Facing homelessness

moldypeach

Hi all, posting here as a long time lurker, as I have seen a lot of great advice offered to people in the past.

Kind of a long story, but here goes. My boyfriend and I have been living in a static caravan on a holiday site for last 5 years - the site has an 11 month license, closing in February. We've only stayed here because we simply cannot afford private rents in the area (South East). I'm in a low paid job and my boyfriend is unemployed but of course trying to find work/taking any cash in hand work he can find etc in the meantime, but it is simply not enough. You're lucky to find a 1 bedroom house share for anything less than £600 per month in this area, it's just beyond extortionate. The caravan was owned by my boyfriend's granddad, which is why we ended up in it as it was the only place we had to go at the time. He sold the caravan to us for very low price and we are now the owners. We usually save up during the year and rent a short let/holiday cottage for the month of February. In past years there has never been an issue.

Well as I'm sure everyone is aware, this year we have had all the awful flooding in the south east. Our caravan is situated by the river side, however we're on top of a slight hill and whilst some of the other vans on the site did get flooded, ours has always been too high off the ground for the flooding to reach. During the first floods in January, we simply had to don waders when going out! The site owner demanded that everyone leave but of course we and a few others had no where else to go and we just had to stay in spite of this. Now during February there have been floods again, and whilst away we have received a letter by email from the site owner saying they wont re-open the site until "hopefully Easter time"! She states that they want sufficient time for the site to 'dry out' and for them to clear away debris (the only debris is basically people's various garden furniture that's floated about!) She also says that the sewerage pump has no power and that they won't attempt to switch it back until the site has dried out. We know this has got to be a lie because her own home (a park home on the residential part of the site) is connected to this pump (illegally, I might add - none are legally allowed to share the sewerage pump with the holiday part of the site) as well as a couple other residential park homes, and she simply would not be able to leave it without power for so long. After the flooding in January, they were able to switch all electrics back on after 1 week so I simply don't understand why they now say they will wait until Easter to do it this time!

Receiving this letter was quite a nasty shock, as we have no where else to go. Our accommodation for February cost us £1300, which took us months to save. On top of this, we have 2 dogs so trying to scrape money together for a B&B or something won't work. We have no one who can take them for us. It was never our intention to have dogs permanently but if we hadn't taken them in, it would have been the pound for them and we just couldn't bear that (they were my boyfriend's dogs with his ex, he raised them etc and she wanted to get rid). The only family in the area is my boyfriend's 96 yr old granddad, who lives in a 1 bedroom park home with his dog, certainly no room there for 2 more adults and 2 dogs. I've been so distressed from the worry my doctor prescribed a sleep/antidepressant medication. We managed to get another week at the cottage we're staying for Feb, but this only takes us to the 8th March. After that they have another booking and we couldn't afford to stay further anyway.

We have an appointment with a homelessness officer with the Council on 5th March - I suppose they cant see us sooner as we're not 'imminently' homeless until then. They have said they have a duty to house us temporarily because we've been made homeless due to flooding. However they have also said its very unlikely they accommodate us with our dogs. I'm wondering what our rights are should we just have to go back to the caravan and take our chances. The water levels will certainly be down to normal by then. We own the caravan and pay the pitching fee for 11 months. Its a 30ft static so we can't just up and move it somewhere! The site owner herself we know is breaking a lot of council and EA rules, and we wonder whether a threat to get such authorities round for a look at conditions would scare her into relenting - us being there would really have impact positive or negative on her. She is generally a very difficult person and is quite unpleasant, so it really feels like an uphill struggle to get her to show some heart. She is aware that she is making us homeless by doing this.

Just at a complete loss what to do, especially if the council are unable to house us with the dogs. We can't afford 2 months worth of kennel fees that's for sure. My doctor suggested we also see the CAB, which we will try to do in the meantime. If anyone has any advice or experience/ideas it would be greatly appreciated.

Truly one of the many pitfalls trying to get by living in a static, really would not advise anyone to do it unless you have no choice financially

moneyistooshorttomention

It doesn't sound like she is even planning to refund you that portion of your site fee that would be due for time you are supposed to be occupying the site/normally would be occupying the site.

I would imagine that is an expense an insurance company would stump up for (ie HER insurance company). That is, refunding her for loss of income.

What is the position re this? Is she still expecting you to pay full normal site fee for the time she is trying to tell you you cant stay there out of your 11 months worth of "time"?

In your position, I would be inclined to "face her out" and just stay put during all my "time" and let her try and be nasty...but I guess it's useful to get all attendant queries worked out, so as to see if there is another way forward.

BigAunty

moldypeach wrote: »

We have an appointment with a homelessness officer with the Council on 5th March - I suppose they cant see us sooner as we're not 'imminently' homeless until then. They have said they have a duty to house us temporarily because we've been made homeless due to flooding. However they have also said its very unlikely they accommodate us with our dogs.

I'm wondering what our rights are should we just have to go back to the caravan and take our chances.

Some councils are a lot more nimble or better resourced than yours and actually have drop-in offices for the homeless.

The definition of homelessness is having no security of tenure past the next 28 days - you don't actually need to be street homeless to get council advice or support.

Contact Shelter asap. See their section on homelessness which indicates what the council is supposed to do (as opposed to what they may try to do). They have a homelessness rights checker on the website, too.

Their website also has a section on mobile home living and should have some advice there about your rights.

You could consider contacting some pet charities to see if they know whether there are any organisations that may offer something like a cheap or free fostering service for dogs or suggest other ways of dealing with the dogs.

RAS

Check out the Cinnamon Trust re the pets, although they have probably already recieved a mass of enquiries because of the floods.

