# Housing advice



## GlitterPenguin (Nov 19, 2013)

Hiya, I'm in a bit of a situation where I need to leave the area in which I live in quite quickly.The problem is, I have a disability and a carer and I can't find any places private rent in which I can afford, or will accept DSS. Lots of places ask for a huge deposit and because of a lack of a local connection to any area in which I'm interested in moving to, or not filling the criteria for help with it. I have a complete lack of support the area in which I live in, which doesn't help.

Does anyone have a suggestion as to what I can do? Any loopholes in the system?

My email is pinkhappiness@hotmail.co.uk

Thanks, Megan.


----------



## toggle (Nov 19, 2013)

firstly, I would not be posting your email on the boards. that is a good way to get an inbox full of spam.

Secondly, you've not discussed why you need to move so fast. if it is because of a threat to you, then there are some very specific duties your local authority has that make you an absolute priority for housing allocation. 

see if there's any general disability related support in your area that might be able to advise, or look for national support orgs related to your disability.


----------



## GlitterPenguin (Nov 19, 2013)

I feel that there is a threat to me, but they refuse to help me unless I report it to the police. I know my rights, but they don't matter until the council accepts that. I need to move quickly, I feel there is a risk I will do something silly unless i get out of the area. I've discussed it with the council, the best suggestion is a hostel. Basically no help. I've moved around a bit and I have no local connection to an area.

Secondly, I'm not needing support for my disability, I'm looking for support with housing, I keep being palmed off to my council or shelter, which have been useless. Which is why I'm asking for independent advice.


----------



## GlitterPenguin (Nov 19, 2013)

The reason I put my email is because I'm asking for advice that might not be politically correct, therefore I would understand if a person wouldn't want to respond on here. It seems like a more simple solution to me.


----------



## equationgirl (Nov 19, 2013)

GlitterPenguin said:


> The reason I put my email is because I'm asking for advice that might not be politically correct, therefore I would understand if a person wouldn't want to respond on here. It seems like a more simple solution to me.


There's no need to put your email address because there is the conversation facilty on this forum, which allowed people to send you messages.

I would really advise removing your email from your first post.


----------



## GlitterPenguin (Nov 19, 2013)

I will remove it if I receive spam, I am really just looking to receive relevant advice, thanks.


----------



## toggle (Nov 19, 2013)

Well, you know the reasons you won't report to the police, but be aware that route is open.

secondly, disability charities can offer advice on housing


----------



## GlitterPenguin (Nov 19, 2013)

Right, well I'm looking for independent advice on here. I'm in need of advice, I'm sick of being palmed off. I have tried every route I can think of, and back to square one.

Can you please offer advice, rather than confrontation?


----------



## toggle (Nov 19, 2013)

You have received advice.

Just because it isn't a fix all for you dosen't make it confrontational. And I'll be honest, if you're responding to people like the council or shelter like that, then they are far less likely to go out of their way to help you.

To my knowlege your options are:

1. if you are in danger, you can be urgently rehoused.
2. get advice from shelter as to agencies/landlords to try
3. get advice from council as to agencies/landlords to try
4. contact other support organisations that might be able to assist you because of your disability. CAB should be able to advise on local groups.they may also be able to advise you on what the council's specific duties are towards someone with your disability. IDK what that is and IDK how that would fit with council's definitions of vulnerable. but that will rarely get you above a band 2. being in danger can get you a band 1 priority. they might also advise on what non gvt orgs have housing in the area, what ones have accom reserved for anyone deemed vulnerable.
5. councils do need to organise hostel accom if you are being made homeless and you are vulnerable. but you might be less safe in a one of their hostels than you are now.

you aren't going to get a lot more than that without providing anyone with a lot of very specific details. it's a shit situation, we're aware of that. lots of people here who have been in similar or are still in similar.


----------



## bmd (Nov 19, 2013)

Does your council have a banding system for housing? In my area it goes like this - 

*How will we prioritise applications?*
Applicants are placed in one of 4 bands according to their circumstances:

*a) Emergency Band*

Unable to return to their home from hospital because their currently home is permanently unsuitable
Unable to access key facilities in their home without major adaptation works
Only applicants with a local connection to the partnership area will be considered for the emergency band.

*b) Gold Band*

Care Leavers, with an agreed support package;
Applicants who need to move on from an approved accommodation based supported housing scheme
Under-occupiers of a Local Authority or Housing association property in the partnership area who want to move to a property with at least two fewer bedrooms.
Applicants who are statutory homeless or at risk of homelessness and in priority need
Applicants who are overcrowded and require 2 or more bedroom
Applicants with a serious and enduring illness whose health and/or wellbeing is significantly compromised by their home or environment
Applicants need to move to relieve a proven hardship
*c) Silver Band*

Applicants who have a health or well-being issue, which will be removed or improved by moving
Applicants who are statutory homeless or at risk of homelessness but with no priority need or are intentionally homeless
Applicants who are overcrowded and require 1 more bedroom
Applicants whose home lacks basic amenities or have to shares facilities with other households
Under-occupiers of a Local Authority or Housing association property in the partnership area who want to move to a property with one less bedroom.
Applicants from approved prospective foster carers or adopters
*d) Bronze Band*

All other applicants
*How soon can I bid?*
Once your application is processed, you will receive a letter confirming that your application has been accepted and the registration date. The letter will tell you the band that you have been placed in and confirm the type of properties you can bid for.

