Housing Association Eviction - what can we do?

PlanHappy

Edit: to respond to your additional comments regarding her mental health.

It does indeed interfere with her work. She has been depressed to some degree or another for as long as I can remember and has previously attempted suicide; she frequently makes poor life decisions (like this) because it's always in the back of her head that she will have killed herself within the next few years. (I apologise if that is too blunt.) She has tried, and rejected, both medication and therapy; as far as I know she hasn't even registered with a GP in her area (she moved up north a couple of years ago, via a council house swap). She had a steady job before she moved but was increasingly taking time off sick. After she moved she worked on and off as a supply teacher when she felt up to it and work was available, which is largely how she got into this mess. She now has a temp sickness cover job that becomes permanent in September, but she won't be paid over the summer. That job is of course now at risk due to her housing issues.

I agree she needs bigger help. I am just at a loss over how to get her to take it, and given her history, concerned about how she will react to homelessness.

PlanHappy

"she can't very well say that she couldn't afford the rent"

If I'm right about when she got into arrears - and I can only deduce so much without her telling me directly - she couldn't afford the rent at the time, which is to say, around a year ago when her supply work was more erratic. I don't think she chose not to pay it. Either way, surely the salient point (if an appeal are possible, which seems to be in doubt) is not why it was not paid, but ensuring that it is settled and paid on time from now on?

Cheeky_Monkey

As your mother has gone to your sister's, maybe she is best placed to help her, especially as you said that the reason she won't talk to you is because you are trying to 'organise' her finances?

Cheeky_Monkey

PlanHappy wrote: »

"she can't very well say that she couldn't afford the rent"

If I'm right about when she got into arrears - and I can only deduce so much without her telling me directly - she couldn't afford the rent at the time, which is to say, around a year ago when her supply work was more erratic. I don't think she chose not to pay it. Either way, surely the salient point (if an appeal are possible, which seems to be in doubt) is not why it was not paid, but ensuring that it is settled and paid on time from now on?

But it is relevant and, as far as the HA is concerned, you may well be prepared to pay off the arrears but you are not in a position to guarantee that her rent would be paid in the future.

PlanHappy

That's the main reason I'm trying to help from afar. My sister has three small children, a full time minimum wage job working nights in a care home, and her own mental health issues to contend with (which she is managing much better than my mother). She's in the firing line because she lives 10 miles from my mother, rather than 300 like me. But she can't cope with this on her own, which is why she called me.

PlanHappy

Yes, true. I don't know whether that's part of their process but they would certainly be justified in being concerned.

[Deleted User]

I am sorry, I wish there was more we could do to help. The only thing I can think of is to get your sisters GP to see her as an emergency.., or get your sister to take her to her local GP.

Obviously she needs some counselling. Some GP surgeries offer a 6 week counselling course which might help to get her to a point where she sees she does need help with her outlook on things.

Don't accept mine or anyone else's word on the eviction, please phone Shelter and confirm or otherwise. They are the experts. We could be wrong after all. I hope we are.

xylophone

On what grounds would your mother be sacked? You seem to be suggesting that she has no difficulties in holding down her job despite her lack of organisation and "mental health issues"?

Will the HA discuss your mother's affairs with you?

stator

First job would be to open her post and check that she was evicted legally. Since it's a H.A. they probably did things by the book.

PlanHappy

"On what grounds would your mother be sacked? You seem to be suggesting that she has no difficulties in holding down her job despite her lack of organisation and "mental health issues"?"

She's organised enough when it comes to work, just not her finances (or general personal life). See above for how her mental health affects her work. To be honest though I had a much better idea of how she was doing when she lived down south near me. Now things seem to be worse. Possibly she wouldn't be able to hold down her permanent job come September.

I don't think it's ludicrous to assist that homelessness is a risk to her job. She can't stay at my sister's long term, as I've six. Her only other relatives are down south, nowhere near commutable. No idea whare she might end up now but a good chance that it would affect her ability to contribute this job.

"Will the HA discuss your mother's affairs with you?"

No idea. I doubt they will disclose any info about her to me. But if I get their agreement to accept payment from me, that might encourage my mother to get the rest of the info I need for me - namely the actual amount.