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Housing associations - advice needed

Sandyboy
Posts: 1 Newbie
I'm in an awful situation. I am retired and in my 60s on an income of £200 a week, living in London in a cold rented room costing £900 pcm which means my savings are declining because I pay for everything else from them. I would love to get into sheltered accommodation for older people, but cannot because I have too much savings to be accepted under their rules. I don't have enough to buy anywhere or rent anything decent at market rate. I'm an honest person, but normally decent folk I know tell me I am mad to be truthful and should just understate my finances because my money is in several different banks. Advice please. The last thing I want is to be evicted later on.
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Comments
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At least get onto the lists... while today you might be deemed as having "too much money", if one came up and you applied for it, you might get lucky and you're the only person who did ask for it, or the others had even more than you.
In any case.... if you get on the list now and in 5 years' time you apply for one and somebody else does .... your situations might match, but you might get it because "you were on the list longer".
So, even if you are told you don't qualify.... get on the list if that's at least allowed.... ready for the time when you do qualify.
Every association, every area, is different.... and there are more housing associations (by other names) that you could search for. e.g. The Guinness Trust is one random name.... sometimes they go under names calling themselves "Charities".
Make it a project for you to seriously seek and discover every possible housing solution, no matter what they call themselves.
Any particular reason you're determined to stay in London?0 -
Hi OP
I have sent you a PM with details of an over 60s HA.0 -
Would you consider moving to a one bedroom flat in another area? I live in Gravesend (less than 20 mins on the high speed line from London) and you would pay a lot less for a one bed flat. Rooms are £500 per month, hopefully you could select one that is warm.
It might be that if you had enough money you could buy somewhere in a cheaper area (not enquiring how much you have, just something that might be possible). But I suppose if you could have done this, you would have.0 -
Why are you not claiming benefits, starting with HB/LHA? Getting state pension? Google benefits calculators give.uk.
Additionally, work?
Read YOUR council's "housing allocation" policy document (on their website)
Artful:. 71, in receipt of 6 benefits.0 -
Can I suggest you have a look to see if any Alms Houses are available in your area.
Alms Houses are often overlooked by people looking for social housing.
https://www.almshouses.org/"There are not enough superlatives in the English language to describe a 'Princess Coronation' locomotive in full cry. We shall never see their like again". O S Nock0 -
Look up OPSO scheme where you put an amount down up to 75 percent of cost of property and don't pay rent of the rest.
Hanover housing have properties to rent, further out from London you go, the cheaper they are.
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/housing-options/sheltered-housing/
http://www.housingcare.org/elderly-uk-sheltered-housing.aspx
If you don't fancy any of the above what about taking in a lodger to share the burden of cost. Or become a lodger0 -
I appreciate London will be different.
I live in Yorkshire after having my name down with 3 housing associations for over 55, I had a lovely 1 bedroom flat offered after 2 years, I pay £77 per week and it does not matter how much money you have as long as you can prove affordability thats all they worry about.
We are in a courtyard with 39 flats and I feel so blessed.
Please check out all the housing associations.0 -
Move to a different part of the country?
You could rent a flat to yourself for half what you are currently paying.0
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