I have been with the property shop since January and recently joined a few housing associations and responded to more ads than I can count but as I'm on housing benefit a lot of people don't want to know even tho i've offered to pay rent from my own money (so long as it gets paid back to me) until the housing benefit comes thru but still nobody will give mne a chance. I'm not scum and other than the fact I might be homeless soon (which I have told property shop, housing associations etc but still nothing) I have my own personal reasons for wanting to move from Bradford to Sheffield but without a car I'll find it impossible to travel everyday to work if I get a job offer in Sheffield and many employers won't even give me a job until I have a place to live there and for many of the shifts available I wouldnt be able to get either there or back on time with public transport anyway so need a place to stay before I can get a job and would have to be on housing benefit to start with so can anyone tell me what i have to do to get a palce to live around here!! :help: :help: :help:

I am in the same position. I am getting harrassed by yobs and had a Staffy set on me last week, yet it doesnt seemto make a difference. Just keep trying, not much else you can do :)

The Property Shop used to have a list of one bedroom properties which were difficult to let and people could complete a housing application form and be offered a property the same day - the scheme has a special name but I forgot what it is. Depending on who you speak to you may have to be a little persistant - I sorted one out for someone who came from Scotland to work with me and the member of staff I spoke wasn't 'up to speed' with the service. The only problem is that most of these properties aren't in desirable areas - 'difficult to let' is a bit of a giveaway - but I suppose if you're desperate...

Have you tried North British Housing Association? They award points on a sliding scale to people who are to become homeless. You get so many points if you can provide a letter from your landlord saying he wants you to leave, more points if you have a Notice Seeking Possession or an eviction notice and so on. All of which could help towards getting somewhere to live more quickly.

yeh im with them but dont think they gave me any points as where the space is that is meant to say how many points its just blank so im assuming i dont have any points

oh and forgot to mention I can't really get a letter from my landlord as the reason I'm losing my home is that none of us were given tenancy agreements because the landlord is dying and when he does we're all out but it seems a little insensitive to ask him to write me a letter confirming this

The scheame Sandeh means is called first come first served. they are very hard to let properties that don't usually attract bids through the bidding system.

Mandy25,

If you have enough money to pay your rent until Housing Benefit is processed then you can take a private letting without disclosing the fact that you will be claiming to the landlord.

Provided you can show that your rent is paid up to date at the point your claim is processed then you can receive payments directly from the council and your landlord need never know. (if you are more than 8 weeks in arrears then they are obliged to pay your landlord direct). You should make it clear in your application that you do not want your landlord to know that you are claiming.

The problem if you are made homeless is that the duty to rehouse will lye with your current council (Bradford?), and so a move to Sheffield will be difficult.

Hope this helps?

yes ive seen the first come first served properties and ive never seen any suitable for me, as they all seems to say over 40's and over 60's etc. I get what you mean with the housing benefit tho i was under the impression they needed to speak to the landlord at some point to confirm the rent etc but as for paying til it gets sorted out I could come up with 6 weeks rents tops and it wouldnt be ideal iwas just offered that to the landlords i was appyling for flats with to show that iwasn't looking for a free ride and in the hope they'd give me a chance

Originally posted by mandy25
i was under the impression they needed to speak to the landlord at some point to confirm the rent etc

As long as you can provide a copy of your tenancy agreement they do not need to contact your landlord. To make sure your claim goes through quickly try to provide everything they need with your form. Otherwise if it takes them a few weeks to look at your claim then they have to write to you for more information it will get delayed.

If possible, I would take the extra time to make an appointment and have your claim checked and all your original documents copied at the office. I know it's a pain but if it knocks several weeks off the process...

You could try homebuyers, a letting agency on campo lane,

They are very flexible and take peoples personal situation into account, I do not know how they respond to benefits but I know they have rented to asylum seekers, (which in most agencies this is less desirable).

The houses they have are not in the best parts of sheffield but also far from the worst, reasonably priced and very well kept and managed.

For us they were the only agency willing to listen to our need for housing, considering one of us had no credit history and we were lookign for a three month contract that would accept cats. We have the best landlord we have ever had, and are moving out in the next few weeks. so property will if not currently be available.

Not sure but definately worth popping in and asking for the main woman, nice friendly, I think called Sue (but not sure), PM if you need more info.

You could always pay your rent for 6 weeks then tell the landlord you were unexpectedly made redundant and will have to claim housing benefits. If he/she was unhappy with this it would be difficult for them to evict you straightaway as you would have a tenancy agreement and they wouldn't want the hassle so you would end up staying! Saying that make sure know how much HB you are entitled to. You don't want to move in somewhere and pay the rent out of your own pocket only to find out your entitlement won't cover the full payment. Oh and another thing in my experience private landlords always ask for a months rent in advance which can make it difficult when claiming HB as you won't receive a months payment in advance.

HB is paid 4 weekly in arrears.

Good advice is to go to Howden House with all necessary paperwork and open your claim there and then. Take, completed forms (leave any bits you're not sure of and they'll advise), copy of tenancy agreement, proof of benefit (benefit book etc) and proof of ID (drivers licence or passport) that will help make sure your claim goes through as quickly as possible. There is a seperate form to fill in if you want your landlord to be able to discuss your claim with HB people (don't fill that in if you don't want them to be able to). If you haven't signed that form they should not even confirm that you are claiming.

If you are not a council tenant you get a choice as to where your housing benefit is paid i.e. into your bank or to your landlord. So the advice given previously about taking on a tenancy and not disclosing the hb situation is feasible.

Asking for a letter from the dying landlord may seem callous, but so is turning you out. I would ask.