Desperate for a home before Christmas

grandslamgirl

Hiya,
I'm a single mum to a four year old daughter and have found myself in a nightmare situation. Having been the manager of a pub since May (for a so-called friend of mine who is also incidently godfather to my little girl) two weeks ago my boss told me that they would have to close the pub as we weren't taking enough. We closed the pub 11 days ago and 3 days later it was reopened by the ex manager. All staff including myself were royally shafted and have no job now.
My boss wants me out asap and I have found a house to let through a friend, however the landlord is very wary to let it to me as i have now got no job etc.
I have both the months deposit and also the first months rent but he is now saying he is not happy that i can afford to keep up the rent, I have tax credits coming into my bank account every week and have said that i will claim housing benefit but he is still sounding unsure. I am going to go self employed again (ebay selling) and also going to find a job but as it's Christmas it's really hard to get anything.
I am so desperate to get the house and to put up tree and decs so that my daughter can feel safe and settled, this situation has obviously affected her and i hate that i have put her in this situation.
I spoke to the landlord yesterday and he said he was concerned that i live on my overdraft and that he would be happier if i had a guarantor. A friend of mine is prepared to do that and has sent a letter to express this.
I am so scared that it's all gonna go wrong, this house is totally affordable which is the reason i am trying to get it. Most other houses in my area are at least £100/150 more per month. I would look elsewhere but my daughter has just started school in September and i really don't want to unsettle her so much.
Sorry for rambling on just thought maybe someone had some ideas that i hadn't thought of.
Thanx for listening

kunekune

Were you living at the pub, ie, was it a tied house?

grandslamgirl

Yes the flat came with the job - I have not yet moved out but it is getting very difficult to stay. I am trying to keep the situation as stress free as possible for my daughter. I have been to the council and they have indicated that they would only be able to give me B&B initially which i do not want obviously and as i have the money to pay rent for a house it would be absolute last resort.

lindens

Have you rung SHELTER? They may have a list of landlords for tha area that you could ring round?

grandslamgirl

I have spoken to Shelter and they told me to check their website for ARLA details. The problem i have with letting agencies is that my credit is not good and i can't really afford to throw away up to £200 for admin fees. Shelter also explained what the council's obligations are.

PasturesNew

What written agreement did you have regarding the tied accommodation? How much notice have you been given? (what date were you asked to leave; on which date did that say you have to be out?)

grandslamgirl

I was given no written agreement whatsoever but have looked into the legalities of my tenancy and i am apparently an excluded tenant which i think means that i have very few rights. I have not exactly been given a date to leave just been told asap.

barnaby-bear

grandslamgirl wrote: »

Yes the flat came with the job - I have not yet moved out but it is getting very difficult to stay. I am trying to keep the situation as stress free as possible for my daughter. I have been to the council and they have indicated that they would only be able to give me B&B initially which i do not want obviously and as i have the money to pay rent for a house it would be absolute last resort.

Please go to shelter and get advise about tied accommodation. There are a few catagories that bump you up social/housing association lists and put you right at the top above the highest points catagory. Just getting out of jail is one and another is losing tied accommodation. This may be in an ironic way your best chance of getting long term tenured social housing. The council may well be fobbing you off, long term the pain of temporary B&B maybe worthwhile to get somewhere affordable and permanent. Tied accommodation is a specialist area so shelter / cab and asking about the specifics would be my suggestion.

nicola1982_2

In my area they have a section in the paper specifically for people renting using housing benefits - see if there is anything like that in your area. Check the local papers etc.

grandslamgirl

Thank you for both of your suggestions, i appreciate your help.

I have called Shelter and they told me that i had very few tenancy rights as i had not paid any rent for the flat and that my tenancy is classed an a excluded tenancy.

I have also checked my local papers every day for private rentals with no luck.
Oh well, my friend's guarantor letter should be with the landlord tomorrow morning and he said he would ring me then so fingers crossed that it all goes well. I think i will try to meet him again face to face to discuss things and hopefully i will be able to talk him into letting us move in.

lynzpower

I would also take advice from the employment board. I take it you were not paid off as redundancy and all the rights that go with it.

Getting out straight away and the pubn being taken over immieidately rings very loud alarm bells and I suggest you take advice from MSE/ ACAS asap.