Homeless in 10 days refused RSL allocation

missbiggles1

JazzaG wrote: »

We were claiming SMI. This is a payment towards interest only paid at 1/4% above Bank of England base rate, regardless of the percentage of interest your Building Society Charges. No payment is made to reduce the capital. In recent years, SMI has paid less than £13 per week towards our housing costs, in contrast to the £90-£120 per week housing benefit paid to low income renters.

If you were claiming SMI, why did you need to pay the mortgage out of your IS? I don't mean to pry but it seems relevant to the question of whether you're intentionally homeless.

JazzaG

The SMI did not cover all the interest, I made a choice to contribute the £45 per month so that we did not get in arrears. Any surplus has reduced the capital owed by about £3000.

Detroit

Please be very careful about plans to spend any of the capital as you don't want to fall foul of the deprivation of capital rules, which could impact your future benefits. Some spending will be permissible, and there is guidance on this, which a benefit adviser could talk you through if you contact CAB or other advice charity.
I really think this is worth a visit to Shelter, as they can advise you on any rights you may have to appeal the decision, sometimes there is discretion in exceptional circumstances. They would also explain any other options open to you.
Your MP may also be helpful, if only to get you a quick referral to sources of help.

[Deleted User]

I am sorry but even starting from absolutely nothing.., £10K is a lot more money than I would ever have to spend furnishing a house, and I still managed it.

Try charity shops (British Heart Foundation shops often have very good quality stuff - I bought an as new corner sofa for £200 from there recently - would have cost £900 new - and as I have arthritis and back problems needed something of a certain height which they had, its extremely comfortable lol, seen lots of good quality beds and mattresses, they also do washing machines, fridges, TVs etc). They also deliver. I bought large carpet remnants from ebay - best quality carpet I have ever had.., good quality wood effect lino on ebay for large 5x3m kitchen cost £69.

I have two children with ASD, arthritis, unstable diabetes, bad asthma, heart problems, back problems and still managed to lay the stair carpet (two flights of stairs, two long halls).., slowly lol. Depression, sorry, I just can't afford it lol. I just concentrate on doing what I can with what I have. And there's a huge sense of positive achievement from managing. I don't mean to be unfeeling, its just the way I cope.

You really don't need to spend £10k to get good quality furniture and fittings.

And I think a lot of stuff you will be able to get out of the house and not need to replace.

Maybe you need to look at how you budget and how to get the most out of your spending. I certainly don't have a house that's falling to rack and ruin. Half my stuff is in storage and I rather doubt I'll ever see it again (long story) but we manage and manage well.

Mokka

The RSL cannot veto who gets housing allocated through the Housing Register.

RSLs who are charities are allowed to keep some housing back to allocate it themselves, but once it is on the HR they have to comply with the Council's rules.

How do they know how much money you will have? The whole thing seems very fishy.

Which council is it? Council's usually put their allocation policies online.

What do the council's allocation officers say about this?
£16k is not a lot of money- not even a year's worth of rent in London.

LittleMax

The Housing Association will have an allocations policy. Some HAs choose to utilise the Councils lettings process - however they do not have to adopt exactly the same policy as the Council. As long as they are adhering to their own policy and that complies with legislation there is nothing that you can do to force them to select you just because you were highest placed for the property - unfortunately you do not meet their additional criteria.

Your only hope of changing things is to contact members of the Board of the Housing Association to explain the effect that their allocations policy is having on you. Sometimes policies have an unintended effect that was not envisaged when written, and this may be the case here. But that would depend whether the properties that you are winning the bidding for are then going to someone in the same band as you or a lower band.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

teddysmum wrote: »

Many older terraced properties have downstairs bathrooms, as adding one on the end of the kitchen is very common.

As do new builds.

JazzaG wrote: »

In recent years, SMI has paid less than £13 per week towards our housing costs, in contrast to the £90-£120 per week housing benefit paid to low income renters.

HB does not give low income renters a £25k windfall, of which they can splurge £10k and still claim benefits.

rtho782

Detroit wrote: »

It could be very difficult for OP to find a private rental suitable for her needs, and given her disability and other circumstances far from ideal to have the insecurity of a short term tenany.
I would say OP has every need to 'use up' social housing. Though whether this can be achieved could vary depending on her local authority. I would recommend seeking advice from Shelter on this.
Incidentally, £25k won't take long to reduce to below the threshold with 2 deps to support when OPs means tested benefits stop due to excess capital, and hopefully then she will meet criteria.
I'd also suggest a chat with CAB about effect on benefits.
OP I wish you all the best in difficult circumstances, and hope you are able to gain a secure home for yourself and your family.

Not really, she has the cash to pay a 12 month tenancy in advance on a house costing £2000 a month. She shouldn't have an issue finding somewhere.

After 12 months she can move into social housing.

[Deleted User]

If you have disability benefits you shouldn't be living just on income support. I paid £100 -£120 top up on our private rental, with one child receiving extra money for his disability. I am now in emergency accommodation and still paying £100 a month out because of a housing benefit overpayment and one of my sons now counts as a independent adult. Its perfectly manageable. We aren't living the life of riley but its manageable.

Try and go to the CAB and see if you can get some advice on benefits, budgeting as well as housing.

JazzaG

Before my Grandsons came to live with us in 2004, we were on track to being mortgage free this year. Because of the difficulties with the children and my disability, I lost my job through illness, and my husband had to finish work to care for all of us. Concerning our budget, we went from a £30,000 yearly income to being on benefits. We budgeted over the last 12 years exactly as dianatrois suggests - in fact we also bought our last suite from the British Heart Foundation with savings from our weekly surplus. I feel very lucky that we got enough for the property to pay off the mortgage and be left with some equity, and dont feel that we should be penalised by having to use this equity which has built up for the last 25 years on a years rent. Are people on benefits not allowed to spend some of what is effectively a one-off windfall to better their living conditions, as it is impossible to do on income support. Also, we have not had a holiday- in Britain or abroad - since the boys have lived with us. Are we not allowed to use some of the money on a holiday to give us some respite from our day to day slog! Dont forget, we are grandparent carers who are saving the establishment thousands of £s they would have had to spend on residential or foster care if we had not decided to give up our freedom and independence to care for them in our home. They came to us with nothing, and no help financially or otherwise from Social Services.
Also, dianatrois do you really think that it is fair that you are paying for rent or housing benefit overpayments from the extra income you have from disability allowances?