Urgent, at risk of being homeless, please help!

RiRi_Chambers

Hi
I've been privately renting my flat for 7 years. Last year I was hospitalised for mental health reasons for 3 months. During this time I did not pay any rent at all and had no income at all (I am self employed). I managed to get out of hospital although I am still not in very good shape. I am now paying my rent again. But the 3 months arrears remain.

My landlord served me with a Section 8 notice. I've now been given a court hearing date which is in a few weeks. I do not have enough money to pay the deposit and advance rent on a new place to live. I don't have any family or friends I could stay with even temporarily.

It seems there is a very strong likelihood of me actually sleeping in the streets after the hearing. The fear and anxiety of that is aggravating my mental health problems and I'm in such a state that I can't even think straight. I'm really not well now and although I can express myself reasonably enough in written words (I think) in person I'm now I think in a visibly out of it state. I'm under the care of a psychiatrist who I am seeing again later today.

Is there anything I could be doing to help avoid homelessness?

whitewing

I believe other users of the site have had good advice from Shelter. This is a link to the England pages http://england.shelter.org.uk/

Are you in England? Laws are different elsewhere, I believe.

RiRi_Chambers

Hi Whitewing, yes I'm in England

monty-doggy

Have you asked your landlord if you can make slightly bigger payments to eventually clear the arrears?

Are you claiming housing benefit? If you are, you can apply for a discretionary housing benefit which might help. Or there is something called the social fund that may give you a grant or interest free crisis loan.

Call CAB or shelter, and also welfare rights for help.

I hope things work out for you xx

RAS

Hi

Depending what part of section 8, as long as you get the rent arrears down below 2 months by the court date even at the door of the court), eviction is discretionary. Can you achieve that?

Why or why did no one in the residential unit bother to check whether your accomodation was secure and help you claim LHA whilst you were there?

RiRi_Chambers

Landlord has refused any sort of payment plan.

RiRi_Chambers

RAS wrote: »

Hi

Depending what part of section 8, as long as you get the rent arrears down below 2 months by the court date even at the door of the court), eviction is discretionary. Can you achieve that?

Why or why did no one in the residential unit bother to check whether your accomodation was secure and help you claim LHA whilst you were there?

I have one uncle who is generally an unreliable guy but he does have money. He's claimed he is willing to pay down my arrears before the court date so that they are below 8 weeks in arrears. He can certainly afford to do so in the financial sense but it's touch and go as to whether he actually will do it. Presuming he does do it, the judge still has the right to kick me out anyway? But I guess if the arrears are not too high it is possible a judge might let me stay? Or at least give me a bit more time to find a new home?

RiRi_Chambers

It wouldn't surprise me if my psychiatrist today advises me to try to get into council housing. From what I've heard this would involve shared accommodation possibly with strangers of the opposite sex. I'm not in a fit state to cope with that

RAS

You need to talk to Shelter and have your S8 to hand.

There are several types of S8 notice and one fails completely if the arrears are below 2 months.

So please speak to Shelter.