Renting - How does it work with my circumstances

aneary

Make sure you have in writing that a condition of you taking on the tenancy is that it’s professionally cleaned including carpets cleaned (due to cats). If it is not you are not bound to the tenancy and will get a refund of your fees.

If the LL and LA are not aware of the mess they may not care and moving into a dirty flat is soul destroying.

Your other alternative is to say you would like to rent the property but would like to view it again once the tenant is out and it has been cleaned.

RTC

I’ll make sure to mention it to the estate agents before signing any tenant agreement, I’m pretty sure the current tenant isn’t allowed pets as on the advertisement for the property it says no pets so the smell of cat in the place when you walk in is very over powering so it needs a super deep clean for sure.

I’ve sent in my tenancy application and guarantor application forms in today which they will not see until Monday, does anybody know how long this process usually takes and what I should expect to happen next depending on the outcome.

dimbo61

Sorry but if the tenant has a cat and no safe outside space
The whole place may require new carpets and a deep clean

Hoogle

They wont begin application until cleared funds have been paid for the application referencing.

You mention ESA and Pip if you receive pip for an impaired mental ability you may qualify for a larger than 25% single person discount for council tax or speak to your local council and ask for a council tax relief form.
I am also assuming you are fairly young which may mean different benefit rates and help but when applying for housing benefit ask for a DHP Discretionary Housing payment which if accepted top up your housing benefit (Please note this is a discretionary top up and can expire at any time) If you receive enhanced and severe disability premiums on your ESA then you may even get more housing benefit than the local rate.

Also make sure there is no Grounds fee or building maintenance fee.
Try and save at least 1 month rent in an emergency account in case your benefits suddenly stop for review in case you have to pay it for a month or 2 to avoid late fees etc

RTC

The carpets didn't seem to bad from what I've seen but as I say previously, I couldn't really see much of them due to the amount of clothing and such on the floor. I'm not sure how people cope with living like that.

I have Aspergers Syndrome and receieve both PIP and ESA for that as well as Fibromyalgia and a few other things so I'm not really sure but I don't know a lot how the benefits system really works. I turned 26 last week so quite young still or I like to think.

Thank you for the continued advice :beer:

[Deleted User]

Before you sign anything, either yourself or a relative or helper needs to phone your local housing department and make sure you qualify for HLA for a one bed place rather than shared letting single room rates. Your special needs might mean that whilst on age basis you don't qualify, the special needs will help you qualify. But you really need to check with Housing.

Please. Before you sign anything.

Then look at how you will pay council tax, and bills for the place. Even with DLA/PIP it could be quite tight. You might need to rethink, and save up some money before looking at a private rental place. When I moved, I made sure I had another month's rent in the bank because I knew Housing benefit would take a while to come through (it came through somewhere in the second month so I had to pay another month's rent before that payment hit my bank).

Also please make sure you have in writing that the place will be professionally cleaned before you move in.., and preferably inspected by yourself before moving in. I know how to clean cat odours from flooring, a standard clean won't do it. It is doable by yourself but you should expect to hire a carpet cleaner for a day and use lots of vinegar and biological washing liquid or pay for an expensive pet cleaner shampoo. It may just be that the present tenant isn't cleaning a litter tray often enough, but given the state of the place, I wouldn't be too hopeful.

The fact that the tenant didn't know anything about you coming round, may mean that they haven't even arranged a definite date to move out. Did you check they knew they were moving out and when?

If the lettings agency is a bit blase.., they won't care about the state of the place. This can be quite common with cheaper places that will rent to people on benefits. Its a bit of a double edged coin, they will rent them to people other agencies won't but you have to do a lot more general work on the place than you would if renting from a more professional agency.

But first things first, check you are entitled to HLA for a flat, rather than single room rates.

Re Bank account. I was able to open a bank account for my son (who also has ASD) with the help of benefit letters and a student card. He also had a local authority bus pass with his picture on. I don't know if you have anything like that? Otherwise you might have to get a passport (which will cost £90 something pounds). Having a birth certificate helps as well.

