Help me please!!!

dominicmcg

Hi,

I am currently receiving income support/incapacity benefit because I had a bad injury when living in Spain. I am chef and severely damaged both arms/wrists and have tendons missing and nerve damage, and to be a chef you need your arms and its all i really know how to do.

In July I moved into a new flat(private rented/unfurnished) in London after being 3 years of no fixed abode, staying at friends and hostals, etc etc.while recovering from my accident. I thought this would help me out as i needed some stability and comfort to recover properly both mentally and physically. A friend gave me the deposit and 1st months rent as a gift after she came into some money, this was a Godsend. During the first month I cleaned and got the flat all nice and moved in all my stuff i'd collected and stuff i'd been given/bought and received as gifts for moving into my first ever flat, i could call my own.
After 1 month, the flat was looking good and i was beginning to feel happy and like my life was turning for the better. Unfortunately I went to visit my mother in manchester for 2 days and when i returned, somehow squatters had invaded my property, i had returned driven by a friend with a car full of stuff my mother had bought me and i couldn't get in, the locks had been changed and they threatened me with syringes if i didnt leave. I called the police and they attended, but after the squatters told them they had been there for 2 months, the attending officers called for advice form the station and was thent old that the squatters had rights to stay, even thought i stressed and the neighbours stressed that the people had broken in within 24/48 hours, surely making this burglary, well no, the police aloowed them occupancy and I was refused entry to at least remove all my property firstly by the occupant who said i had nothing in there and then the police because a certain law protects the squatters from having anyone enter the property without consent, or i could face 6 months in prison. Everything I had ever owned in 31 years of being alive was in that flat and these squatters had free will to do what they pleased with it.
After seeking legal advice and pleaded with the solicitors to hurry the process up, they were given notice of eviction and I wasn't over confident my stuff was going to be inside when the bailiff evicted them. They had moved in on the 28th/29th July and were given an eviction date of 14th September, but they left beforehand and taken everything with them, leaving syringes and all my clothes in the garden half burnt in a pile. My new fridge, washing machine, computer, speakers, everything, the bed, tv, sofa, everything even the light bulbs and they tried to take the copper pipes form the bathroom, which made a massive leak and has destroyed the bathroom floor and cost me a packet to fix(the landlady did discount a months rent,so saved a few quid there).

The bottom line is, i applied for a community care grant and they refused it, i appealed and they refused again. Im living in an empty flat with no bed, fridge, washing machine etc etc etc. I cant afford to replace any of these things and have tried everything adult socail services and everywhere but i just dont fit criteria to get help because im not a drug addict or mentally challenged or asylum seeker, im just a single male. I was advised to apply for everything that got taken, even clothes so i did, i applied for money for an alarm, because people tried 3 times to break in and i think its the squatters again coming to break in and steal my stuff for drugs. Ive tried everything i really have and i just cant get help anywhere, its all become a nightmare when i thought my life had changed for the better for the good and help me regain that confidence back. Instead i was made homeless for 4 weeks by squatters, had all my stuff destroyed and stolen and im about to have my utilities cut off right beofre christmas because its either food or electric, thats how bad it is.

does anyone knwo anything about ways around these things or is there anything i can do to get help with paying my heating and electric?

Even housing benefit refused to backdate me because all the reasons above and being in and out of hospital and the fact i'd never claimed housing benefit before and thought it was just for council tennants, were not good enough reason to be backdated the rent. My appeal is pending. Its crazy i thought maybe i could give back my friend some money for helping me move into the flat and get a few things to make it home again, but they refused me housing benefit backdated payment, yet they have summoned me for not paying council tax asking me to pay even more for administration to summon me and for the council to ask another council department to summon me totalling £70 on top of what i owe. But after lots of emails and letters rquesting that the council tax comes off my income supprt before they sommoned me and also i told them Im not paying it until they revise how much i owe because i refuse to pay for council tax for the period the squatters were in there.

