Best way to find Hosuing benefit accepted 1 bedroom flats that aren't Housing benefit "complexes"?

Johndole25

I am a single disabled adult who has lived for the past 8 years in some dreadful places.

I am a respectful, clean adult who has had really bad neighbour problems for a long time.

It started in a development of flats that were meant to help those in need and turned into hell.

I moved once after using sites like DDS move and desperately searching for landlords. I found a place but it was obvious that everyone there also claimed, and there was serious drug and violence issues. Notably weed and cigarette fumes that poured in all the time.

I moved AGAIN to a whole other county to get away from the weed and cigarette fumes and I was really unlucky to find a place where the person underneath smokes 24/7 and I can barely open my singular window. It's making me very ill.

All I want is to find a place that isn't filled with druggies, but I have no luck.

I look on gumtree, and I receive three separate scams asking for deposit before viewing. I contact agents and they say they wont absorb the risk, and no one in the surrounding area is likely to don't know how much truth is in that)

I feel like if I contact the local council they will provide a list of landlords, all of which have these sort of complexes.

Where can I actually find somewhere with clean air and no hassle from neighbours.

What are my best options as a disabled adult with limited support?

tazwhoever

Won't the council or adult care services help you?
I'm only saying this as you are disabled and need assistance.

poppy12345

tazwhoever wrote: »

Won't the council or adult care services help you?
I'm only saying this as you are disabled and need assistance.

Highly unlikely if the OP is single. Waiting lists for most local councils is massive, with most local councils having lists 3-4 years long and if you don't have a local connection to the area you want then you have next to zero chance of a property.



I rent privately and moved house 12 days ago from a flat to a 2 bed house because i needed to be closer to my daughter for health reasons, she's my carer.



It took me 14 months to find the house because most landlords and agencies refuse those claiming DSS. Those that do accept them will most likely ask for a guarantor, with the majority asking for home owner guarantors so it's even more difficult.


Thank fully, my daughter finished uni and graduated in May this year and went straight into a full time job earning £25,000 a year. The agency advertising the house i moved into accepted a working guarantor, which is my daughter. Thankfully i had her to turn to otherwise i wouldn't have found the house i'm in now.



I'm a well respected person, who keeps myself to myself, pays my bills and rent on time and have never been in arrears with any rent in 14 years of privately renting but finding somewhere is still a complete nightmare.

MovingForwards

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5989420/neighbours-drug-fumes-but-no-kitchen-smells-spice

Sadly, it seems to be part and parcel of life. A lot of people openly smoke weed, unlike when I was younger and it was discreet. Walk five minutes down a road and there will be at least one person smoking weed as you pass them, or they pass you.

I think you will struggle to find anywhere you can afford to rent and not have at least one neighbour smoking dope.

I'm in a block of 8 flats, at least 3 of the flats have people smoking dope. It can be smelt in the communal areas, they smoke out the front and back too, I'm certain it's also within their own flat when the weather is vile. The smell comes through the open windows of my place, when I open the door it gets let in too. I'm normally passing one young couple at 7am as I'm going to work and they are coming back up the stairs after having a split.

Fire_Fox

** mentioning ethnicity/ religion as a vague guide to likely family/ social structure, attitudes to alcohol and drug abuse**

You do not say where you are. In my city centre Ooop North, the tower blocks would NOT suit you. The students mostly live in purpose-built studentville. Not clean air as such though: diesel bus exhaust is an issue. Very handy for rail and buses of course!

My part of the city centre is largely buy-to-let British Muslim landlords with fewer owner-occupier flats. Many households have at least one employed adult. Here you would need your first month up front and damage deposit even if on benefits. We are not posh - ugly ex-office block - just 'decent'.

Tenants include a healthy number of young Indian Hindu families, with the sweetest little kids (I am child-free by choice!). Many of the Indian families know one another, and have obviously told one another about empty flats.

Some thirties/ forties White British in singles or couples, some Eastern European couples or young families. Every so often we get some young sharers or young couples who smoke or play loud music.

One brothel in each block though. Landlord owns several flats and is a @#$%&. :mad: He was vile to a super former tenant, a pastor from Africa who prayed for you wherever whenever. Save the brothel fortunate with most neighbours for over a decade.

It is illegal to smoke in communal areas of flats now and staff are required to challenge it (ha ha). Our block's managing agents are very fire safety conscious, not least because another block they also manage has flammable cladding. :eek: They follow up on tenant/ resident complaints or issues if relevant to their role. They are called Hunters, and manage many blocks of flats nationwide.

You did not need to know all that.

Prinzessilein

Just a thought for the OP...

What is the nature of your disability...and what sort of age bracket do you fall into?

I am disabled, and have also had my fair share of 'nightmare neighbours'.... few years ago I was desperate to move - with the support of my GP, specialist and a social worker, we persuaded the council that a move was necessary...I was shown a few places that were clearly unsuitable and then the council made a suggestion, I was offered a place in a retirement complex! All the places here are adapted for disability so it suits me just fine, and zero drug abuse...There was one incident with a poor old by with an alcohol problem but the warden dealt with that (social services informed and he was moved)...yes I am a few years younger than the other residents but that isn't an issue!

Maybe your local council could look at something similar for you if suitable?