Its worth adding that choosing where you open a bank account might be useful as well. My son was initially with Barclays but didn't answer the ID questions very well (became quite stressed and didn't understand the questions). He lost his card quite often and we were eventually in the situation that even with my help he couldn't pass ID and couldn't get a new card via telephone. They were very regimented and had no understanding of communication problems caused by ASD. At this point we opened a Nationwide bank account who were much better with special needs and haven't had a problem since. They allow him to go into branch and sort the problems out face to face., Barclays weren't quite as helpful.

Hoogle

OOOh a fellow Aspie. I have just been diagnosed this year (35 years old) but to be fair always have known and so have many people close to me. But I spent years fighting it and had a full breakdown Christmas 2015. Just about to get my decision on PIP myself. I was told by Autism concern who filled out my forms that I "Should be entitled to" enhanced daily living and low mobility but then you read all the stories on how people have been refused. I am not a strong believer in being entitled to anything but would be nice to have some income for me as I lived off all my savings for 2 years in a flat I could not really afford without working anymore, instead of admitting I needed help and claiming benefits. Ended up being sectioned for psychiatric assessment (did not go down to well) But capita phoned me the other day to ask a question regarding cooking food and told me I did not need to do a face to face assessment, At first I was pleased but reading about that on the internet makes me believe I have been turned down.

But anyway all though I am very good with numbers and accounting etc, autism concern applied for council tax relief for me but I stated I could manage to pay it as long as I had a date to pay it by each month so I could stick to it. They wrote back and confirmed I no longer need to pay council tax and have been refunded amount that I had paid. I hope I get PIP so I can try and go out of my flat again as I do not like going out without a purpose and I feel bad that my support worker takes me out once a week to Costa coffee and pays as I have to try and get use to going out in public but this makes me feel bad as I cant afford to pay for myself. (Yes I know they claim it back as expenses but they are already very good to me and I feel I am exploiting them)

RTC

deannatrois - I believe down to the fact that I get ESA and PIP that I should qualify for the full amount of housing benefit available in my area and have worked out with what I receive in benefits that it should be enough to pay rent, utilities and live off. My mother is willing to help me out with rent until HLA comes through thankfully.

I shall mention to the EA that I want it in writing but thank you for your tips on cleaning, it’s sad really because it’s such a nice little place that just isn’t well looked after. The tenant is moving out on the 15th of Nov to move back home and the place itself becomes available on the 20th of Nov, I tried to get info by asking how she found the place etc.. but it was like getting blood out of a stone, the EA’s seemed to think she agreed to do the viewings but she didn’t seem to be aware what was going on.

Thank you for the advice on bank accounts as well, sadly a lot aren’t accommodating to disabilities that they can’t see. The downside to where I’m moving to is there is one bank in the whole town which is Lloyd’s so I will have to try there or have to travel 45 min by bus to do banking.

Hoogle - Welcome to the club! I’ve never had a face to face assessment, they have tried but I refused to go as I can’t cope and luckily my GP is very good at writing letters and is quite understanding, my advice would be don’t be afraid to take it all the way and the people at the CAB are a godsend. I’m really lucky in that my mother knows how to deal with this stuff and is great at all the paperwork but I know CAB have helped her a lot and they should know how many points you should get.

I have the exact same issue which is why in a way I’m excited to live on my own and to be forced to have to do bits for myself such as shopping etc... to see where I am now compared to where I was five years ago it’s like I’m a different person but pair my AS with Fibromyalgia, sleep issues, smashing my foot in to bits and a few other little niggles and it can mean some days that getting out of bed is a nightmare of a task. It’s interesting to hear that you got council tax relief that’s not something that I really looked in to but I guess I should.

[Deleted User]

My son was awarded Support group ESA without a face to face assessment, I couldn't believe it. You might not need one. No guarantees but if your evidence is good, you might not.

I too have a few other physical problems and I must admit sometimes get quite down and have problems going outside. Its only lately though (being messed around by the council and social services).

RTC

Just another quick update - My application was rejected this morning as he feels my margins are to small and he doesn’t wish to be reliant on a guarantor due to past experience. Do you think it would be an idea to offer more rent up front?

So back to square one we go.