I give up in this country, honestly, i've had people form certain council departments, telling me id be better off homeless, if id come from a certain country i could claim for this or if i was an addict i could go there or if i had just come out of prison, im sorry but THEY TOLD ME IF ID JUST COME OUT OF PRISON, then id basically be guaranteed a loan or grant or something to help me get on my feet and back into the community. i feel im being pused out of it and into the streets.

thank for listening,

from
just an ordinary guy who has not had all the luck in the world but keeps on fighting.

computershack

Personally, I'd move to somewhere less !!!!!. London is an overprices cesspit. You'll do far better if you move far away from that place.

Bubbles911

Dominic I really wish I had some advice to give you but I unfortunatly dont. What you have gone through is disgusting. The only thing I can suggest is to join your local freecycle group to try and get some of the things you had replaced. It is disgusting what the squatters were allowed to do. I just wanted to let you know someone cares. Best of luck

Bubbles911

I think this is really important can anyone help?

qwertyuiop12345

I'm so sorry to hear what an awful time you have had; Some of the laws in regard to squatters are completely unreasonable.

There are charities that might be able to help you, such as Furniture Aid South Thames http://www.furniture-aid.co.uk/index.html

Also, as already mentioned, Freecycle might prove helpful for you.

Have you tried contacting Shelter? They don't just deal with homelessness but can help with all issues around housing needs and might be able to offer you some help or advice of where to seek it.

Good Luck, I hope things get better for you.

Kimitatsu

Hiya Dominic

On what grounds did you apply for the community care grant and had you had one before? If you had one before and the squatters took all of the goods then you wont get another one - if you havent then you need to appeal on the grounds that you have been homeless and therefore are now kitting out your flet. A tip for you, try to put in an application for the beginning of the month as the pot is limited and it may not be that you dont qualify just that there is no money left in the pot (daft I know but unfortunately its a limited pot of money). Claim for absolutely everything, I say to people that if you use the Argos catalogue as a guide then that is deemed a reasonable amount and the worst they can say is no.

If that is not successful then contact your local council, they have a prevention of homelessness fund that may be able to help you. After all if you have nothing in your house, and have to start again then that may take you into debt etc. Other places to try are the Salvation Army, British Heart Foundation, your local freecycle/freegle group, or furniture recycling project. All of these will help you with household items and in some cases you only need to give a nominal donation.

Failing those have you ever served in the forces? There may be grant funding available that way.

Unfortunately the housing benefit may not be backdated as ignorance is not an excuse, and if the landlady has given you a month off then you could be comiitting fraud by claiming something you are not eligible for. Did you have any household insurance? The landlady should have been responsible for the eviction but your items are down to you.

Start here and I will see what else I can think of

Wine_of_the_World

Your story is totally shocking! Surely the landlord of the flat could have backed up the fact that you held the contract to live there, and the fact that neighbours even told the police they had broken in leaves me totally shocked.:mad: There must be more the police could have done.

Have the squatters been taken to court at all for what they have done? I am sure they dont have much for you to reclaim from at the moment, but perhaps they will at some point in the future, and at the very least should get a crimial record etc for what they have done to your posetions and your flat. Its ironic that if they were sent to jail they'd be better off that you are now on their release.

Um, could you sell your story to a magazine / newspaper? You might get a few grand that way, I know you have to be careful, but I cant beleive our laws favour someone in the wrong :mad:

Welshwoofs

Wine_of_the_World wrote: »

Your story is totally shocking! Surely the landlord of the flat could have backed up the fact that you held the contract to live there, and the fact that neighbours even told the police they had broken in leaves me totally shocked.:mad: There must be more the police could have done.

There's no revenue to be had in evicting squatters so I doubt the police would put a lot of effort into the complaint. Personally, as I consider the police about as much use as tits on a bicycle, I'd have taken the matter into my own hands and got a little 'help' evicting the !!!!!!s. I know it's not legal, but I've helped squatters out of a friend's rental property and I can assure it was very swift and effective

Um, could you sell your story to a magazine / newspaper? You might get a few grand that way, I know you have to be careful, but I cant beleive our laws favour someone in the wrong :mad:

The law is an !!!!.

OP - you must, must, must get contents insurance. It's a very reasonably priced insurance and would save your skin in situations like this. Freecycle is definitely your best option - I know on my local list things like beds, washing machines and TVs are posted on a daily basis.

Also sounds like you need better security at the flat and I'd talk to the landlady about that.