So I know I don't know many of you on a personal level nor have I ever met the majority of you face to face, but I need to vent my little story of how the shit has just hit the fan.
Me and my girlfriend Natalie are expecting our daughter on the 16th of this month, however it is likely that the baby will come earlier according to midwife reports.
That should give you an idea of the timescale I have before baby arrives.
I work full-time, unfortunately Natalie lost her job in March and has been on jobseekers since. We moved out to a rented flat in June on a 6-month contract (we asked for 12 months but the landlord had problems with a previous tennant and wanted to take us on with a bit of security...understandable).
Some of you may remember my thread, which is basically a diary of preparing our
babies nursery over in the 'projects' section! This is now complete and ready for our new arrival
So imagine how I'm feeling right now:
The estate agency has just called.
The Landlord wants their property back, we need to be out by the 15th of December, but the sooner the better.
I need to find somewhere for our family to live, and have less than 2 weeks before our baby is born.
FML.
Need some support!
Tried to explain the situation to the landlord?
If you can prove you have no viable alternative (ie lack of funds for deposit etc), i think you can make a case to decline the eviction, worth checking with the CAB at least?
You seem to deal with shit pretty well fella, you'll be fine, just a little stressed for a while lol.
There's no recourse mate; the wheels are in motion and she wants her son (who is moving back from Australia) to have the property.
We're proper f*cked.
No really, the rules change once you've got a dependant, have a sniff about.
Me and you are in same situation with girlfriend loosing job and due dates. We got a house through federation like council houses. Could try council ect? But no doubt waiting list will be 3 years.
Could try housing association? IIRC they're seprate from council?
With council housing and things like that, the waiting list is set in a specific way so people who desperately need the house will get it first such as role homeless with a new born or young children and elderly over people who don't need the house urgently...
You'll get through it
Thing is we're not even on the council house list and I haven't got the first clue about it.
I'm properly about to have a break down. I need more coffee.
Housing association subsidise part on your rent. You will be elegible for it. A bloke at work was in exactly the situation you are describing, and had £750 a month of his rent paid for by the HA.
Look into it. Saying you don't know anything about it won't help you out if this situation bud. I don't mean to be harsh.
Your girlfriend is at home, perhaps she could spend some time sitting down reading around the Internet if she has some time?
You can live somewhere for 3 months free of charge if you claim squatters rights, worst case i guess that could at least buy you some extra time?
Trouble is most options are 'stressful' and that's what I'm trying to reduce.
I'm earning enough to rent privately and don't want to rely on others, but if needs be I can move back to my parents house.
At present I'm looking for somewhere new to rent, but our current letting agency has nothing on their books.
As far as I'm concerned, they can return the fees I paid them (£260) back in June for a reference check for me and Natalie.
Chris, stop panicking, sit down with your girlfriend and talk about your options. There's no point sat there saying you don't understand it all because it's irrelevant. There's support available and at the end of the day, you need to sort this out any way you can.
First of all, have you explained the situation to both the landlord and the estate agent? When is your 6 month period up? You still have two months to look for somewhere else, but say that as the baby is imminently due you're unable to move out at the moment and could they understand you need time to come up with alternative accommodation. Ask the estate agents to help with your search.
Secondly, start researching the other options available. As said, if your girlfriend isn't working at the moment then surely she has some time to contact HA etc. Start looking on the government website for advise, contact CAB, look everywhere. You might not understand it at the moment but plenty of other people do and you should call on them for advice.
I know it's scary and honestly a shit situation to be in, but you're the only one who can sort it out and you need to start planning. People on here have given good advice, now it's time to start taking it.
Chris, stop panicking mate youve got a couple of months to sort this out and with your missus out of work at least she can spend all day on the phone speaking to people to sort this out.
Personally id just start looking for somewhere new and see if you can borrow the money for the next deposit. As above try the council and housing associations for help with somewhere new.
Are you in any sort of position to buy a house so you dont have the same issues again even if its only on a key worker or part buy part rent scheme.
(03-10-2012, 12:46 PM)Midnightclub Wrote: [ -> ]You can live somewhere for 3 months free of charge if you claim squatters rights, worst case i guess that could at least buy you some extra time?
You are aware that squatting is now a criminal offence that you can go to prison for (and there is people in prison for it)? Also squatters rights never existed in the first place, it was a loophole of wording in some act (possibly the CJ&P act)
The defences you might have if you were to try staying there without permission is that a) this is a civil dispute and b) you didnt enter the premises as a trespasser. However there is nothing stopping the police arresting you to investigate this matter i.e. by asking questions in a taped interview.
(03-10-2012, 12:46 PM)Midnightclub Wrote: [ -> ]You can live somewhere for 3 months free of charge if you claim squatters rights, worst case i guess that could at least buy you some extra time?
