On Local Rent Allowance - can't afford house and can't afford to move!! HELP PLEASE!

starbella2004

missmontana wrote: »

Good idea Vik.

Made me laugh! Thank you!! x:T

chesky369

Only just read this for the first time and may have missed some bits. Was getting very worried about advice you were getting about the local authority helping find you accommodation if you hadn't paid the rent - no way, I'm afraid.

But get yourself down to your local CAB and ask for an urgent appointment with their debt adviser. It's amazing how even landlords respect them being involved and they may be able to help sort yourself out - are any of your debts credit cards, etc? In your circumstances, they will help you do a financial statement and write to your creditors with an offer you can afford - this will help with interest not being added. They may also have a solciitor on hand who may be able to put pressure on your ex to support his children.

Have you asked your landlord about subletting?

starbella2004

Thank you Chesky369. I've had a number of sessions with the Consumer Credit Counselling service and they conclusion was I go bankrupt. Doesn't sit well with me though - I'd rather try to honour my debts at some point - although certainly cannot at this point in time. I'm getting phone calls and letters all the time and I know it's completely the wrong thing to do but I'm ignoring them all. I have spoken to a few in the past and tried to explain and did income/expenditure etc but they still insisted on substantial payments each month which initially I tried but that put my rent further into arrears! I've been told by people who know about these things that as they are all non-priority debts they're not such an issue for me at the moment. My main concern is my rent and utilities and food - which I'm struggling to do, particularly now the maintenance has stopped.

What do you mean about the subletting - do you mean so that I can take in a lodger?

Jowo_2

chesky369 wrote: »

Only just read this for the first time and may have missed some bits. Was getting very worried about advice you were getting about the local authority helping find you accommodation if you hadn't paid the rent - no way, I'm afraid.

I completely agree that rent arrears are a no-no and make the local council reject a homelessness application on the grounds that the applicant has made themselves intentionally homeless by their behaviour as they are responsible for their own situation. It is only right that this is in place to deter the !!!!less from being rewarded with social housing, a cheap lifetime secure tenancy, by squandering their rent money on other things rather than their rent.

However, I have come across instances on forums of tenants with children who do get some kind of assistance, despite their arrears and apparently the legislation is supposed to tilt towards those who did not pay their rent when they could have (as opposed to those who could not). Having said that, one poster on this forum in a similar situation believed that their local council would put her kids into care (not a practice that I believe is carried out but feel free for someone with local authority housing experience to comment on this).

So I do expect the OP to get short thrift from the local council but its still worth clarifying their circumstances with a housing charity who can give free expert advice, who may be able to suggest various other solutions and strategies to deal with the OPs complex circumstances.

At the end of the day, the landlord will be able to secure possession of the property quite easily once the arrears reach 2 months, when the fixed term of the AST expires or if its currently a periodic tenancy, and I can't see that the local authority has much choice but to assist in someway rather than a mother and her kids become street homeless.

chesky369

I have a problem with CCCS - I think they resort to bankruptcy too quickly as it's an easy option for them. I think Citizens' Advice probably wouldn't go there at least unless there was really no other way. I know they're non-priority, but they're still real and they're getting larger every month, aren't they. I do urge you to go to your local branch. I do these kind of statements all the time for people in your situation and, whilst they're not 100% successful, I do find that a large number of people can be helped.

And, yes, I did mean a lodger.

starbella2004

Well brilliant - I'll get another point of view then from CAB. Thank you. As for the lodger - I guess it's certainly worth a try - they can only say no. Never thought of that, so thank you ever so much.

chesky369

Yes, unfortunately, magistrates have no discretion when rent arrears reach 8 weeks - it's mandatory to grant the landlord possession of the property. I too would be very wary of expecting help from the LA just because children were involved - I wouldn't want to test whether or not they would take my children into care if I were a mother in that situation.

chesky369

Is your ex an ex-husband or an ex-partner?

starbella2004

Absolutely not. That's just not an option. At the moment the landlord is being quite understanding - particularly since I told him my ex had lost his job so wan't paying maintenance. Obviously they still want the rent at the very least - which this month so far I cannot afford!! But I intend to ask about a lodger and then at least I can ask all my friends and mums at the schools if they know of anyone who needs a room. That way at least it'll be someone who's hopefully not a complete nutter! I'd obviously inform the benefit departments too so they'll probably decrease the rent allowance I guess. Anyway - def food for thought. Thank you.

starbella2004

He's an ex-partner.