We are being evicted, some advice please...... the date has arrived......

beautifulgorgeous_2

Let us know how you get on and good luck.

MummyHol

blue_monkey wrote: »

the council have told me I cannot contact homeless until we have less than 28 days before eviction but I will follow this up, can I contact them before this then or just when we have 28 days to go? We don't have a date other than the order but I am going to ask the court to give me those 28 days so I can go to the homeless department if I have to - if that makes sense.

As soon as we knew our landlady was selling the property & gave the council the letters- they assigned us to a homeless officer (even though they were still pushing for us to go into private rented) & we weren't allowed to deal with anyone else. This was about 2 months before we were expected to leave the property. Also, the homeless officer liased with our landlady (i know your case is a bit different because its your mum, but have they been in contact with her at all??).

When they realised we wouldn't find anywhere suitable to rent, they started to pester my partners mum about us going to live with her (i thought this was quite rude- she shouldn't have had to justify not putting us up) obviously we couldnt move in there anyway because then they'd wash their hands of us (so to speak) and we'd still be stuck there now!! So when you do finally get assigned a homeless officer be aware that they may try this!

Remember not to take the councils negative attitudes personally- they automatically assume that everyone who comes to them is trying it on (at least with us it was a case of 'guilty until proven innocent')

blue_monkey_2

Thanks guys and thanks Mummy Hol today si D (Doctors) Day so we should find out soon. To be honest there is no-one we can live with, even temporary so I don't think we have to worry about this, ha, sound a bit sad now don't I. We don't have any other family other than my mum, my FIL house is full, MIL lives in East Sussex/Kent way in a one bedroom flat and the rest of the family have full houses too. I have tent but no garden to pitch it in either. We have always been 'on our own' I guess but it has never bothered us.

I know what you mean about the council attitude, I also know that they have probably seen this happen 100 times before as it is my mums, I am totally understanding of the situation but for now, if I get the 'correct points' we should be on the list for being housed. I think, personally, they are going to wait until we have a date to be evicted by the bailiff as then they will know that we are not 'pulling a fast one'. I said to my husband that I was worried they might think we have just been to the doctor and said 'my son has problems, refer him' but as he said 'we have the IEP from the school that also outlines his problems so they can see we are telling the truth'. I know right now it is more about proving our 'innocence' and, weird how it sounds, I a totally understand this.

I have asked they send me a letter to verify the points we are due, hubby is going to speak to the union to see if we will get legal help if they start being difficult - if we are getting it for free I have no hesitation in getting them to send a letter asking them to outline why we have not been given the correct number of points because it might have more weight if coming from them (would they then think we have too much money if we have a solicitor and refuse to house us on this basis? do people get legal help for free otherwise? Just a thought)

I will let you know as soon as I hear anything.

blue_monkey_2

PS. Can someone come around and smash the neighbours kids new electronic and very loud drum kit for me?? One kid has had an electric guitar since last year and can only play one tune of about 16 notes over andover and over and over and the other got this damn drum machine this year and they like to 'play' (ahem, call it that) together. Thank god we are being evicted!!

They never seem to be at school either!!

MummyHol

blue_monkey wrote: »

Did I mention the cost of the hostel.... £180 a WEEK!!

When we were in the hostel last year it was the same amount to stay in 1 room as our previous flat had been!!! I didn't pay out of protest and because they only gave us our pay card the last fortnight we were there- i thought it was ridiculous considering we had 1 room (origionally my partner and me were expected to share a single bed but we got our room swapped because it was so dirty & we complained to the council), we weren't given a cot for our son (we had to borrow a travel cot from a friend), we weren't allowed to use the communal living room after 10pm and we we're 'locked in' from 11pm til 7am! After we left there we got a letter along the lines of pay or you're in big trouble and at the moment we're paying back £20/month until its all payed off.

I'm not saying all hostels are like this- everyone i've spoken to that has had to stay in hostels in other areas have all had better experiences. My advice to anyone is avoid North Rd hostel in Stevenage- its a complete disgrace!!

MummyHol

blue_monkey wrote: »

Did I mention the cost of the hostel.... £180 a WEEK!!

