Unwanted difficult decision-help pls if you can.

bundance

suburbanwifey wrote: »

Thank You for your well thought out replies.
In answer to your question my mortgage is on a fixed rate of 5.18% until 2016.
I think I was a bit over cautious in 2006 when I took out a fixed term cos the rates have been well below since then.
I didnt know what rates would do back then.
Having said that I now see that some lenders are putting up their rates, so this 10yr 5.18% thing may pay off afterall.

My anxiety has been made even worse from weaning off tranqs, the tranq recovery experts say avoid making big life changing decisions and avoid stress as much as possible because stress and big decisions will just delay recovery from the tranquliser withdrawal - I feel like I may be forced to make a decision however, and despondent about my recovery.

I could look at doing some work online, because the workplace is too overwhelming a place for me. There is always pressure with work though.
Thank you for telling me there is always a solution to most problems.

I want to keep my home, but I also have other expenses like a new central heating system, new windos.
I also have a lease which needs renewing in the next couple of years ideally, so will need to make a lot of money.
This is where I dont know if my thinking this is impossible is negative or realistic.
The positive side of me says anything is possible if I put my mind to it, and the negative side of me says realistically I wont be able to stay in my home.
The positive side of me thinks I am being overly negative focusing on the bad, and the negative side thinks my positive side is unrealistic.
I will just have to see what is out there and what I am capapble off, keeping the DWP informed of everything.

If the flat gets reposessed, I will not necessarily get a social house or even temp accomodation straight away.
Private landlords don't look at people who have had their houses reposessed in the past - even if they could afford the rent now (I think).
With regards to social housing tenancies are no longer for life, so even a social tenancy isnt secure anymore.

I would feel much more secure if I knew I could afford to stayin my home, not having to worry about insecure tenancies etc.

Yes there are lots of ATOS horror stories, but at the same time there are people who are still declared unfit for work.
The ESA only lasts one year, however, so I would have all this palava again next year.

thanks again.

bundance

suburbanwifey wrote: »

I agree on that point. If you sell, you make yourself intentionally homeless. As I said earlier, you need to try to keep your home if at all possible, if you can't repossession protects your position regarding intentional homelessness. The way to look at it is this, if you sell or are repossessed you aren't likely to be able to get a mortgage again in the future anyway, so the credit rating knock that would result from repossession, is irrelevant to you at that point. They can't chase you for money you don't have and your credit rating would be ruined if repossessed yes, but you wouldn't get another mortgage if your credit rating was great if you sold either as you are unemployed and poorly. So, stay in your home until they repossess, if that's the way it goes would be my advice on that point.

Yes, a difficult one.
If I sell I could rent privately and pay rent from the proceeds but I dunno if landlords can suddenly turf you out. I dunno what percentage of private lets are long term. I have two friends who have both been in private lets for two years. Both unemployed.
As you say, the council will also see me as intentionaly homeless.
But, if I stay here, without securing another income to pay my way, and I get reposessed, that !!!!!!s up credit ratings and future chances of private rental.

My ultimate aim is to stay here, make the income needed somehow (get creative-another thing lacking in tranq withdrawal) and not have to worry about alternative accomodation.
I could put up with old things in the flat so long as they kept working, i.e. old windows, old heating system.

bundance

ruggedtoast wrote: »

Saucy phone lines?

Are you sure you aren't well enough to work?

I've been signed off sick - I even took my old claim to the CAB last year and told them how I was then and how I was now, and the manager at the CAB who is well informed in welfare told me that there was nothing I needed to tel the dwp.
I can give saucy phonelines a try, while informing the dWp but it doesn't mean I am capable of holding down a proper job.

bundance

carefullycautious wrote: »

As above poster if you are well enough to do saucy phone lines it begs the question as to why you wont try to work

If you at least try to get back into the work place at least you will have shown you are trying

The problem comes when people refuse to even try to work, then the GPs hands are tied as they can not support your application as they have no idea whether you are able to work or not.

You have choices in all of this. You have got to want to change nobody can do this for you.

I do wish you luck and realise that it is difficult. life is hard out there.

Just because you have read the papers about people refusing to try work, doesnt mean that I am refusing.
When good and ready, I will be all too willing to do a job that doesnt make me more ill.
It's a pity that the media doesnt cover stories about the people who have gone back to work and have been made iller by work.
I am willing to try and work I am capable of.
I have had two goes at trying work and I wasnt well enough.
I also put in for a voluntary job, but was not well enough to do it.
Don't automatically judge people for not trying to work, some people like me are genuine, the media have just brainwashed people into thinking all people on benefits are lazy.

bundance

jc808 wrote: »

Bundance

Based on your previous posts, is your reluctance to sell really about this asbestos 'issue'? (As other posters have said if you have equity from the flat you will have more than enough to pay a landlord up front) Or another issue?

I would mention the presence of asbestos the the buyer and surveyor but tell them its been partly remedied and lays undisturbed!! Theyll be fine with that seriously

Jc
My post does not mention asbestos anywhere, cos this query is not about asbrestos.
The asbestos has been sorted by professionals now.
With the greatest of respect, I wondered if you would make an appearance on my thread talking about past posts which are not relevant.

bundance

McKneff wrote: »

Bundance, I feelI must go back to your very first post.

The first paragraph is full of ifs, buts, mights and maybe's.

Why on earth are you worrying about this now, it might never happen. Why dont you concentrate on here and now,
be more positive about job hunting, upping your income now and vow to stop being so negative.