How much the the Local Housing Allowance for a one bedroom property in your area http://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/search.aspx for longer term solutions

Then go to www.turn2us.org.uk to see if you could get any help; you would have to apply as a couple.

GwylimT

If your dogs are insured it is likely they have kennel/boarding cover, so if you have insured them have a look at your documents.

Your own household insurance might cover your housing costs until you are able to move back on to the sight, also, during times that people are unable to live in their homes they are receiving a discount in their council tax.

jackyann

So sorry to hear this.
I would approach your local PDSA / RSPCA / other dog charity and explain your predicament. It may not be ideal, but if absolutely necessary, they will try to "temporarily foster" your dogs during that period, and you should be able to visit them.
Emphasise to the council that your predicament is because of flooding - although they won't really do anything until the date you are homeless, they may well approach the site owner & deal with her. If you do it that way, you are not "threatening" just following the proper procedure for people about to be homeless.
I would also look on Shelter's website, ask for advice, and contact any local organisations that deal with homelessness (depends a lot on where you are). I used to be in contact with an organisation that dealt with the problems of static caravan owners - I can't remember their name, but am sure that Shelter will point you in the right direction.
Good luck

moon_river

Sorry to hear that, but have you tried other agencies in South East?

Not sure which part of SE are you from, but here are a couple of agencies I can think of..

http://www.southdownhousing.org/services/housing-support/homeworks/

http://www.orbit.org.uk/main.cfm

Sorry that I can't help with the pet's situation, but hope it helps.

sitesafe

Whereabouts are you in the southeast? Only asking as I used to live in Windsor/Eton and have a friend who is a dog walker and also does fostering etc at his house. He's really kind hearted and well known around the area. And yes, the cost of renting a double room in this area is at the very least 500 a month in Windsor and often that is for just one person and usually they want no pets and both people employed if it's a couple.

I guess the flooding has caused many to become homeless - so sorry to hear about your situation - heart-breaking it can be to have to leave you home and pets.

Maybe you could put an ad up somewhere looking for a temporary home for the pets where you can still come and visit until you get yourselves sorted? A postcard in a local newsagents window, dog groom parlour or vets rather than the likes of Gumtree.

Let me know if you want me to pass on the number to you and I will send it in a private message.

SomeUser

In a former life, I was a housing and homelessness officer before I moved into pensions. It actually sounds like you have a pretty good Council, most would have fobbed you off (irrespective of the legislation). The way I see it, you've got two slightly separate issues:

1. long term housing issues
2. short term housing issues

Both of which are complicated by your dogs.

I can't help with the dogs, but there seems to be lots of good advice above. The Council may help in the short term. Regarding your appointment, they cannot legally refuse to accept a homeless application from you if you are "homeless or threatened with homelessness within 28 days" as BigAunty has stated above. You are perfectly within your rights to turn up at the office and insist on making a homeless application then and there, and legally they cannot refuse.

Shelter and/or CAB can be a great help. Councils often hide behind the fact that a layperson doesn't know the legislation, whereas Shelter or CAB will advocate for your legal rights.

In the longer term, it's highly unlikely that you'll be housed by the Council under continuing homelessness legislation, however you are entitled to go on the list for a Council/HA property and many Councils have deposit schemes for private rented properties and can help you get one which will accept housing benefit, that you would likely qualify for based on what you've said.

It's in the Council's interest to help resolve the issues with your current accommodation. Insisting on a homelessness application and taking a line such as, "we don't want to apply to you but we have no choice because of the site owner. Ideally we want you to help prevent us from becoming homeless" might help.

The rules she's flouting are a different department in the Council though, the left arm isn't that great at communicating with the right arm.

Anyway, get Shelter or CAB on the case. Shelter can be a bit, well, militant and the very opposite of Councils, trying to stretch the legislation to suit their purposes but they know the law well. I always found CAB fair, clued up and reasonable but both will get you results.

Good luck

moldypeach

It doesn't sound like she is even planning to refund you that portion of your site fee that would be due for time you are supposed to be occupying the site/normally would be occupying the site.

I would imagine that is an expense an insurance company would stump up for (ie HER insurance company). That is, refunding her for loss of income.

What is the position re this?

Interestingly this is not something she has even bothered to mention, which is probably telling as to her intentions i.e. will happily take our money regardless.

Whereabouts are you in the southeast?

We are in Oxford, and the particular Council is that for South Oxfordshire. Basically all parts of Oxford be it north, south, east or west, are extortionate so far as private rents are concerned. I would not be surprised to learn that it is one of the most expensive areas in the country to live.

We are already on the Council's housing list, however, they have put us on the lowest priority band '4', meaning they consider us, somehow, adequately housed and we are unable to actually bid on any properties (if nothing else we don't have sewerage which surely makes it inadequate? Toilet is shared with all others staying on the holiday site and is a distance to walk. As well as having, essentially, no fixed abode and cannot go on electoral roll etc). I have recently put in appeal about this to hopefully be rebanded but they are still within their 20 day period to reply so I don't know the outcome of that yet. Does anyone know if our current situation would have any impact/sway on the appeal for long term housing? Truly if we could somehow have avoided ending up in this situation, we would have grasped it with both hands!

Thank you all for the advice so far, we do plan to contact the CAB. My doctor was also very sympathetic and told me that if there is anything he can do to help, I need only go back to him i.e. a doctor's letter perhaps explaining the emotional distress this has caused me (I broke down in his office). Thank you all for the advice re the pets, will look into everything suggested and hope we find something that can help.

silvercar

If the site has an 11 month licence that is because it is for holiday/ 2nd home use only and not as a main residence. This should make your claim of homelessness easier as the static can't be regarded as a residential home.

You may decide to wear waders and stay put, but that is hardly fair or healthy for the dogs. Really you need to find a long term housing solution.