Council move, not entitled to HB and running up huge debts!

A question about : Council move, not entitled to HB and running up huge debts!

Hi,

My family and I (10 week old baby, 3yr old and partner) were moved out of our council house by the police and the council due to severe harrassment and threats from our neighbour.

Initially we were put in a B&B and are now in a temporary accomodation flat while we are relocated.

I earn Ј27,000 a year and my partner is on long term incapacity. We are not entitled to HB but our rent has increased from Ј240 per month to Ј964 because of the move. We simpy can't afford to pay this and we are running up huge debts! If we were removed from our house at no fault of our own are we liable for all this rent. We are also paying Ј100 to have our household goods in storage and Ј400 to put our dog in kennels...don't know where to turn for help

Best answers:

• Debts aren't taken into account for benefits. Have you looked on the debt free wannabe and old style boards?
• Is this a private flat or a social housing temporary flat?
  Have you checked the maximum LHA you could get on the LHA Direct website and then run all your household figures through the Turn2us online benefit calculator to see if you can retain any of the LHA? What is the LHA entitlement for the size/make up of your household versus the rent being charged?
  Phone Shelter asap for advice on your rights and options.
• Ј950 a month for a council property? where the hell is it?
• It's a scatter flat that the council own. Apparantly the rent is so high because it comes with support and people come to check on us and stuff every week. We don't need the support though. Yeah tried that one and entitled to and we are entitled to no help.
• why dont you look for a private rental. would probably be cheaper!
• We were told that unless we stay here we would lose our homeless points which we need to get rehoused. I also don't think it's fair to have to move back into private letting when we were moved out of our own council home through no fault of our own
• The rent is shocking and I think you should call Shelter and consider contacting your MP.
  Can you take your dogs out of the kennels?
  What's your total household net income - we know your expenses are astronomical - I estimate that your income could be more than 2k per month due to your net income of approx Ј1700 per month, plus child benefit and IB. Your current rent is totally unaffordable anyhow - paying 50% of income on rent alone is a terrible ratio that would trigger financial problems in many households, without the additional storage/pet expenses, too.
• Our total income is Ј1750 per month wages, Ј404 incapacity benfit, Ј120 CB and Ј400 CT & WTC as based on last year when I wasn't earning anywhere near as much. So in total about Ј2,500.
  We contacted MP but not much help...just told to pay as much as we can and the council will accept repayment plan later
• Is it furnished? That's what cost over Ј200 a month for the use of the furniture provided when I was in there (it was broken, dirty, rips in the carpets and couches etc etc) not far from where you are now.
  Is the furniture of a reasonable standard? I had a LOT of problems with the things in the house I never complained or anything though as I was leaving anyway. What did the MP say? Did he give you any advice at all? Why can you not move back into a 2 bed private rent? It'd be much cheaper especailly as you don't know how long you are in there. I was in my temp acc flat for almost 9months with the highest priority points as well as being highest priority with local housing associations and still nothing at all. The person prior to me in the flat had waited 2 years before being placed, at that level of rent after 2 years you are going to be in serious debt.
  It might seem like the best idea to stay where you are and get a council property eventually but the reality is you'd be better going into a private let and saving yourself from getting into huge amounts of debt.
• Ј2674, actually.
  Spending 36% of your net income on rent which is around 3 times greater than you usually pay is obviously a complete shock to you, but mainly aggravated by your storage/pet costs which brings your disposal net monthly income down to Ј1210 per month. This is still 'healthy' (note the apostraphes) compared to some households as it leaves around Ј300 per week after your highest costs are taken into account.
  But I don't think this is a cost of living shocker to many people living in rental accommodation in high cost areas of the UK, just perhaps to those used to living in social housing in low cost areas of the UK. Not that this helps you.
  To me, it sounds like Shelter advice is your best bet, plus a visit to the Debt Free wanabee board to manage your debts and have them review your statement of affairs (SOA) plus a visit to the Old style boards to learn how to really attack your expenses and live more frugally because of the big dent to your income (sudden and unpredicted loss of half of your disposable income).
  My maths is rotten so I could be wrong but is there any major reason why the 4 of you can't live on Ј300 per week? Such as other debts or large outgoings that aren't detailed in your previous posts? I'm not dismissing your circumstances - anyone suddenly losing half their money is going to find it catastrophic.
  Download the MSE budget planner to help you identify where your money is disappearing. It will help you identify where you can make savings as it looks like you are not entitled to anymore income.
• Hmmm probably not. I guess it's just unfair that we have went from being really well off to having to count the pennies because of some alcoholic idiot down the stairs. He's not lost his house or has to travel an hour and a half to work. My daughter has lost many of her possessions and I'm just so down about it all Just seems really unfair. xxx
• It's definately unfair - you've been driven out of your home. Perhaps Shelter can assist you with getting into a conventionally priced social housing property and this will stop the clock on the drain to your finances.
• Do you know how long you will be in temp accomodation before a perm council house comes up? I dont know if im correct but I thought because you have dependants especially a newborn the max time was only 6 weeks (like I said, this needs to be checked - try CAB or Shelter website)
  Although looking at the figures you've given you are still better off than us and most who rent privately, if its only going to be 6 weeks just wait it out, once you go back to paying peanuts in council rent you can pay off any debts or overdraft you aquired whilst in temp accommodation.
  Good luck, I do agree with you that the person who harrassed you should have been made to move, and not you.
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• Does your rent include gas, electric, council tax and water rates? This would make the monthly figure more reasonable.