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Problem with advance rent for housing association property
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I received the offer letter last Saturday and the landlord wants 4 weeks advance rent which is approx £530.
I started ringing places on monday to try get help as the landlord wanted the advance rent on this Thursday just gone before I could sign the tenancy.
I have kept them up to speed on what I have been doing to try raise this including getting a discretionary housing payment. To make things worse I have had my mobility scooter taken off me so now have no way of getting around to hand forms in or go see people who maybe able to help.
I rang landlord and advised them of this and I offered to pay them my next DLA payment which is due next Tuesday to show I am serious but they told me if I don't come up with the total amount by Tuesday then I will lose the property.
Is there anything I can do because I really cannot lose this property.
How about a payday loan? Very high interest rates but if you "cannot lose this property" then it's an option. If you don't pay the rent you don't get the property.:footie:Regular savers earn 6% interest (HSBC, First Direct, M&S)
Loans cost 2.9% per year (Nationwide) = FREE money.
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I strongly suggest you go to the council's housing department. They often give grants and loans to cover the month's rent in advance/deposit with private rentals.., I would think they will help here also. Its well worth asking.
To be honest, you should have been saving up for this eventuallity, you are in emergency accommodation so something like this was one of the things that could happen.
But ask the council. The worst they can say is no, but its unlikely. Hopefully you are in one of the 'vulnerable' groups which will make you a priority for assistance.0 -
moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »I do genuinely sympathise - but it's best for you to start from the viewpoint that the HA will struggle to visualise how someone can be in a position to:
- not have a few hundred £s available
AND
- not have a chequebook
AND
- not have a credit card
and I confess that I would be wondering how that situation had come about if I were in the HA's position.
The HA give priority to people who are in desperate need, there is likely to be a heavy overlap between those in need and those who satisfy the conditions you list.I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages & student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.0 -
I am in temporary accommodation as been waiting to move in. My rent will be covered by housing benefit and the housing association expecting a person who cannot work to come up with the amount they want in what was 3 days and now extended to 7 days is unreasonable.
When you say temporary accommodation - is that accommodation provided by the Council as you were homeless? If so speak to the Officer at the Council who arranged this for you. Find out what they can suggest, and what happens if you cannot afford the month's rent, as you would then be unable to move out of the temporary accommodation which cannot be right. They must be able to help either by a grant or loan for the month's rent, or by speaking to the HA to get this waived.0 -
moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »I do genuinely sympathise - but it's best for you to start from the viewpoint that the HA will struggle to visualise how someone can be in a position to:
- not have a few hundred £s available
AND
- not have a chequebook
AND
- not have a credit card
and I confess that I would be wondering how that situation had come about if I were in the HA's position.
Because I am puzzled personally at how you are in this situation - then can you see why the HA might be puzzled as well?? Maybe if you can explain to them how this situation has come to be then - maybe/just maybe - there might be some leeway for them...
You may class £500 odd as a few hundred and be able to come up with it in a couple of days but the majority of people would class that amount as a hell of a lot of money,
Credit cards get you into debt and I consider them an unecessessary product and my bank doesn't do chequebooks.
The housing association are fully aware of the situation which puzzles me and I find their stance a disgrace especially when they see that in my previous property I never missed a months payment of rent so I confess to their lack of understanding in the matter especially as I offered to pay my next payment of DLA.0 -
deannatrois wrote: »I strongly suggest you go to the council's housing department. They often give grants and loans to cover the month's rent in advance/deposit with private rentals.., I would think they will help here also. Its well worth asking.
To be honest, you should have been saving up for this eventuallity, you are in emergency accommodation so something like this was one of the things that could happen.
But ask the council. The worst they can say is no, but its unlikely. Hopefully you are in one of the 'vulnerable' groups which will make you a priority for assistance.
I have contacted the local housing advice twice and on both times was advised that they only help with private rental properties.
I am classed as vulnerable and I don't really want to post details on here the council and HA are fully aware of the situation and yes a normal person without any illness or problems going on in life would have saved but unfortunately that's not happened.0 -
The HA give priority to people who are in desperate need, there is likely to be a heavy overlap between those in need and those who satisfy the conditions you list.
I haven't listed everything as I don't want to put every little personal detail on here but rest assured I qualified under the HA's policy of desperate need.0 -
When you say temporary accommodation - is that accommodation provided by the Council as you were homeless? If so speak to the Officer at the Council who arranged this for you. Find out what they can suggest, and what happens if you cannot afford the month's rent, as you would then be unable to move out of the temporary accommodation which cannot be right. They must be able to help either by a grant or loan for the month's rent, or by speaking to the HA to get this waived.
Yes I'm in a place provided by local housing because I was homeless.
When I asked them previously about help they suggested the CAB, family or friends or a local charity, the local charity advised me that it would take a few weeks to maybe help. The CAB couldn't believe that I was being given such a short time to come up with such an amount and I don't have rich friends or family.
I was counting on a discretionary housing payment but again that takes longer than the ridiculous deadline I've been given.0 -
The HA give priority to people who are in desperate need, there is likely to be a heavy overlap between those in need and those who satisfy the conditions you list.I haven't listed everything as I don't want to put every little personal detail on here but rest assured I qualified under the HA's policy of desperate need.
Silvercar wasn't responding to you, but to this post below, pointing out why you possibly didn't have all those items that apparently everybody has. Until recently, I also didn't have a few hundred quid in savings, I can't remember the last time I saw my cheque book, and I don't have 1 credit card, let alone several as some people seem to.moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »I do genuinely sympathise - but it's best for you to start from the viewpoint that the HA will struggle to visualise how someone can be in a position to:
- not have a few hundred £s available
AND
- not have a chequebook
AND
- not have a credit card
and I confess that I would be wondering how that situation had come about if I were in the HA's position.
Because I am puzzled personally at how you are in this situation - then can you see why the HA might be puzzled as well?? Maybe if you can explain to them how this situation has come to be then - maybe/just maybe - there might be some leeway for them...0 -
Yes I'm in a place provided by local housing because I was homeless.
When I asked them previously about help they suggested the CAB, family or friends or a local charity, the local charity advised me that it would take a few weeks to maybe help. The CAB couldn't believe that I was being given such a short time to come up with such an amount and I don't have rich friends or family.
I was counting on a discretionary housing payment but again that takes longer than the ridiculous deadline I've been given.
If the circumstances are as you describe and you will qualify for full housing benefit then you should not need to pay any rent up front.
Instead the HA should ensure you have completed the form to transfer the HB to your new address and should do this with you when you sign the tenancy agreement.
They should have asked to see proof of your income so that they know that you will qualify for full HB - have they asked for this?0
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