Housing RANT

[alouisebx]

Well, I've been working since the age of 14 and in full time employment since I was 16. And now that I need help with housing I can't get any? Rented accommodation is too expensive to be able to afford and cannot get a council place as I don't deserve one. I feel like for me to be able to get anything I need to quit work, which I couldn't do I love my job. Its ridiculous as I have worked my ass off and can't get anything yet some people who could do what I do, don't because its easier not to!? How is this right anymore.

 

[MummyMana]

I feel for you my partner works, I'm on maternity leave but we can't afford to private rent. We're on the housing list and beginning to get somewhere now though baring in mind we've been on the list since I was 34 Weeks pregnant, but I was "adequately housed" until Imogen was 6 months old (they don't take into account things like I'm completely isolated with no transport and no local amenities, my partner has no fixed abode and our family is split apart).

How does the housing system work in your area? Where are you living now? Can you be together with your partner?

 

[alouisebx]

We are under north somerset housing. My partners in supported living, him and his mum didn't get on very well so he's technically homeless, he has to pay £595 a month for this flat if he has a full time job, he's part time at the moment and children can't live here and neither can I. He is getting band A because he's technically homeless but if we add me onto the claim, we'd be band D. We've bid on 3 houses and gone straight down to 12 in the que, even though he's bid on them first, and their only one bed flats!! It's just frustrating because everything private rent here is around £600 for a two bed, and we can't afford that on my wages alone, and unsure of what the council will pay towards that. And that's without gas water and electric rates. I'm unsure of council tax, but I know we'd have to pay our own energy bills. I just don't want to be homeless when this baby arrives, I want to be prepared and get everything sorted. Everywhere they're offering is too far away from my mum and even though she's not being the most supportive person at the minute, I'll be scared to be too far away as I don't drive! xx

 

[lov3hat3]

I know it sucks, there is almost no point in working sometimes! Me and OH have been a bit lucky and been able to scrape up enough to private rent so were moving in November. Have you gone to speak to someone and see if you can get housing benefit if you private rent? I know quite a few people that have done this and its been a lot quicker process. You could probably get council tax paid for you too. x

 

[nic18]

this infuriates me! people work their butts off but can't get help with housing, yet alcoholics drug addicts and people who have never worked a day in their life or want to work, get every benefit all the help the want/need.

 

[MummyMana]

It's.difficult to get housing benefit for a private place as you'll need a guarantor.

Once you get your mat b 1 take it to the council and you should go up a band

My partner on his own was low band (homeless men are expected to just fight over bins I suppose ) when we made a joint claim we were still low band. When I got my mat b 1 we were moved up to medium, then when she turned 6 months we went onto high band you also have to bring your baby's birth certificate when they're born.

If you can't stay where you are now once baby is here get whoever you live with to write a letter saying you'll be homeless once the baby is born.

 

[ClairAye]

I hear you! My OH works around 90 hours a week and we can't even afford to private rent :/

We're not in council housing but with a housing association. They're awful though, we've been waiting to move out of our one bedroom house since I was 20 weeks with our 17 month old and we won't even get moved until baby is here likely I just wish I could buy a nice house!

 

[MummyMana]

The house we're hopefully getting is through a housing association but through homechoice (I'm not even sure how to go directly through a housing association) they just rang me and offered us a viewing

It's tiny, but hey, we'll be together and that's all that matters!

 

[alouisebx]

I'm just at my wits end with all of this I know I'm still quite early but I can't do this anymore! I need stability for me and my family and we can't get anywhere! Not everyone on benefits are scroungers I know some are but not the majority! My OH was on them as when the recession hit he lost his job and couldn't find another one till recently! I just need a house

 

[MummyMana]

I know it's frustrating but I really wouldn't expect them to do anything yet. Your only 15 Weeks along so I'd just take a step back and forget about it for now. The stress won't do you any good when nothing can be done yet and if your at your wits end now imagine how you'll feel when baby is 7 months old and you still haven't been offered a home... it's a long and stressful road so you need to conserve your energy for when things can be done. I'd forget about it at least until you have your mat b 1 and just concentrate on your pregnancy

Are you actually on the housing list but just on a low band? If you are then you should be moved to high band once the baby is 6 months old and you have no choice but to share a room with them (ie no extra bedroom for baby). After that you stand more of a chance of landing a successful bid. Also make sure you bid every cycle

 

[tinkerbelle93]

