Private house renting for DSS?

chrissyw4

I currently live in a council house, but want to move as its a rough area. I would like to move to a nearby town as its near my family.
I have recently become separated and am a lone parent receiving income support.
I have tried applying for a housing association house there, but was turned down as they said I was already in suitable accommodation.

I have tried phoning around estate agents about private renting, but couldnt find one who would accept DSS tennants as I'm getting income support.

Does anyone know of anywhere I can find out landlords who accept DSS tennants, or point me in the right direction?

Savvy_Sue

Are there any other housing associations you could try?

Sometimes there is a 'common' waiting list for both council and housing association properties, in which case get yourself on the list, even if you are already deemed to be in suitable accommodation and therefore not getting many points. If it's not a common list, get yourself on the list for all the housing associations as well as the council. Some of them do part buy part rent schemes as well: could you cope with that? There are also rent deposit schemes run by some if not all councils, if that would help - not a lot if you can't find a landlord to take DSS tenants!

Have you considered a tenancy exchange? Ask at your local housing office. You will need to register and go in and look regularly at what's come in to them. There are a few possible pitfalls: you don't always get the same kind of tenancy agreement for one, but the main one is that you agree to do the exchange on an 'as seen' basis. So if the people you're swapping with trash the place between you seeing it and you moving in, it's your responsibility to do any repairs, not the council's or the housing association's.

A 3 way swap is also possible, btw. don't worry that you're in a rough area, it may be the ideal location for someone else!

I'd say don't be put off by the fact that you are currently in 'suitable' accommodation. You have a link to the place you want to move to, so that's a reason for going on an HA or council waiting list.

Hope that helps a bit!

chrissyw4

Hi, Thanks for your advice. I'm not sure if there are any other housing associations in that area, but there's no council houses, as they have all been taken over. I have considered a 'swap' and looked on the list, but there was only one and they didnt want to swap.
When I applied to the housing association i did state that my parents live in the area, but it didnt seem to make a difference.
I thought if I could get a private rented house I could live there for a bit, then apply to the housing association again saying I cant afford the rent or something then I may have a better chance.
I really wanted to be moved this year as my area is getting worse and I've got nothing to stay here for.
It all looks so bleak!

Savvy_Sue

I'm sorry I don't know much about private rented (and I'm not entirely up to date on social landlords either but I used to work for one.)

Keep looking at the register for a swap, you may get lucky.

OK, so the council houses have been taken over, but the council must still have some input into housing people in that area - whatever the system is, get yourself onto it. Don't be put off by them saying you are already in suitable housing: there was a trend towards making social rented housing as similar as possible to private rented so that people could be mobile and weren't tied to one area for ever. Sorry, I'm not putting that very well but I hope it makes sense.

Also get your family to look out for private rented housing for you. I know it's a long shot, but if they happen to know someone who rents out property you might get something that way.

It's really difficult for landlords, in some ways you can't blame them for not taking DSS tenants when the HB system is so disastrously slow in some areas. Plus if a claim's not renewed on time then arrears can build up that the tenant's responsible for, not the council, and then what does the landlord do? I'm sure you're a model tenant, but it's easy enough to get into arrears. BTW if you have any, work at clearing them ASAP!

Kimberley

Have you tried..http://www.homes.org.uk/maa.htm

You register and wait for a few days for your registration through the post. Once you have the go ahead to register online, you give your postcode and the areas you like to move, and you get matched up with people wanting to move into your area..

chrissyw4

Kimberley wrote:

Have you tried..http://www.homes.org.uk/maa.htm

You register and wait for a few days for your registration through the post. Once you have the go ahead to register online, you give your postcode and the areas you like to move, and you get matched up with people wanting to move into your area..

Thanks Kimberley. I have just registered. I hope I can find something through this.
Have you used this site yourself?
:rolleyes:

Kimberley

Last August i got a swap with someone who wanted to move to my area and i wanted to move to her area. I lived in E17 and moved near Bromley. So yes it was Homeswap that helped me to move to my present address

Once you see who wants to move to your area, you phone them, arrange a viewing and if you both agree to swap the whole process shouldn't take more then 6 weeks to complete.. :j

Goodluck and let us know if you find something :beer: