threat of eviction, anyone know how easy/hard it is to get up to Band A?

ripplyuk

That sounds so awful faerielight. I was in a similar situation last year and also have mental health problems (feel free to PM me if you want). My rented house was flooding every time it rained. Landlord refused to repair it and became quite aggressive. He eventually removed the roof completely from the kitchen then cleared off abroad for a few weeks!

I got great advice from a local housing rights service and from people on this forum. Have you spoken to Shelter? I eventually was accepted as homeless and was given a higher priority. They explained that this was not because I had health problems, it was specifically because my health problems were getting much worse, due to my housing conditions.

One thing I know that helped was changing my areas of choice for housing. I found local council reports online and picked areas that had low demand. I had already been on the waiting list for 8 years but by changing my areas of choice and getting the higher priority, I got an offer of a house very quickly. I still can't believe how lucky I am so don't give up. I know how terribly stressful it is.

I'd definitely get a new GP, especially if they don't understand mental illness. That's the last thing you need! Do you have a social worker or a CPN? Your GP can refer you to either and they might be able to help.

Guest101

Sorry if I missed it but any reason to not rent privately again?

faerielight

because housing benefit has been capped at 650 and flats are now 950 PCM, minimum. in my city, and landlords don't take dss any more in my place.I have a friend who is currently homeless and she's no benefits. She could not find any one to rent to.
Also, I need the stability of a permanent home, I'm disabled, ill and in and out of hospital have big surgeries. I'm too old and mashed up to keep getting evicted every 5 years. I can't go through it any more. I've been homeless 3 times.
Thanks Rippluk, I am so glad that you got a house in the end!Were you in temp accommodation for a while? what was it like? I don't have a cpn, I have in the past, I've not had any mental health support for 5 years.. but..
I had some good news today, I am getting assessed for mental health support in 5 weeks. I'm finally near the top of the list! Yay! it's a specialist BPD/trauma service, there is a day centre and lots of drop ins and support. I have been hanging on by a thread for years! Phewee

trevormax

When was the last time you had a gas safety checkup? Is your LL's agency doing what is required of them? Have you got evidence (written or emails) to confirm you have reported the issues to your agency?

You could have a chat with your local councils private sector LL team and ask them to get involved. I don't think it will help you get higher on the housing list but it may spur the agency or whoever is the new LL to get the repairs sorted. Even if you do end up going in to a council property, it could be a goodbye kick up the backside for the agency to prevent anyone else having to live in such conditions.

ripplyuk

I didn't go into temporary accommodation as the housing officer said that the hostels they use wouldn't be suitable for me with my health problems and they had nothing else. I agreed with them as I would never have coped being around lots of strangers. Other councils have more flats and houses as temporary accommodation which might be an option for you.

I understand how hard it is to find another private rent. There's so few that are affordable. I only found one agency that would accept people on housing benefit and they never offered me anything. So, I started looking in papers/gumtree etc but most landlords were the same. It didn't help either that I couldn't get a good reference from my previous landlord. I got really close one time but the landlord changed his mind at the last minute. I guess he found someone else who wasn't getting housing benefit.

It's great news that you'll be getting some support soon. Hopefully it won't be too long before something comes up for you. xx

[Deleted User]

OP, I totally understand, LHA now is often not even close to the level rent is at in many areas. I did check a wide range of areas when I was being evicted.

I too knew I could not take going through this horrible process in another six month - a year. And as I had services set up in this area, we had good reason to stay in the local area. Its one of the few things that wasn't questioned by housing.

Do remember that Housing will do their best to put you off. What they say may NOT BE TRUE. I too was told there was nothing available.., but there was.., this place, for a month at least before I was given the keys. But I had to be evicted to get it.

I managed to get a two bed maisonette rather than be put in single room accommodation (where the council told me they normally put families) because of the family's special needs. As I have said, I was told that such temporary accommodation did not exist. But guess what, they found it (and with the eviction process taking months, they do have time to find such property). It sounds to me as if you have even more need. Use them. Of course the council doesn't want to have to hunt down a flat with a wet room but I guarantee you they do exist. Far easier if they can just put you off.

But don't let them do this. You do not have to go to a hostel, you can make a case that this would cause harm to you because its not adapted to meet your needs.., like I did with my family. You will need professionals to write letters supporting this. I spent ages queuing up medical/professional reports. Change your GP, find out if your local community mental health unit has a housing officer (mine does). See if your council has a vulnerable person's unit, get yourself a social worker. It all helps. Its what you have to do. Once they were submitted, all the arguments fell away. It didn't matter if they had 'suitable' property or not, they had to find it because the need had been assessed as existing. They aren't allowed to put you somewhere where you will be harmed. You don't have to just wait for this appointment.., see if the services I have mentioned above exist as well. I had to waste time on a fair few blind alleys to find a way to get the help we needed. If the person you speak to can't help, ask if they know someone who can. Is there a Bipolar charity that might help? Or an advocacy service?

I am sorry, I know its a lot of things to do.., just make a list in a book and hit them one by one. It makes it feel like less of a big job then (what I did).

I will be in this temporary accommodation for at least two years (others have been). So define temporary and then add another 18 months lol. Think about it, however familiar it is, is it not better to move to somewhere 'temporary' but working - like with a shower without free floating sewage? I know where I'd rather be (my ex private rental or here) and I've got two autistic children who don't adapt to change very well. I get stressed way too easily, co-ordinating the move was a nightmare.., but it was doable. We are all very happy here and it was only when we moved we really realised how bad it was in the private rental. I probably sound a bit grasping, but I would far rather have not had to do all this if I could have found a private rental. Would have been easier too. But no way was I going to let this family be on the streets either.

faerielight

Trevormax, thanks for your reply.. environmental health will warn the landlord but they told me it's 99% likely I'll be evicted anyway, as they would have to get me out to do the sewage repairs as it means digging up my floor, so I'm too terrified of speeding up the inevitable eviction. I need to buy myself more time for a council place. Deanatrois, thanks for sharing your story. I'm so glad you and your children were placed in a suitable place.
I have Borderline Personality Disorder, plus severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, there don't seems to be any charities for those illnesses, , and I really struggle with change or stress.

You're right about councils not being forthcoming with available temporary accommodation. When I spoke to them, they refused to give me a housing worker until after the section 21 is served and a few days before the baillifs come.It's such a terrifying prospective. I've gone through such a lot of trauma these last 5 years, with medical negligence almost killing me after they disbelieved I was ill. My bowel had perforated, but because of my BPD diagnosis, they refused me a scan for 5 days thinking I was just attention seeking (of which I have no history of at A and E!), I ended up in the ICU on life support in a coma, had to have a colostomy for 3 years, and am so damaged from it, hence the PTSD, and subsequent 5 major surgeries . I've been trough enough, only had my last surgery 3 months ago, and that was traumatic, as the hospital is in driis, so they cancelled the surgery 3 times, my hernia strangulated and it was another race to save my life. This housing thing is really destabilising me. I just want a safe place I can rest, recoup and recover. At least until my next surgery.

It will be such a blessed relief to not have to witness the periodic filling of my patio and shower with sewage. And to be able to wash every day.. It will change my life! I've been living not in dehumanising way for so many years now. I really can't live like this for much longer