Once you receive this letter you can start bidding. Available properties will be advertised weekly on both the website and at your local housing office. Applicants classed as vulnerable or isolated will be offered help. You can bid for a maximum of three properties a week

Applicants (or someone supporting them) who want to bid can:

Use the website;
Use the automated telephone bidding line; 
Send a text message; 
Return a coupon by post; or
Contact their local housing office  in person  (details available in the Home Choice application form)
*How do we decide who is successful?*
If we receive more than one bid for a property then we will sort them using four ‘tie-breakers’ in the following order: *banding—assessed bedroom need—debt—time*. Tie breakers are only used as necessary, for example if only two applicants bid for a property, one in Gold and the other in Silver, then the offer goes to the (higher) Gold applicant. If both applicants are in Gold then the process moves to the next ‘tie-breaker’ and so on….

*Banding (also known as housing need)*
Bids will be placed in band order. Applicants in Emergency Band will be ranked first, followed by those in Gold, Silver and Bronze Bands.

*Assesed Bedroom Need*
All applicants will have been advised of their assessed allocated bedroom need

Some properties have an extra restriction on allocations because of planning or legal restrictions. In these cases applicants will be advised in the property advert of the specific conditions.

*Debt*
The applicant with no housing related debt will be successful.

*Time*
If there is still more than one applicant ‘tying’ after band, assessed bedroom need and debt have been considered then the offer will be made to the applicant with the longest time in their band.

*What if I am the successful bidder?*
If you are shortlisted you will be invited to view the property and further verification of your current circumstances carried out to make sure you are still eligible for the property prior to an offer being made.

Applicants will not be penalised if they refuse an offer, however, where more than 5 offers have been refused, the applicant will be invited to an interview to discuss their housing requirements.

The Good Neighbour Scheme has been renamed the Good Tenant Scheme. This is an incentive scheme operated by partners and participating landlords for secure and assured tenants. Please refer to appendix 8 of the allocations policy for the current criteria. Can I download a copy of this summary guide?

Yes. You can download a copy of the summary guide here.


----------



## purenarcotic (Nov 19, 2013)

I hate to sound harsh here, but here goes:

Councils have a duty to help rehouse people but it depends on the threat.  If your threat constitutes domestic violence then you should contact your local women's aid for support in moving to a new area. 

I think you need to accept right now that unless you go into a private rental, there is NO way you will be moved into a house of your own immediately.  You will have to go into temporary accommodation, either in the form of a hostel, B&B or refuge.  The council is NOT failing you when they offer you TA, they are fulfilling their statutory obligations when they do so.  You can request to move into dispersed accommodation once you have been placed in TA (dispersed are flats and houses which are still provided on a temporary basis, but feel a bit more like your own space) and obviously the accommodation should be suitable to meet your health needs.  Once you are in TA you can then fill out a part 6 general housing application and then start bidding on properties. 

If you are suffering from DV, you do NOT need police reports.  You can provide police reports but it is not necessary. Again, contact your local DV org so they can advocate on your behalf.

If you are not suffering from DV but from something like harassment from a neighbour, the rules may well be different and the council may need more evidence than your say so. I appreciate that that feels really unfair but unfortunately there isn't much that can be done about it today. 

If they are offering you TA and you feel at risk in the area you are currently in, you need to accept that TA.  I know TA is shit and I'm sorry it's not the ideal scenario but you are not going to be moved into your own home immediately and they are offering you something.


----------



## purenarcotic (Nov 19, 2013)

bmd said:


> Does your council have a banding system for housing? In my area it goes like this -
> 
> *How will we prioritise applications?*
> Applicants are placed in one of 4 bands according to their circumstances:
> ...



Ours is a completely different system.   Our council is points based.


----------



## bmd (Nov 19, 2013)

Well ours is points based but you end up being banded depending on the amount of points you have. It's just so that it's unnecessarily complicated and then loads of people fail at getting housing, especially the most vulnerable. Which is exactly what you want. Think of the hours it would take to get someone through the system if you actually had to help them?! Perish the thought!


----------



## purenarcotic (Nov 19, 2013)

bmd said:


> Well ours is points based but you end up being banded depending on the amount of points you have. It's just so that it's unnecessarily complicated and then loads of people fail at getting housing, especially the most vulnerable. Which is exactly what you want. Think of the hours it would take to get someone through the system if you actually had to help them?! Perish the thought!



I do know what it's like, I used to do it.   It is very frustrating and time consuming, yes.  I would always advise asking for dispersed as it's nearly always nicer than TA so waiting for a property doesn't feel so horrendous iyswim.

And to add a bit (as people don't always realise this), DV does not just have to be from your partner.  You can also suffer DV from family members if they live in the same home as you.


----------



## farmerbarleymow (Nov 21, 2013)

GlitterPenguin said:


> I will remove it if I receive spam, I am really just looking to receive relevant advice, thanks.



I strongly suspect that your e-mail address will have already been picked up and added to spam lists I'm afraid.  Your e-mail address on this page comes up as result #5 in google already.


----------

