checks/reports etc. She hasn't got this money, and none of her family will loan it to her.

Is there anything she can claim for help towards this?

CIS

Contact the local council as some run rent deposit schemes, I presume it'll be chester le street ?

Becles

She's in Chester-le-Street now, but thinks Gateshead Council cover the area she wants to move to.

CIS

Which area si she wanting to move to ?

There is mention of a scheme for homeless people but Iam sure I saw one for private tenants who would be claiming Housing Benefit.

Best bet is to give them a ring

Becles

Thanks. I'll tell her to ring them.

It's Birtley where she wants to move to.

CIS

Has she looked around all of the houses that are available ?, from experience that I have £1200 upfront is more than most where asking.

Also, has she tried to get on the council list ?, I know they use the new system for allocating housing but she may stand a chance, as it'll be much cheapee for her.

Becles

She hasn't tried the council list. She says she wants a private rented house as they are much better than council houses.

The one she looked round was really nice with a decent garden, conservatory and other extras, so I suppose that's why it's more expensive?

I don't know as I've never rented before, so it's all new to me!

Fran

Becles wrote:

She hasn't tried the council list. She says she wants a private rented house as they are much better than council houses.

lot of the Housing Association houses are very good nowadays and I think they are more secure, also council houses can be good, it depends where you live though. That amount sound extortionate that the private landlord wants. Has she tried checking the landlord out if she is really going to pay him that?

scatz

Fran wrote:

lot of the Housing Association houses are very good nowadays and I think they are more secure, also council houses can be good, it depends where you live though. That amount sound extortionate that the private landlord wants. Has she tried checking the landlord out if she is really going to pay him that?

I agree, alot of the Housing Association properties are in good order, dependant on where you live. Our local Association has just spent millions on 'doing up' their properties in a certain area (they are eventually going to do the lot) yet three weeks later they are trashed and in a 'orrible state. It all depends on the type of people that are housed in these areas (please note I am not tarnishing everyone with the same brush).

Second however, when my wife and I went to the council for accomodation we asked that if they do have to offer us accomodation in a flat, that it be a ground floor as at the time my wife was preggers with our second and suffers with severe asthma and could not possible lug a buggy and two children up any stairs. They offered us a second floor flat which was in a deplorable state in a nasty, nasty area. We advised them that we could not accept and they told us that if we didn't accept they wouldn't offer us a second property. We told them to get stuffed, rented privately in a lovely area (luckily we are both working now) and never looked back.

My point being is that by going to the council you may or may not get a property that suites for whatever reason and the council may not even give a damn!