Starting to think we're in a real predicament.

Elkiemoo

We have been in this property since 6th March 2009. We were living with my parents before, but they sold the house and moved to Wales. My younger brother wanted to stay to continue his studies in London, so my parents made a deal with us. If we took him with us they would pay for the rent up front and we would pay them back, minus 30% for my brother. My brother, however, went a little giddy without any parental authority. He missed lots of school and flunked his AS-Levels. He subsequently moved to Wales with my parents to start his AS-Levels from scratch. In the meantime my parents we keen for us to get a lodger in, which we did for a while, but she was extremely flaky and left us completely in the lurch before Christmas when she moved in with a friend. As I explained before, any money we owe is to my parents only, and they do not expect any repayments until at least one of us is back in work... I think we've paid under 6 months rent back out of the 12, which is very poor, and I feel awful about it. My boyfriend has been unemployed since the end of October and this is my SECOND spell of unemployment in the last 12 months. Since leaving university in June 2008 I've only managed to find two temporary and part-time jobs to fill 9 months from the last 18 months! My boyfriend is a plumber, and had quite a well paid job on a building site, but with the larger part of the bills falling on his shoulders, and loan and credit card repayments, his wage didn't stretch very far. He is now in the process of applying for a DRO to alleviate the loan and credit card repayments. The plot thickens... I can't help but feel we've made a big meal out of everything...

showtunesgirl

I'm surprised that you're having no luck finding a DSS place in Lewisham.

I live in Lewisham too!

Fire_Fox

Elkiemoo wrote: »

We have been in this property since 6th March 2009. We were living with my parents before, but they sold the house and moved to Wales. My younger brother wanted to stay to continue his studies in London, so my parents made a deal with us. If we took him with us they would pay for the rent up front and we would pay them back, minus 30% for my brother. My brother, however, went a little giddy without any parental authority. He missed lots of school and flunked his AS-Levels. He subsequently moved to Wales with my parents to start his AS-Levels from scratch. In the meantime my parents we keen for us to get a lodger in, which we did for a while, but she was extremely flaky and left us completely in the lurch before Christmas when she moved in with a friend. As I explained before, any money we owe is to my parents only, and they do not expect any repayments until at least one of us is back in work... I think we've paid under 6 months rent back out of the 12, which is very poor, and I feel awful about it. My boyfriend has been unemployed since the end of October and this is my SECOND spell of unemployment in the last 12 months. Since leaving university in June 2008 I've only managed to find two temporary and part-time jobs to fill 9 months from the last 18 months! My boyfriend is a plumber, and had quite a well paid job on a building site, but with the larger part of the bills falling on his shoulders, and loan and credit card repayments, his wage didn't stretch very far. He is now in the process of applying for a DRO to alleviate the loan and credit card repayments. The plot thickens... I can't help but feel we've made a big meal out of everything...

Sorry to hear all that, but it doesn't answer our questions. Is the AST in your name or your parents? Have you or have you not tried to claim LHA (completed and sent the forms) AND had your claim turned down?

Edited to add: have your parents/ partner posted a similar query before? I am having deja vu about the parents going to Wales and the brother stopping with unemployed sister and boyfriend bits of your story.
Edit Two: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2121931

Elkiemoo

Fire Fox, admittedly, we gave up at the first hurdle. We were confused why the tenancy agreement wasn't accepted by Lewisham, and who would fill in the Landord form...I wasn't aware that Landlords HAD to accept DSS during the tenancy . We have already given our notice in writing, as we were required to do so TWO MONTHS prior to moving out. We didn't want to incur any extra rent charges after the 6th March, which my parents would have to bail us out for. Will our claim be accepted if my parents have already paid our rent in full? Or will we be accused of scrounging off the government?

Elkiemoo

Very good Fire Fox, that's my Mother's post. Even I couldn't find that one! Nothing gets past the money saving experts...

Elkiemoo

My Mother was the guarantor, my brother, boyfriend and I were listed as the tenants. We completed and sent the forms but were asked for additional info and given the landlord form. From this point we gave up as we didn't think we could claim, as my parents had already paid. It was never turned down officially.

BitterAndTwisted

Then get going and pursue this until the bitter end and don't take anything lying down: all that's at stake is the roof over your heads, ferchrissakes! If there's anything you don't understand have the peeps at Lewisham Council explain it to you until you do. It's my understanding that you are fully entitled to claim LHA (Local Housing Allowance) if you and your other half are named on the tenancy agreement but there is an absolute maximum that they are prepared to pay based allegedly on local rental-rates.

I want you to post back on here tomorrow afternoon to report that you have got this in train.

elfen

Ask the council if a) they have list of landlords who would accept LHA (some have them, some don't) and b) if they have a deposit bond scheme (again, some do, some don't, but if they do, they pay the deposit and you pay it in instalments, or they retain it) Also, get yourself on the housing list, also apply through that to any housing associations.

Elkiemoo

To BitterAndTwisted -Yes Sir/M'am! One more question. Can I collect these forms from my local JCP? Would save buying ink for our printer...

Fire_Fox

Elkiemoo wrote: »

Fire Fox, admittedly, we gave up at the first hurdle. We were confused why the tenancy agreement wasn't accepted by Lewisham, and who would fill in the Landord form...I wasn't aware that Landlords HAD to accept DSS during the tenancy . We have already given our notice in writing, as we were required to do so TWO MONTHS prior to moving out. We didn't want to incur any extra rent charges after the 6th March, which my parents would have to bail us out for. Will our claim be accepted if my parents have already paid our rent in full? Or will we be accused of scrounging off the government?

Very good Fire Fox, that's my Mother's post. Even I couldn't find that one! Nothing gets past the money saving experts...

You are not required to give two months notice, you are legally required to give one month's notice and that was explained in the earlier thread. Your AST sounds like it is full of mistakes if the DSS won't accept it, amateur landlord? Is your damage deposit lodged with one of the three schemes?

Time to start being an adult: complete the LHA application immediately and hand deliver if possible. They will ask for additional information, but your claim will probably start from the date the form is received, regardless of missing documents. Then get your landlord to fill the other form in, and send that off. You have nothing to lose by applying apart from time, you will not be given any benefits unless you apply for them!

Do you care if some random on a website accuses you of scrounging or do you care that you owe your parents £6K and they cannot afford to bail you out again? What is your alternative, a tent in Wales come March? You will have a much better chance of finding alternative accommodation if you are already in receipt of LHA, not simply about to apply.

Final thought: why on earth are you staying in London? Neither of you has a job, your family is in Wales, the city is not a fun place to be on benefits. You are adults and sometimes adults need to make difficult decisions. At the very least reduce your expectations and start looking at lodger accommodation instead of a flat so that you don't have to tap your parents to pay your winter energy bill.