Eligibilty for social housing

garethred

I wonder if anyone can help me with this. Our landlord has just given us two months notice on the house we have rented for the past 4 years. We are not in a position financially to rent privately at the moment. I could cover the rent but have a terrible credit score with CCJs, couldn't raise the 1st months rent and bond in two months and have no one to act as a guarantor so very unlikely to get a private rent. I work full time but having recently re-trained in a new profession my wages are still low and unlikely to rise for at least another 2 years. We have 4 children age 6, 4, 3 and 1 and claim CTC and WTC but nothing else. Would we be eligible for social housing? How would we go about it?

anguk

I would go and speak to the housing department at your local council. It may all depend on where you live, I watched a tv show last night that was about social housing (and lack of) and it was a nightmare in some areas, Portsmouth for example admitted that most people on their waiting list would never, ever get a house. It will all depend on where you live and if you're classed as a priority.

Find out if there's any housing associations in your area or charity housing too, your council should be able to tell you.

garethred

Thanks I have had a look on the website and it appears that all the social housing providers use a single application process so that will make it easier to apply, currently downloading and printing the application form. What I am wondering is if in our circumstances we would be considered a priority? Would we be classed as unintentionally homeless?

Aarons_mummy

You would have to go and see the council for them to give you priority status. You may be classed as a priority but at the same time as you work you may be told that you have the means to privately rent.

Also check your local area to see if there are any housing associations, Link Housing is one in my area and is throughout some of scotland, not sure if they do elsewhere. If you manage to get a priority status with the council you are able to send the HA your priority notice and have priority with them as well.

Best thing to do is to make an appointment with your local council to see what they say

garethred

Aarons_mummy wrote: »

You would have to go and see the council for them to give you priority status. You may be classed as a priority but at the same time as you work you may be told that you have the means to privately rent.

Also check your local area to see if there are any housing associations, Link Housing is one in my area and is throughout some of scotland, not sure if they do elsewhere. If you manage to get a priority status with the council you are able to send the HA your priority notice and have priority with them as well.

Best thing to do is to make an appointment with your local council to see what they say

Thank you I have checked the website and all the social housing providers use a single process so there is just one form to fill in and you automatically go onto all their list. Our council don't hold any housing stock they changed over to a housing association in order to receive funding for repairs from the WAG, we're in Wales. I'm at work but will fill in form at lunch and drop it in after work and see what they say.

I'm very worried that we won't be eligible as we have no way of renting privately. As I said we could cover the rent (just about) but have no chance of passing any credit checks and won't be able to cover bond or first months rent. We didn't pay a bond on this house (renting through a relative) so won't even have any money coming back.

iluvmarmite

You wont be classed as intentionaly homeless as the landlord is evicting you. They might offer to pay the deposit for you and you pay it back to them at so much a week, I believe they do that in my areas. Also they wont see you on the streets with 4 kids so they will probably offer you emergency housing in the way of bed and breakfast or an emergency flat which will probably be too small for you all and perhaps a bit run down, but you cant really say no to that as they will not see you as in great need if you do.

You may have to stay in the emergency accomadation for a year or more untill they find you a decent house but at least you will be up the list.

garethred

iluvmarmite wrote: »

You wont be classed as intentionaly homeless as the landlord is evicting you. They might offer to pay the deposit for you and you pay it back to them at so much a week, I believe they do that in my areas. Also they wont see you on the streets with 4 kids so they will probably offer you emergency housing in the way of bed and breakfast or an emergency flat which will probably be too small for you all and perhaps a bit run down, but you cant really say no to that as they will not see you as in great need if you do.

You may have to stay in the emergency accomadation for a year or more untill they find you a decent house but at least you will be up the list.

Thanks that is reassuring to know. I've managed to speak briefly to a friend who works in housing (repairs) and he has told me that our area don't use hostels or B&Bs for families at all so if we are offered housing it would definitely be a house/flat although as you say it maybe temporary. I've had a look on the home seeking website and it looks like they are properties coming up regularly albeit with lots of people bidding for them

Oldernotwiser

I think it would be terribly unfair if you could bypass the waiting list and leap over people who have been waiting for years, just because you've got yourselves into debt.

Try using a private landlord who may be less inclined to make detailed credit checks etc., after all, I assume that you'll get an excellent reference from your existing LL.

iluvmarmite

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I think it would be terribly unfair if you could bypass the waiting list and leap over people who have been waiting for years, just because you've got yourselves into debt.

Try using a private landlord who may be less inclined to make detailed credit checks etc., after all, I assume that you'll get an excellent reference from your existing LL.

But this is not just a case of debt managment, they are being evicted through no fault of their own (I presume so anyway). They are entitled to housing, and will not bypass anyone who is in worse need than themselves. Those who have been waiting years are obviously deemed non emergency by the housing company.

garethred

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I think it would be terribly unfair if you could bypass the waiting list and leap over people who have been waiting for years, just because you've got yourselves into debt.

Try using a private landlord who may be less inclined to make detailed credit checks etc., after all, I assume that you'll get an excellent reference from your existing LL.

Thanks for replying. Having done some reading I believe that anyone with a similar 'need' for housing will be awarded the same priority as us so will be eligible to bid for the same properties, who it is then awarded to is based on who has held the highest priority longest so not really unfair imo. We are looking at private landlords as well but as yet haven't been sucessful so need a safety net which is what I assume social housing provides.

garethred

oh and yes reference from current landlord will be fine. We've been here 4 years and never had any issue at all. Her circumstancres have changed in that she is retiring this year so she wants to sell the house.