Unwanted difficult decision-help pls if you can.
Hi

I may be faced with the unwanted decision whether to sell my flat or not, because due to the benefit changes, I may well lose half my income.
I am due a DWP medical this year, and if I am found fit for work, like the many others who are forced off benefits before they are ready, I will lose half my income. (information received already regarding loss of income)
If I am put onto JSA, as I have an occupational pension of £440 per month, this will be my only income.

If I am put onto JSA, as I have an occupational pension of £440 per month, this will be my only income.

I have very limited capability for work.
I feel, not necesarily from your post, but from others that I have to prove myself unfit for work just because the current trend in thinking is that all benefit claimants are lazy scroungers.
There is no point in doing a job which I know will make me more unwell, but nothing wrong in looking for stuff within my capability.
I just hope that I can find stuff within mycapability which will allow me to stay here, because, afterall, I don't in any way, want to move, I am settled here.
I woud love to earn my own money rather than claim dole, but no way am I going to take a job I know will make me more ill.

bundance

puddy wrote: »

yes, unfortunately people without fixed incomes find it very hard to find private rentals. there will be a credit check to pass, agents often want to see proof of ongoing income which is normally 3x the rental per month, how will OP prove this?

i completely agree with people taking responsibility for their own lives but many posters seem to think that renting a private place is really simple, it isnt for those without a fixed income

I do have a fixed income of £440 per month (enough for private rent in this area)
Surely the landlord just wants to know his rent is gonna get paid.
Also in this day and age, there are lots of people who are well and cannot get a job no matter how they try cos there isnt hardly any jobs.
Many of these people must rent privately.

bundance

lucymelissa wrote: »

Maybe speak to your current lender about a buy to let mortgage, once you have tenants, use the money to pay off the mortgage and also rent your own place?
(sorry if this is silly, first time posting on this board, please be kind! )

Of course its not silly, it's just that my place isnt in good enough condition yet to rent out.

bundance

gallygirl wrote: »

You may be able to find a private landlord who would take you on - I rent properties out and would be happy to do so if I was shown a bank account with sufficient money in it.

If you have a flat worth only 75k I'm guessing you're in a Northern city or maybe East Mids ex-mining area? Have you actually looked to see how much a flat would be to rent? Am guessing not too bad? £500 a month would be 6k a year, well within your means for a while until you are able to work again.

You sound intelligent and I hope you can rationalise enough about your illness to realise you're displaying classic depressive thinking - the situation is NOT hopeless, just challenging. I don't know what to hope for best - whether you are well enough to come off benefits so you do face this dilemma, or whether you pass/fail (not sure how to judge it!) the medical and stay on benefits.

Good luck and remember it is NOT hopeless

First off, thanks for the compliment about inteligence, it boosted my confidence.
As above says, half my income is stable but in time, the other half may become sporadic.
They valued my flat at £75k because it would suit a builder as it is in need of modernisation and a new central heating.
I think they go for about £90 if I remember rightly in this area SW england.

Thanks for reminding me I am thiniking depressively. I mentioned in an earlier post about my positive side and my negative side, and your comments agree with my positive side, which thinks I am just being negative and thinking of all the problems and catch 22's and not seeing anything postive.

The CAB still think I am unfit for work, and if anythig I am worse now than before cos of the tranq withdrawal (prescriptin tranq addicts have been in the papers alot lately too as the tranquliser scandal unfolded)
I just have to hope that ATOS also see how my illness affects me from day to day.

bundance

Hi

Re comments, yes, I should have just ignored them.
Even though deep down I know I am not capable of work, I think that the media have influnced me too make me feel I have to justify myself when I don't.

Yes, rent does have its advantages, i.e. just pick up the phone if something breaks in the house, but its alot more expensive.

My sister who is very shrewd with money and loaded said that a property in old age is a good thing, especially now that I havent got as much pension from my job as I would have had if I was well enough to stay there.

I do see why you suggest keeping my home at all costs, and I agree.

I also hear what you say about the chat lines, it would be a good way for someone too unwell to work to try to earn their own money.

We project our wishes out there into the universe, what we wish for comes true - think of failure and failure is what we shall get etc.

I wonder about this too. It means challenging the negative side of me that says, "no way will I make enough money to stay in this flat, renew the lease etc".
Instead of being positive I am letting this view point take over.

I will tell it like it is at the medical and appeal if found fit, I just dont fancy the hassle that people who appeal have to go through. It's like all this benefit new rules hassle is making me more unfit for work instead of more fit.

Tranqs are the worst drug to come off. I have been weaning now for nearly three years. It is something you cannot rush, i.e. reduce your dose too fast, not leave long enough gaps in between reductions, cos if you do, you take longer to recover with worse symptoms.
For a few months, I was cutting too fast, unbeknown to me, and i was getting worse. I phoned the tranquiliser helpline because I could not understand why I was worsening when I was cutting by 0.25mg every three weeks. The experts told me I need to reduce the size of my cuts.
I was dissappointed as this means I would be on valium longer, but I understood why I had to do this.

I have other medications too, both psychiatric meds with bad withdrawal symptoms.
If found unfit for work, I will only be on ESA for a year, as the government now think that people make a miraculous recovery from illnesses they have had long term, after 12mths.

You've got 4 years until your fixed mortgage deal comes to an end, a lot can happen in 4 years trust me, things can change, lives can be turned around, the past a long distant memory. Just take that first step, decide you are going to keep your home (you worked hard for it when you were working and you've done your best to keep it all together, you are not going to give up now!) and face that medical, if you are too ill to return to work, they WILL see that and if they don't, fine! FIGHT them at appeal and then win. You can see? its all about attitude and determination. The same determination that will get those tranquilizers out of your life for good.

Thank you for this advice, cos sometimes we get despondent and convinced that the worse case scenario is inevitable and wrongly focus on that.
A bit like false evidence appearing real.