Eviction notice served

rog2

mumoftwins wrote: »

Having a brandy as we speak - for the shock!!!

Of course, mot, of course. :beer:

wherediditallgo

mumoftwins wrote: »

I-t and I going to sit down tonight and go through all the posts on this thread and make notes, although at the moment I must admit to not being in a fit state to concentrate - can't stop crying.

Make sure you ask for the meeting to be minuted. They'll send a letter confirming the decision anyway, but ask for a copy of the minutes that are taken, so that when you get it you can see if any points you've made have been properly acknowledged & answered. You asking for a copy of the minutes will also make it more likely that accurate notes are taken rather than just a summary prepared for the file.

Also, you & I-T should decide which of you is going to ask the questions & which is going to take notes, that way you can concentrate on your respective roles. I think it would be better for you & I-T to each have a copy of the list of questions - you ask from your list, but he'll take notes & prompt you from his copy of the list if you get side-tracked & forget to ask something.

Once they've gone over why the rent arrears occurred & your resulting eviction, I think their next issue is going to be why you can't find accommodation for yourself, so be very clear about not being able to stay with friends or family, not even for one night. Also be very clear that you cannot be separated from your children, even if the option is them staying with one set of friends/family & you with another. You have to be kept together, permanently.

I know it's hard, but try to think of everything you want to ask & everything they might ask, so that you've got answers ready for them.

christabell

Trust me when I say this. I have no words to describe how you have been treated.

joathome

Im so fking angry at the way you have been treated thats the first time I have used profanities in ages I have been reading this thread from the begining and I just want to say I think you are a super cool person good luck for tomorrow I will be thinking of you
Jo x

teeni

I regularly attend these meetimgs with clients and would suggest you spend tonight getting together the following info:

List all incoming and all out goings. Show what youwoyld have to stop paying in order to pay the rent in full once you were off on the sick.

You are in anautomatic priority need category so they can not say you are not in priority need.

The question here is intentionality and the legislation states quite clearly that you can only be considered to be intentionally homeless if you fail to do somelthing the result of which is that you lose the accomodation that it would ahve been reasonable for you to keep.

Your argument is that you could not meet the rental liability and pay the gas , electric, copuncil tax, food etc for you an the children on your reduced income. Bring the bills with you to show the payments you were required to meet. You can not be intentionally homeless from a property that is unaffordable,

Check the court papers did your landlord ask for a money(rent arrears payment ) as part of the court application.

If following ther meeting they tell you they have made a final decision that they do not owe you a full duty they still have a duty to accomodate you for a reasonable time because you are in priority need category thsi will allow you to see Shelter and have legal advice re a review of the decision.

Collect as much evidence as to why you could noy meet your rental liability with you.

One question though or have imissed something, earlier yousaid you were going to a meeting to finalise info so a decision could be made and then later yousaid the h/o gave you adecision at your door . What was in the letter, was it adecision or just a copy of the earlier e mail.

teeni

Viv

I have only just read all of todays posts, and if I can add my two pennorth in the I T or a professional debate. No professional will care as much as IT and surely if you are saying that you haven't been able to cope but then turn up with a slick expert you will then look more able than you genuinely are.
Just have faith, you are not trying to cheat your way to something you don't deserve, they just have to be sure I guess they can't say yes to anybody on their first attempt they have to make an effort not to spend money, and if you don't warrant a helping hand who does??
It will be a good ending I am certain!! it just may not go straightforward (but think of the publishing fee for the Diary!!??! Your story is getting more dramatic by the minute) And it must be wonderful to know how many people really really care about you. Bet the Landlord can't say that! Viv

Spirit_2

• It is a good idea to sit and prepare your case as you plan to this evening.
• If Teeni is willing, and is used to attending such meetings then perhaps she would be willing to rehearse this meeting with you in a "pm".
• A rehearsal is absolutely vital. It must not be with someone who may empathise but kill you with kindness, but with a "critical friend". It is more valuable in this instance that someone to tells you TONIGHT that you have not addressed an issue sufficiently/all of the points.
• Your body language and choice of phrasing will be crucial
• rehearse being a model of tact and diplomacy, giving them opportunities to 'learn of new evidence' 'see existing information in a different light/alternative (but equal and opposite) interpretation'.

Best wishes
Spirit

soappie

MOT, I've been watching this thread since it started. I have deep sympathy for you. I was homeless once, with two v. small children, and ended up in the homeless hostel etc. But I survived and have my own property today so there can be light at the end of the tunnel (though it's hard work reaching - or even finding - that light sometimes).

To me there are two angles for consideration here:

1) You're in rent arrears therefore the landlord is kicking you out
2) The landlord has sold the property therefore WANTS you out and now.

What would happen if option 1 was solved. i.e. somewhere, somehow, you found the money to pay back all the rent arrears, the bailiff/court fees etc.
Would the landlord still be able to have you out at the beginning of November or would he then have to try again?

Just what is the extent of your debt on the rent?

If a benefactor paid that all up to date and the landlord then had to try other means to get you out, methinks you would be then *unintentionally* homeless therefore the council would *have* to do something.

I'm also a tad concerned that Italian Tony is contemplating going with you to the housing meeting. I can just see them now - "Well, he's your boyfriend, why can't he put you up at his place?"

I think it would be far better to go with a neighbour/counsellor/councillor rather that I-T.

But that's my tuppence worth and I quite understand if you boo me out of the house

!!!!!!{Hugs}}}}
wishing you the bestest of the best of luck

mumoftwins

I'm off to bed all as so worn out. Will get up early in the morning and do an income and expenditure form to prove that paying my rent wasn't an option.

Thank you all xx

bringmeshoes

Hi MOT, i have been reading this thread for weeks now and been coming home from work checking every day for news, hoping for you and the twins that its good.
i know how debilitating depression can be and how much it affects every aspect of your life, i believe (from past experiences) that there is still a stigma attached to being depressed and there are some people out there that do not believe that it is a 'real' illness and that you just need to 'pull your socks up' (as i have been told in the past!)
I am so gutted for you and the twins about the news today but it is not yet the final descision and there is still some hope, i too have been homeless in the past. I turned up at the council offices with literally no-where to go, i told them i had spent the night in a friends car and they told me there and then that as i had no children, no learning difficulties and wasn't an asylum seeker (please do not think that i am speaking out against asylum seekers these were the exact words from the council) there was nothing they could do for me, and just turned me away with nowhere to go. Anyway enough about me and my council hating!!!
i really hope that the meeting goes really well for you and that they realise it is not just you that is affected by their decisions there are two children involved here.
sending you and the twins BIG hugs and happy thoughts