Bedroom Tax / Under occupancy advice

Lou76

Regarding moving costs; try advertising on Freecycle/Gumtree etc; e.g. "Wanted, Man with a Van (and a bit of muscle...) blah blah blah...

If she's downsizing, I assume she'll have furniture that they can then take & sell on?

Before anyone thinks I've seriously lost the plot. This was an advert I saw on my local Freecycle, just after I paid £200+ (Pickfords quoted £1200 :eek: ) for a removal company to cart a few pieces less than a mile away, and I left bedroom/dining etc furniture behind (granted, I wanted/could afford to buy new, but it was all usable).

I think this might be the new generation 'house clearance'? :T

Dunroamin

supersaver2013 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, I'm trying to put a Tenner aside each month for possibility of a rental van....just hope I manage to save enough...I just wish she wasn't put in this position of moving by April

With three of you chipping in, it won't take long to get £50 together.

BigAunty

Is she going to appeal the ESA assessment or move onto JSA?

Look at something like a budgeting loan for removal costs if you don't manage to save enough.

Look into whether she can apply for discretionary housing payment if she doesn't manage to move by April.

SnooksNJ

supersaver2013 wrote: »

The council have almost run out of budget for helping people downsizing.... the chap said he only has enough for 1 or 2 more moves....so no go there

Do you know anyone with a van? Then get a bunch of guy friends and offer up beer and pizza to help with the move.

raq

my mother in law is going through similar. 2 bed , but over the last 3 years they have put a lot of money into the property and are happy. They also are pushed for money but they have decided to stay put an pay the extra as from april

Where i grew up there are so many couples still in the houses that I can remember from the late 70,s / early 80,s and still there. They will find it extremely difficult if they have to move.

BigAunty

coffeelover65 wrote: »

The government isn't actually expecting people to move into smaller accommodation as stupid as that sounds because the only way the figures stack up is if people stay in their current properties and take the financial hit which in your mothers case will see a reduction of 25% as there are 2 spare rooms.

So the govt just feigned a desire to fix the imbalance between the number of social housing tenants that are overcrowded despite the fact that a large proportion of other tenants have 1 or more spare rooms?

And they don't wish to see parity between the private and social housing sectors where private tenants have routinely had to move properties as their household size changes?

Morlock

BigAunty wrote: »

So the govt just feigned a desire to fix the imbalance between the number of social housing tenants that are overcrowded despite the fact that a large proportion of other tenants have 1 or more spare rooms?

Yes, because many social housing tenants remain unaffected, even where they are under-occupying, either because they are of pension credit age, or not claiming housing benefit.
Only tenants claiming housing benefit will be affected, it is a policy designed to cut housing benefit, not to solve the 'problem' of social housing tenants having one spare room (81% of those affected have only one spare room).

The government are aware that there is a shortage of one-bedroom properties for the majority of those that have to move or top-up rent, therefore those tenants have no choice but to pay rent from other benefits or become homeless.

supersaver2013

Hi, my mum is looking to appeal the decision...she has 0 points, even though she suffers from severe anxiety---anyway this is a different thread
With regards to DHP, I've arranged for the form to be sent out today. So hopefully this will cover to underpayment until a 1 bed property comes up (if she can have it).
To put another spanner in the works, the council states that she won't be able to move as she has a charge for "repairs" on her account.....this was for 2 external doors....she lost the keys and they advised that the whole doors had to be changed, she's been paying this back weekly out of her benefit, but while the arrears is there, she wouldnt be able to go, even if she was a successful bidder.

Also! there is a £200 odd debt from arpund 5/6 yrs ago, when she has an IVA (think its called that). She explained that she had this, and paid it off over a year ago. They went on to advise that even though they wont chase her for it, it will remain on the account and therefore scuppers her chance of moving to more social housing.

This situation gets worse for her. I need to win the lottery!

princessdon

Morlock wrote: »

Yes, because many social housing tenants remain unaffected, even where they are under-occupying, either because they are of pension credit age, or not claiming housing benefit.
Only tenants claiming housing benefit will be affected, it is a policy designed to cut housing benefit, not to solve the 'problem' of social housing tenants having one spare room (81% of those affected have only one spare room).

The government are aware that there is a shortage of one-bedroom properties for the majority of those that have to move or top-up rent, therefore those tenants have no choice but to pay rent from other benefits or become homeless.

Or they can give up their secure tennancy and move to private rental.

Morlock

princessdon wrote: »

Or they can give up their secure tennancy and move to private rental.

Yes, in to one of those non-existent, one-bedroom properties.