When we were in the hostel last year it was the same amount to stay in 1 room as our previous flat had been!!! I didn't pay out of protest and because they only gave us our pay card the last fortnight we were there- i thought it was ridiculous considering we had 1 room (origionally my partner and me were expected to share a single bed but we got our room swapped because it was so dirty & we complained to the council), we weren't given a cot for our son (we had to borrow a travel cot from a friend), we weren't allowed to use the communal living room after 10pm and we we're 'locked in' from 11pm til 7am! After we left there we got a letter along the lines of pay or you're in big trouble and at the moment we're paying back £20/month until its all payed off.

I'm not saying all hostels are like this- everyone i've spoken to that has had to stay in hostels in other areas have all had better experiences. My advice to anyone is avoid North Rd hostel in Stevenage- its a complete disgrace!!

MummyHol

Good luck at the Drs!!

I think lots of people in a homeless situation are intitled to free legal, so the council shoudn't even question it. Getting legal advice can be really good because they can deal with the council on your behalf (if you want) which can take most of the pressure off.

Didn't mean for my last post to come across as negatively as it did, or for it to post twice!!

blue_monkey_2

Hi Mummy Hol,

Ah, Stevenage, speaks volumes, I used to live in Broadwater - which part are you living now (PM me if you want), we are 10 minutes from you but fall into a different council! Thank goodness!! A colleague of my husbands has just come out of a hostel in Stevenage (couldn't tell you if it was the same one as yours) they were the same as us really, lived in a mates house, they were told they would be there long term as he wanted security for his kids. They did the place up for him and then the mate said he was selling (you have to wonder!), he went to the council and said they were being evicted and they said go private and he said 'no, we've been moved on time and time again for 20 years, it is fine while we were single and then a couple but now we have children and we want security for them'. He is on the same pay as hubby obviously and just can't afford to rent private on his wgae - it is cheaper in Stevenage than here though, I have to admit. They were offered a place which they looked at and accepted, turned up to get the keys on the Monday and were then told they given it to someone else so there was nowhere for them to go!! So they went to the hostel and decided to sit it out there. Shocking really.

pink_muppet

Firstly, I know this doesn't help but my heart goes out to you, I am appalled that your mum is treating you like this and is happy to see you and your children, HER GRANDCHILDREN out on the street

One thing I read earlier though is that you are paying her credit card is that right? if so stop this immediately!!! and if you are in the process of being evicted I would even stop paying the 'rent/mortgage' payments immediately and save that money for a deposit for a new place, she is making your life difficult so I would do the same for her, when you do leave, I would take as much out of the property as you can (even the bloody toilet) so she has to replace everything to sell it

I hope something turns up for you soon, I live in Humberside and you can rent a 3 bed semi in the village where I live (and its a lovely village) for around £400 a month and you would get the support you needed here

maybe it's time to be brave and start afresh

blue_monkey_2

MummyHol wrote: »

Good luck at the Drs!!

I think lots of people in a homeless situation are intitled to free legal, so the council shoudn't even question it. Getting legal advice can be really good because they can deal with the council on your behalf (if you want) which can take most of the pressure off.

Didn't mean for my last post to come across as negatively as it did, or for it to post twice!!

I haven't to go to the doctors but I happily would today - we are having a 'bad' day!! Lots of high pitched squealling and thomas track being thrown at me as I've 'done it wrong'. Hey ho!! I've learnt to switch off now, when he calms down we star again. The council doctor is going to the council office (they only go once a month and my paperwork rather mysteriously did not arrive until the day AFTER the docotr ad been last month) and they will look at the information I have submitted to see if we are entitled to 'medical points'. Not like they actually want to meet my son to see how he is and to see if he has a need and the like, no, they want to judge him from a piece of paper from the doctor that says he has been referred and one from the school that says how his behaviour is to see if he fits into their criteria of 'need' and will then decide if he gets 'medical points'. i am told he will because of the IEP but how many I don't know. I bet it will be just 10 though to keep us under the limit and so they don't have to house us.

Your post was not negative (and don't worry about the double post - you wanted double thanks, ha ha!!), it was honest, I would rather be honest and that is what it is all about at the end of the day.