Not any more, they've made this illegal (which is f*cking stupid, but hey)
You can apply for council housing online through your local council or even councils nearby it should ask questions about where your currently living do you need to be rehomed due to evictions personal situation and dependents such as children or disabilitys. It use to be a case of get pregnant get a house but things have changed slightly but being homeless is a priority with a new child. You may need to provide a letter stating the situation from landlord but this will strengthen your case. Takes about 20-25mins to fill in but once your on youl be fine
This is shit news paper. Get into the council, they were a
Big help when I was homeless a month or two ago. But I managed to sort it myself.
Hope you and Natalie sort this.
(03-10-2012, 02:38 PM)Kezzieboy Wrote: [ -> ] (03-10-2012, 12:46 PM)Midnightclub Wrote: [ -> ]You can live somewhere for 3 months free of charge if you claim squatters rights, worst case i guess that could at least buy you some extra time?
Not any more, they've made this illegal (which is f*cking stupid, but hey)
It's stupid that they've made what is effectively theft of a building illegal? Lolwhut?
Thanks for the kind words guys.
We are going to look at a flat tonight as it happens, purely because the market here moves so quickly.
We have very specific criteria -
Has to be within the town as Nat can't yet drive (although the town is big!)
Has to have 2 bedrooms
Ground floor preferable
< £700 PCM.
And it's not like we get much choice
(03-10-2012, 03:15 PM)Matt Wrote: [ -> ]This is shit news paper. Get into the council, they were a
Big help when I was homeless a month or two ago. But I managed to sort it myself.
Hope you and Natalie sort this.
Yeah Chris, why dont you move you, your missus and the newborn into a caravan and live like Matt LOL
(03-10-2012, 03:41 PM)c.a.r. Wrote: [ -> ]We have very specific criteria -
Has to be within the town as Nat can't yet drive (although the town is big!)
Has to have 2 bedrooms
Ground floor preferable
< £700 PCM.
Why ground floor preferable? From experience your several times more likely to get burgled on the ground floor then top floor is next most likely and middle floors hardly ever.
it will work out. get on to the council book an appointment they will help you. Just remember if they ask for something make sure you get it to them a.s.a.p or it will hold up application.
You can get through this chin up and keep on moving forward to a resolution
(03-10-2012, 04:07 PM)Dum-Dum Wrote: [ -> ]Why ground floor preferable? From experience your several times more likely to get burgled on the ground floor then top floor is next most likely and middle floors hardly ever.
ground floor because my mum is in a wheelchair so it's difficult for her to visit if it's anywhere else.
Would like a small house but they start at like £900 PCM around here!
Looked at a place tonight which was a bit 'meh' and have another viewing tomorrow but it's right next to some power lines which concerns me somewhat. Gonna try and get Friday off work at short notice because it's easier to view properties during the week, hopefully work will be understanding.
f*ck's sake, how much is rent down south!? I'm paying £475 a month not including council tax, bills etc. Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, private let, GCH, part-furnished, private let.
You could get a 3 bedroom semi for that kind of money up here. There's your answer.
In all seriousness though, you'll be fine. Don't panic. You'll also start receiving income support for having a dependant which will help, not a huge amount of money but enough to pay the odd bill.
(03-10-2012, 07:19 PM)cwspellowe Wrote: [ -> ]f*ck's sake, how much is rent down south!? I'm paying £475 a month not including council tax, bills etc. Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, private let, GCH, part-furnished, private let.
I'm paying £320 for a 2 bed council semi, and houses like yours private are around £500. North FTW.
I'll have you know Dum Dum that my caravan is f*cking beaut!!!
You've got loads of time left i had same problem last year with my son on the way so went don't to the council offices and registered homeless we went straight to the top of the list because we was expecting newborn.
I was also in formed that they can not evict you even if your notice period is served they can not make you homeless the only way to evict you is to goto court and get the court to serve you with a notice.
This was the case with us hope it all gets sorted
spellowes rent is cheap cuz he lives in a warzone. the only place thats comparable is downtown baghdad.
as for liam, the north is cheap for a reason..........................................
Mate thats crazy, my rent on a house in LONDON was only 700pcm
(03-10-2012, 11:35 PM)samass Wrote: [ -> ]spellowes rent is cheap cuz he lives in a warzone. the only place thats comparable is downtown baghdad.
as for liam, the north is cheap for a reason..........................................
Which is?
(03-10-2012, 11:35 PM)samass Wrote: [ -> ]as for liam, the north is cheap for a reason..........................................
Wales is also much cheaper, but jobs are scarce!
I live in the SE too, everything costs more here, but I earn the same as I would anywhere else in the country!
House rents are stupid money here too near Milton Keynes!