Need to leave current flat soon, but got HB issues

PupPup

Hi everyone
As posted in another section, I recently lost my job and as a result I will be forced to leave my current rented flat in a few months as I can no longer afford it.

My problem is that as I am under 35 I am only entitled to 'Room Rate' HB, which for my area is £63.50 a week. I may not get JSA straight away as I was dismissed for gross misconduct (I've been an idiot, basically), so the HB might be my only income until I get back on my feet.

Using the usual suspects (find a property, right move, local paper website) I have discovered that the average price for a bedsit in my area is £350 pcm (approx £87.50 pw), and a room in a house share is anything from £65 pw to over £100 pw (some include all bills, some include none).

I've got a meeting with the Homelessness Prevention Team on October 28th, and assume they might be able to get me something so I don't leave my flat when I run out of money (end of November) and go straight onto the streets, but really I would like to be able to find something before it comes to that.

Is there anywhere else I can search for bedsits/1 beds/houseshares? (Ideally I'd prefer not to share as I've got Asperger's & depression and find sharing a bit of an issue, but I'll take it over being homeless!). I've also noticed lots of ads refusing to take people on HB/DSS, or only having shares available for students.

What can I do if I can't find something for the HB rate? Even with full-rate JSA I'll only have £134.50 pw coming in to cover everything. So that means rent, food, utility bills, contents insurance, etc without counting paying anything towards my debts.

And does anyone know how Social Housing works? So if the council house me to prevent me going on the streets, what exactly does that entail?

Sorry for asking so many questions, but I really don't know much about this sort of thing and I'm quite worried about what will happen to me if I can't sort somewhere to move to soon.

Thanks in advance,
PupPup

cmw1212

The waiting list for social housing is likely to be very long but there is no harm in getting on it as soon as possible. I see your location says Gloucestershire so here is a link to their homefinder site
http://www.gloshomeseeker.co.uk/Data/ASPPages/1/6.aspx

PupPup

cmw1212 wrote: »

The waiting list for social housing is likely to be very long but there is no harm in getting on it as soon as possible. I see your location says Gloucestershire so here is a link to their homefinder site
http://www.gloshomeseeker.co.uk/Data/ASPPages/1/6.aspx

Thank you
PupPup

outofmoney

If, and it is a big If, the council house you it will be in a hostel or B&B type place. You will most likely need to share bathroom/kitchen etc, and most likely with people you would rather not.

Best bet is to find a place yourself. You may need to share still but you can be a bit more picky about whom with.

PupPup

Thanks outofmoney
The main problem I've got is as above - can't find anywhere I can afford on just HB if I can't get JSA for a while. 'Room Rate' isn't even enough to actually cover a room in my area!
PupPup

nicter

Try this site
http://www.spareroom.co.uk/

Fire_Fox

"Further, there is already a general Housing Benefit easement which entitles new claimants to have their rent met in full for 13 weeks if they have not claimed Housing Benefit in the last year and could afford their rent at the time they entered into their tenancy. This means that claimants who experience only a short spell of unemployment should not be forced to move and it gives others time to consider their housing options."
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/eia-hb-shared-accommodation-age-threshold.pdf

After that you just need to not get/ not stay eight weeks behind in your rent and the landlord cannot evict you with a section 8 within the fixed term. Note that eight weeks behind happens immediately you miss the second month's rent NOT after eight full weeks. So even making partial payments will make a difference. Try not to get evicted for non payment of rent (section 8) because the council may not rehouse you, they may if you get a no fault notice to quit (section 21) at the end of the fixed term and have extra 'points' for your health issues.

It's really helpful to look at essential and non essential bills - you don't legally need a TV license if you don't watch live broadcast TV for example, you can still watch catch up TV on the internet. You also don't need contents insurance to survive, whereas you do need to eat. I save loads on my electricity bills by not using much heating, but instead sitting in bed with the electric underblanket on.

Hump

Remember you can claim HB on a 'nil income' basis if you are refused JSA/ ESA for any reason. Clearly don't rely on the DWP HB form, make a separate HB claim to your local council.

The question for the local council's 'Housing Options / Homelessness Prevention Team' is whether your home is affordable for you (it's part of the 'reasonable to continued occupation' question they have to ask). Their Code of Guidance see http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/homelessnesscode para 8.29 sets the 'equation' as:

Rent + Council Tax + Reasonable Living Expenses (essentially your HB applicable amount (£71 if you are over 25 or £56.25pw under 25)) = Expenses

less your income = HB + Council Tax Benefit + wages + DWP benefits + other income

If the equation shows a surplus then your home is affordable and you're likely not homeless (in their eyes). If the equation shows a deficit then you are threatened with homelessness and the 'Housing Options / Homeless Prevention' team should do something.

They might help you apply for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) - in some councils they will hold these funds, in others the funds will be held by the HB department.

They might offer you assistance in moving into a cheaper (probably shared) accommodation - they might 'guarantee' your deposit.

They should take a homelessness application and write to you and tell you exactly what duty (if any) they have to you (if the home is clearly unaffordable within 28 days).

Good luck with them, don't let them off the hook, don't let them fob you off

PupPup

Thanks @nicter, I'll try that site now

@firefox: they did say something to me at my initial HB application meeting about the 13 weeks full rent, but that is my current flat which is £595 pcm, so obviously I won't be able to stay here beyond that as I'll have no income (unless I get lucky and find work before then). Which is a shame, because I love this flat

@hump thank you I have filled in a statement of nil income, so hopefully that will all be sorted once I give in my final payslip and get a statement of rent from my landlord. Hopefully he's emailed the council already

I'll get onto them all tomorrow and get something sorted
PupPup

PupPup

Hey all just wondering if anyone can help me? If my landlord wants his agent to do viewings, do I have any rights regarding being present? I'm happy for viewings to happen, but I'd rather be there as all my possessions are in the flat and I no longer have any contents insurance. Not to mention I just plain hate the idea of strangers nosing through my stuff.
Do they need my permission to do viewings or do they just have to give notice?
Thanks
PupPup

Yorkie1

As a matter of law, they must give 24 hours' written notice.

You are entitled to refuse all access if you wish, under your right to quiet enjoyment. Alternatively, you can set conditions under which you agree the viewings, e.g. certain times / days / that you are present.

If you have told them, in writing, of your conditions, they must not go against them without getting a court order first. If you think they will do so, then change the barrel of the lock (change it back at the end of the tenancy).

Obviously, if your LL / LA have been decent to you up till now, you might want to consider being as reasonable as you can back to them - but insisting on being present is entirely reasonable in my view.