On HB and struggling to find a home

[Deleted User]

rainbowfootprints wrote: »

I'll pop into the council tomorrow afternoon. I did have a look at the social housing application rules and it looks like I wouldn't be eligible in this area as I only moved here 10 months ago (unless there's an eviction order) I might be eligible in the adjacent borough though, as I've worked there for years. I'll explore that avenue tomorrow too. Thanks x

Yes I am afraid that will cause problems. Try phoning Shelter for advice.

FBaby

Don't let the agencies give you the worse can scenario. It isn't a condition of mortgages that tenants shouldn't be claiming HB, it can impact on insurance, but that's not an absolute.

Most landlords don't want tenants on HB because they worry that if they stop paying and they have to take them to court for non payment, they won't get their non paid rent back because tenants have no income. Some also associate HB claimants with problems. They therefore say no HB claimants as a blanket statement.

You however have a full-time job and can evidence that you've been an excellent tenant, so go and look for properties (don't say you are in receipt of HB) and then if it comes to it and they say it's an issue, asked them to discuss it with the landlord.

In the end, it will come down to demand and supply. If the landlord is struggling to find their perfect tenant on paper, they will 'compromise'. I would suggest you try to go for the not so perfect places, at least those less likely to be of high interest, maybe because it needs some updating, or cleaning, or it is adjacent to a not so good area etc.... Good luck.

pmlindyloo

if you have no luck with letting agents then try looking in local newspapers/shop windows/asking neighbours/colleagues.

If you let everyone know that you are looking for a somewhere to rent then it may be possible to do a totally private deal.

HappyMJ

rainbowfootprints wrote: »

Thanks Pixie, it's good to know what I can do if worst comes to worst. I'd rather avoid that route if at all possible.

Gallygirl - Thanks. I was thinking about keeping quiet about it but wouldn't HB come up in my credit checks? Last time I moved I had to provide bank statements and of course the HB appears there.

HappyMJ, unfortunately the rent around here is horribly high. The cheapest 3 bed is £995 and my income is nothing like 2.5 x that! I would find it very hard to lose the HB right now.

Housing Benefit does not appear on credit checks and it's property based. You can get it for one property in an area and not qualify for any at all in another area. You also do not apply for it until you've moved in so as long as you don't need it to pay the rent then you don't need to mention it.

£995 is a very expensive area to live. Have you considered moving to a cheaper area of town? What's the LHA rate for your area?

How about renting a 2 bedroom flat with double bedrooms and have the children share the bedroom...or you occupy the smaller bedroom and the children have the larger bedroom? Yes they might be 17 and 12 but they can share.

PasturesNew

Could you extend your search to be a 2-bed house with one bedroom larger than "the norm" that they could share?

rainbowfootprints

Thanks everyone for all your thoughts and suggestions.

I went to the council on Monday and started the process of joining their rent guarantee scheme and registering for social housing. I found out that there are 10,000 people on the social housing waiting list in Reading, and that people who they put in emergency accommodation in November are still there now. Big businesses are buying up whole blocks of flats and letting them to people who can't afford to live in London any longer, which is putting enormous pressure on the rest of the rental market.

On the bright side, if worst comes to worst I won't be street-homeless, as I have dependent children. (We also have friends who we can stay with if need be so won't have to be in a b&b I think)

I'm continuing to look. I'm telling everyone I know I'm looking. Today I'm going to visit all the estate agents I can find. My new strategy with Rightmove is to sort from oldest to newest (I had been doing it the other way round with an instant alert to my inbox, as houses go in the blink of an eye) so that I can start with the ones that nobody wants. I've always been looking at 2 bed houses as well as 3 beds, as there are often ways to manage space (I slept on a sofa bed in the living room for 7 years previously)

I've also registered with the local country estates as their houses tend to be long term and they seem happy to accept HB (no mortgage to pay of course)

As hard as all this is, I have a job I love, my daughters are safe and well, we have friends and family who are there for us, and there is food on the table. I'm grateful for what we have and am mindful of all the people who have nothing.

Thanks again everyone. xxxx

[Deleted User]

I appreciate why you are looking for places that no one wants to rent.., but don't let desperation convince you to take something that's going to be a nightmare. Been there done it with a place with dodgy electrics, a boiler that kept breaking down, roof that feel in etc and a LL who wouldn't do repairs. Its an experience that will never leave me.

Have a long talk with the council, find out what they do re emergency housing - not all councils put families in B&B miles out, and if they do, its only supposed to be short term - they are supposed to move you into a flat etc after a few weeks (phone Shelter for clarification).

I assume at the moment you only have a S21. If the council may have to rehouse you, be careful not to move out until the bailiffs actually evict you. You could be found voluntarily homeless if you move out sooner. So you probably have a couple of months after the end of the S21, unless the LL gets CC sheriffs in (ask them).

The problem is, the more anxious you get about being homeless the more at risk you are of making a bad move or even being scammed (finding a 'LL' who takes deposit etc but doesn't actually own the property).

I am in emergency accommodation and I'm afraid it looks like I'll be here years. If there are 10k on the list, you'll be waiting years. Sorry I can't be more positive but its best you know what you are dealing with.

glasgowdan

Have you any savings? You can often convince a smaller letting agency that you've no problem covering rent if you can show you've got at least 6 month's rent in your account, even if you won't technically pass their credit check due to lower income. I'd go down the line of looking on gumtree and local noticeboards for private landlords renting out with less vigorous checking procedures.