Council Housing List

Beewars

Please no nasty comments as I’m sick of hearing how I’ve only got myself to blame (no mention of that particular forum). 

My partner and I have been given six months notice by our landlord as he’s selling up. We’re really worried about the rising cost of rental properties on top of potentially taking out a loan to pay the first month’s rent and bond. 

When we moved into this property (2018), I was four months pregnant with our first child and working full time as well as doing sleepover shifts (I was a carer). The rent was £575 and council tax/gas and electric was cheaper. I planned on going back to work full time after maternity leave and my son’s grandparents said they’d help with childcare. Around this time, my partner took out a car on finance/higher purchase because we thought our budget would allow it. 

Our savings went on our wedding and furnishing the house so I naively didn’t account for childcare (as I believed it was arranged). Sadly, my father was diagnosed with cancer before COVID hit and my mum was then his full time carer. Then my mother-in-law found a new job that required more hours and felt too tired to commit to anything. I couldn’t afford to pay for childcare so I only worked weekends and would pick up the odd shift during the week (basically zero hours). I also found out I was eligible for Universal Credit.

Then COVID hit and my husband lost his job. This is when the debt started piling up because he still had a car, PC, and expensive phone to pay for. Luckily, he did find another job but with only one full time wage we’ve struggled since.

I know money for childcare gets reimbursed but I just cannot afford the upfront cost (around £450) so I’m looking for evenings and weekends. Now my husband’s car has broken down and it will cost around £800 to repair (and 3k to make a settlement and return it). We have dental fees that need repaying and I have loans I’m still paying back from 2015. Overall we have around 6k worth of debt and 4k urgent debt.

Private rentals have gone extortionate and I keep hearing how hard it is to get a council house. The council don’t think things on finance are priority debts but we’re bound into a contract that will cost 3k to get out of. They mentioned taking out a loan to go private and my heart sank. I don’t want more debt! It’s also hard to find places that do long-term lettings.

Has anyone got any experience with the council?

Grumpelstiltskin

Has anyone got any experience with the council?

Which council?

Beewars

Council housing?

Beewars

Council housing?

Beewars

South Wales Pembrokeshire 

Browntoa

You , sadly , are low on the scale for qualifying for social housing. 

If you refuse to leave the property at the end of the notice period and then get a formal eviction date the council will have an obligation to house you but it's likely to be a b&b , HMO or a private rental . You will have no choice where that is . Depending on the council refusing accommodation may absolve the council of any further responsibility for finding you a property .

I'd post for help on the benefits board and also the debt part of the forum

london21

Have you contacted the council?

The council housing register is very long and takes years. The council sometimes offer incentives to private landlords to offer accommodation. If you get universal credit and the council can connect you to a private landlord and you accept the UC payment to be paid directly to the landlord, you will likely find something quicker that way.

pinkshoes

When your landlord gives you an official eviction notice (S21), this is just an invitation to leave. You need to keep paying your rent and not move out. The landlord would then have to take it to court, and only when bailiffs turn up, can you then present yourself as homeless to the council who will HAVE to house you. But... as properties are scarce, this is likely to be a B&B so hardly idea.

So I would suggest figuring out a plan as the above is very much a last resort.

Do you have anything of value to sell to repay any of the debt?
Could you get a job doing night shifts? (so sleep in the evening once your partner is home from work)
Could you rent a 1 bed flat for a couple of years? (a friend of mine had 3 kids under 15 months and managed in a 1 bed flat for 4 years - the kids had the bedroom and they had a sofa bed. It allowed them to save up a decent amount of money).
Can you manage without a car?

Unfortunately you made some unwise financial decisions that have now backfired so things are going to be tough for a while. That's life. Chin up and find a way forwards. 

theoretica

If you moved into a more expensive rental place, would you get more help from UC?