Embarrassed about housing

Green_garnet

MovingForwards wrote: »

Whereabouts are you looking to live or buy?
How much money would you have if you didn't settle all the debts?

There's plenty of properties up here for under your post-debt budget.

As someone has suggested a shared ownership property may also be suitable, as would one for retired people.

Give us a bit more info and we can offer good suggestions.

I have my elderly next of kin in North Lanarkshire and very close elderly relative in Glasgow. Although I am not in a good state to help - they need me and I need them. My lifelong roots are in Scotland.

I have no debt at all, thankfully, although Estate Agent, Legal costs, removal and storage costs and everything related to moving (telephone and utilities/Council Tax) would eat up a lot of savings and house sale money.

I don't think the Council will reply quickly but I will definitely write - as advised here and by Shelter.

Thank you for replying.

Green garnet

elsien

Might also be worth checking your relatives benefits situation, and checking on the benefit bit of the forum whether these might be affected if in receipt of any means tested ones.

bouicca21

Apologies if this is too intrusive but I think we maybe need to know more in order to give realistic advice. So .. what is stressing you out about your current home? Neighbours? Location? Repairs? Noise? What sort of area are you looking for? And what sort of property?

I have friends in Scotland and am always amazed at the price of property there. A quick search on Rightmove shows houses and flats/studios well under £70k in and around Fife or Ayrshire.

Shared housing schemes and retirement complexes, as others have said, must be a possibility. It may seem that anything is better than your current situation, but the reality is likely to be worse. I have sofa surfed in my time. It’s incredibly stressful, you really don’t want to go down that route.

Green_garnet

Thank you all so much. Feeling very tired and will try to have an early night. Replies are so down to earth and helpful - making me think more 'straight.'

Will get letter ready for Council tomorrow.

Green garnet

Murphybear

bouicca21 wrote: »

The ex and I went on the council housing list in 1976. Not been offered a place yet ...


Being on the list is easy. Without priority status you won't get any further.



What sort of budget do you have?

My first husband and I got married in Wandsworth in 1978. We asked to go on the housing list but were laughed out of the office, they told us we weren’t eligible to even go on the list.

MovingForwards

Green_garnet wrote: »

I have my elderly next of kin in North Lanarkshire and very close elderly relative in Glasgow. Although I am not in a good state to help - they need me and I need them. My lifelong roots are in Scotland.

I have no debt at all, thankfully, although Estate Agent, Legal costs, removal and storage costs and everything related to moving (telephone and utilities/Council Tax) would eat up a lot of savings and house sale money.

The key bits:

No one has said move from Scotland, there are plenty of properties around Glasgow and Lanarkshire within your budget. I know as I've looked into them, even at offers over and local sold prices it's doable.

Legal fees and moving costs will be under £5k, which leaves you £60k.

Normal bills will be payable wherever you live and should be affordable on your pensions.

So, when you do come back to this, say what's really stopping you from buying somewhere.

stingey

I work in the social housing sector in Scotland and I will give you the honest and upfront info you need. You may not like what I say, but part of my job is delivering news like this daily.

- You will not be given homeless status if you sell a property and approach the council as homeless. This will NOT propel you to the top of the list. Those currently assessed as homeless can wait over a year to be housed. The council (if they decide you are homeless) will offer you short term accommodation in homeless hostels, B&B's, scatter flats etc, anywhere in your Local Authority area. You could be placed miles from family, friends and amenities. As said they are short term temporary accommodation and you can be moved frequently over a long term basis. You may be living in close proximity to drug addicts/newly released prisoners/ people who have chaotic lifestyles.

- Depending on where you are placed you may not be able to take pets with you.

- If they decide you are not homeless you can place your name on a waiting or bidding list whatever your area uses, but be prepared to wait, unless you are willing to take a property in an undesirable area. You are on your own.

- The council/Registered Social Housing Landlord will want your tenancy history. Where you've been living and why your circumstances has changed. They WILL complete checks on you. The council will do Council Tax checks. The solicitor selling your property will inform the council of the change and the reason why.

- Local Authorities are currently overwhelmed with homeless due to changes in the benefit system. Ie people moving onto Universal Credit. I cannot stress this enough, it is not a quick process. You can wait weeks just to speak to someone.

- Do not move into your friend's Sheltered Accommodation flat. You could cause them to lose their tenancy. You will not be allowed to live there. There are long lists of people waiting for this type of housing. The council will recieve notification that you are living there by either the residents, the Warden (if there is one) or people waiting for an opportunity to get a flat there. Jungle drums will beat quickly if anyone on the waiting lists believe that someone is leapfrogging them or doing something they shouldn't be doing. . Dont believe me? When someone dies in Sheltered Accommodation we have calls wanting to know when the property will be available and where they are in the list, before the funeral takes place. It is savage and people talk. The landlord will move very quickly to remove you.

- Doctors letters are very rarely accepted now, only in certain situations. Being stressed will not give you priority.

Please think twice about this. I've seen people destroyed by being homeless. It can change you.

choille

Is there any way that your present accommodation could be made less stressful?

If it's a bad neighbour could that be addressed somehow?

If it's because of the physical construction and you have a disability there are grants and assistance.

If it's just because you want to be nearer to your relatives then you maybe could move nearer & let your own house/property?

It's a big step and you sound like you need to talk this over with someone that you can talk with & knows the situation.

Keep us updated please.

letsbetfair

Agree you should start by trying to resolve things in your own place. If you do choose to move, though, you'll find there are shared ownership places in Glasgow comfortably in budget if you are eligible and if the T&C's aren't awful - e.g. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-83799761.html#_full-description and https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-72752609.html

Green_garnet

Thank you all. I am anxious about saying exactly what the problems are with my present flat. They are genuine and, without moving, are virtually unsolvable. Although the grass is not always greener on the other side I have no peace to live here. The help and insight in all of your replies is amazing. I value all your time and effort and it is not futile. I will continue to look.

Because of my housing and the way I have been treated I feel unable to cope. #28 stingey - all what I need to hear and take in, thanks.

Sincerely - I may not manage to return to this site - out of total embarrassment and inability to cope. I hope never to be a 'time waster.'

When reality hits I am lower than I ever thought possible. I don't seem to be able to cope with the reality I am in and I know that millions are worse off than me.

I have written my letter to the Council and have taken in the total reality of stingey post 28.

Green garnet