Dear Diary 2012 'things can only get better!'

Hump

Sorry to hear things broke down with the in-laws. The council can only put you in a B&B in an emergency and then for no longer than 6 weeks. Have you let the CAB folk know that you're now in temp accommodation? Also worth noting that they - the council - have a responsibility to help you look after any possessions/ furniture that you can't get into the B&B i.e. self storage etc.

direstraits2012

Dear diary

Well that's been a crazy week! We have now been in the B&B for a week. Thank god the boys think its great fun and says it feels like we are on holiday! Hubby and I aren't as bouyant but the boys will never see that as we refuse to let this situation define us.

The council have advised us to find accommodation via the classified ads in local papers. So on Friday we bought three but there was nothing suitable. I'm trying to keep optimistic that something will turn up within the next 5 weeks.

Todays task is to talk to the CAB to update them and seek advice. Having asked for an official review of our homelessness application we have 14 days to provide further evidence. We've also applied for a grant to pay for bankruptcy - wonder if there is any news on that front?

All our possessions are scattered between friends who are still ok to house them. We will definitely turn to the council if this changes in the future.

Well I'd better shake a leg! Bye for now x

debtfreewannabe321

morning direstraits, I have been in council temporary housing many moons ago when my parents split up. We were there for 6 weeks and we were told by the CAB that they will try to worry you into getting your own house to rent, but we couldn't afford one in the area we were in (london suburb) and we tried for weeks to find something suitable. The council never kicked us out after the initial month we were given.......we stayed until week 6 when they offered my mum a house which she is still in today. So keep your chin up they will try to panic you but i'm sure they won't make children homeless unless they were positive you had somewhere else to go! Good luck i will check back to see if you've had any good news soon x

mummytogirls

Im sure something will turn up soon Direstraits. Good on you and DH for not letting the boys see the stress xx

direstraits2012

Dear diary

Well they say exercise is good for depression so I'm off to try Zumba. There's a free trial at the community centre this morning so I'm going to give it a try. What hv I let myself in for!!
Bye for now xx

direstraits2012

Dear diary

Well we've been in this B&B for two weeks tomorrow. It is now fully occupied and we are having to dance around each other in the kitchen, corridors etc etc. Cooking is interesting - 2 sets of families and one single lady all seeming to want to eat at the same time! Suppose the worst of it is that now my boys have to go to bed with ear plugs in because in the room next door is a two year old and a 6 month old and both scream for bout 50% of the night. Luckily the alcoholics downstairs don't venture upstairs too often so I am managing to keep the boys away from them.

We spent ages on Friday checking out all the local papers for suitable properties and yet again there was nothing. Nothing online either. So the hunt continues!

Tomorrow hubby and I are going to the CAB and Council,it seems to be our weekly outing at the moment. I'm not sure what will come of it but just want to keep the momentum going with our case.

I feel my life is on hold at the moment and I'm having groundhog day everyday! Suppose the snow and cold hasn't helped much with my general mood - roll on the summer please!

Oh well, will let you know how we get on with everything tomorrow.

Bye for now x

Housework*Fairy

Hi, hope you get some good news tomorrow. It's wonderful that you and your partner are so strong as to deal with this together. Sorry it didn't work out with the in-laws x

debtfreewannabe321

Good luck for tomorrow I hope you hear some good news xx

direstraits2012

Dear diary

Well it was another fruitless visit to the council on Monday! I spoke to the CAB on the phone instead of going in so we only had to trundle into the council offices. We handed over our 'additional information' in support of our 'intentionally homelessness' review and explained our anxiety about the total lack of rentals. We were promised a call back the next day (Tuesday) by the senior housing officer.

He did ring back the next day but not until we'd had 'drama' in the B&B! It turns out that drugs are being used and dealt with here :mad: We rang our support worker who phoned the police and the council - surprise surprise nothing was done about it! All the council said was that the people concerned were moving out on Friday anyway (was that supposed to make it all right then!!) No sign of the police still and it's now Thursday!!

Anyway, the council guy said that a housing deposit bond would be approved for us and we just had to keep on looking for accommodation! We feel we are going round in circles - hello.....there aren't any two bed properties here! Can someone please wave their magic wand!

Bye for now x

direstraits2012

Dear diary

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! I am so fed up and can't see a light at the end of the tunnel!

In a bid to be proactive we went to see a property last night with a very sympathetic estate agent. It was within budget at £800. It wasn't in a very nice area but beggars can't be choosers. We started talking about what would happen next if we decided to go for this property. We nearly fell over as he started reeling off all the charges for this and that which added up to nearly £2.5K. Which part of 'we don't have a deposit' didn't he understand, which part of 'the council are providing a bond' didn't he understand, where are we supposed to find that kind of money!!!!!! OMG what are we going to do????

Bye for now x