I know the feeling, me and DH were both working full-time when I was pregnant with my DS, we were placed at the bottom of the council waiting list and told we'd be waiting around 3 years for a flat! Private renting round here is stupidly expensive so we didn't want to do that either. In the end we decided to stay living with my parents whilst we saved up a deposit (which wasn't hard with two incomes coming in and no bills etc.) by being really tight with money and we now have a 3-bedroom shared ownership house which costs around the same as a council property would each month in rent and mortgage. Butttt we did have to stay living with my mum and dad until LO was over a year old so that was pretty tough and I know a lot of people wouldn't want to! xx

 

[alouisebx]

My parents don't have the room and my OH and his mum don't get on. So it's so hard to deal with. Private rent here is so expensive and I just feel like breaking down. Me and my OH don't have anything, savings, a house, driving licenses. It feels like everything's stacked against us, and I want this baby more than anything

Oh and my OH has just had a letter saying he's been moved to band B so looks like no chance for us. GREAT.

 

[ClairAye]

Your priority will also change after baby is born, they don't see it a problem for us having our 17 month old in a tiny one bedroom house, we'll likely only be moved after baby is born and we're number one on the list :/

 

[tinkerbelle93]

My parents don't have the room and my OH and his mum don't get on. So it's so hard to deal with. Private rent here is so expensive and I just feel like breaking down. Me and my OH don't have anything, savings, a house, driving licenses. It feels like everything's stacked against us, and I want this baby more than anything

Oh and my OH has just had a letter saying he's been moved to band B so looks like no chance for us. GREAT.

Where are you currently living? At the town I previously lived in if you declared yourself homeless they would put you in a hostel temperarily and you'd immediately go to the top of the housing list and get a place much more quickly. Also there is plenty of time to change things. Me and my DH were in such a useless situation when I fell pregnant but with hard work managed to turn things around before he was born xx

 

[alouisebx]

3 days at my OH's and the rest at my parents, but it's not really working out. I can't be doing this anymore. Just hate this right now .

 

[fashionqueen]

If you both work, surely that must cover the £600 rent plus bills? That's pretty reasonable for a 2 bed house.

Can't you rent a private 1 bed flat? Why do you need a 2 bed house?

 

[tinkerbelle93]

If you both work, surely that must cover the £600 rent plus bills? That's pretty reasonable for a 2 bed house.

Can't you rent a private 1 bed flat? Why do you need a 2 bed house?

Yep I agree, a 1 bed flat is fine for a couple and a baby. We have an almost 2-year-old and only use one bedroom.. the other 2 are completely useless at the moment, we'd be fine if it were just a 1-bedroom house/apartment.

If you are both working and not having to support bills and a home surely there is disposable income that could go into a savings? Sit down and talk to your OH about where money is going and how much you could put away every month if you scrimped a bit, it's amazing how much you could mount up in six months before baby is due.

Also bear in mind that once your LO is here, if your income is low you will probably get child and working tax credits plus child benefit and you'll get maternity pay/allowance if you're working. Try and ring around and work out how much in benefits you will get and add that up with your partners income and work out how much rent/bills/baby will be, which should give you a clear idea of what you could afford to rent. xx

 

[alouisebx]

Sorry meant to put 1 bed flat is all we're looking for, don't want a house until i can afford one! But the problem is we can't afford 600 my OH is only earning 500 a month and me £1000, but once I'm on maternity leave I don't get nearly half as much I don't think, plus I'm only on yearly contract as working with a child as an LSA and he might be leaving the school so I may not have that position anyway. I have a backup job but that again is only £500 a month. I really don't know what to do.

 

[tinkerbelle93]

Sorry meant to put 1 bed flat is all we're looking for, don't want a house until i can afford one! But the problem is we can't afford 600 my OH is only earning 500 a month and me £1000, but once I'm on maternity leave I don't get nearly half as much I don't think, plus I'm only on yearly contract as working with a child as an LSA and he might be leaving the school so I may not have that position anyway. I have a backup job but that again is only £500 a month. I really don't know what to do.

You'll get tax credits to bump up your income as well as child benefit. Child benefit is £80 a month, tax credits depend on your income. Have you rang the tax credits office to find out how much you'd be entitled to? There's a calculator here https://www.familyinvestments.co.uk/family-nest/tools/Tax-credits-benefits-calculator/ that's simple to use. xx

 

[alouisebx]

Thanks! My OH has spoken to someone and sorted that out we know roughly what we're going to get but it all depends if the boy I work with is moving to a higher needs school, as they're in the process of trying in which case I lose my job and have no rights what so ever to maternity leave, so I'm trying to wait and see because I don't want to take something on I can't afford on my other paycheck. I guess it's just a waiting game but it's so difficult without stability I think that's my issue. This pregnancy wasn't planned (we were using 2 kinds of contraception!) And so didn't have this eventuality in mind, but now it's here I just have to plan accordingly. Thank you all for all your help . xx