Nicotrod

Is anyone suitable to represent the people then? Is there anyone out there who can honestly say they've never made a silly comment that could be classed as sexist? Lads on stags... women eyeing up men on a girls night out and making comments between themselves... any of us who have shown pictures of people on online dating apps and making a fleeting comment... We have all done it at some point. Think its more about luck as to whether you get called out or not.

I met Jared before he entered the world of politics and actually went on a date with him. And I was really surprised when all this came out. The guy I met was pretty meek and quiet. He certainly didn't behave in a way that made me feel uncomfortable. I was thinking about the situation this morning and it struck me that I would never feel comfortable becoming a Councillor because every single mistake, inappropriate/ drunken comment I'd ever made, daft immature moment... they'd all come back to haunt you. My friends and I are all hard working, honest, forward thinking people and not one of us would dare to be in the public eye because we've all made mistakes at some point in our lives. It must be so disheartening to try to make a positive difference in your present life, only to be publicly obliterated for lessons you've learnt from in your past. If you haven't learnt from them... that's a different matter. But I do wish we were more tolerant of the fact we are all human and we all have skeletons in our closet. What matters is who we are now/ who we want to become.

Again... it's nothing to do with Housing Benefit. Anyone can present as homeless if they are at genuine risk of it. Full time employed people present as homeless because they have been served notice on a private property and cannot afford the deposit/ estate agent fees/ rent in advance for a new property. Housing benefit has nothing to do with the advice that the council give these people to stay put until the last possible moment to avoid them ending up homeless. There is only so much temporary accommodation available. It's advice they HAVE to give.

Yup... Asylum seekers are supported by the home office for 6 months then have to sort themselves out. They are certainly not pushed to the top of the housing register. Refugees supported by the council are all put into private rented properties via the Gateway scheme. Where do people come up with bizarre "facts"?!

Not fair? If you had done your research as a landlord you'd know all this already. It amazes me how many landlords think renting is 100% profit. The council are not at fault here. Do you have any idea the pressures they are under to help everyone that presents as homeless? There is not enough housing. They have to do whatever they can to prevent homelessness. Does your "friend" have children? Keeping them with a roof over their heads if the number one priority here, not your feelings about following a legal process and applying to court.

Yes... because they can't afford the agency fees, rent in advance and a deposit. For the majority of families, working or not, it's a huge expense!

If that family has presented as homeless, that is the advice ANY council would offer your tenant. Particularly if they don't have a deposit or savings to move on. Due to the lack of social housing, many families are being encouraged to take private rented properties, even though it is often not affordable. If they have no where to go once the notice expires, what do you expect them to do? The council can't magically make a property available overnight. There will be others ahead of them on waiting lists. Obtaining a possession order is normal practice. landlord's just hope that tenants don't realise this and leave once a notice expires. But legally they don't have to. If you don't like it... don't private let to people. And FYI... benefits have nothing to do with it. Same laws apply to full time working tenants. Just so you know.

I use Julian therapies on Chesterfield Road in Woodseats. Really reasonably priced and he is great at what he does. Think you can find him on Facebook. My Mum has MS and benefits greatly from a back massage and she now wants to move to Sheffield after a session with Julian!

Hi all, Does anyone know any central pubs or pubs around Abbeydale Road/ Sharrow/ Nether Edge showing tomorrow's Grand National? Many thanks

Or you could contact the private rented solutions team at the council. They don't manage properties but will source a tenant, offer a bond, provide all paperwork and arrange for housing benefit payments to go direct to the landlord (unless the applicant is a single person in receipt of universal credit). They are always seeking properties for families at risk of homelessness.

I'm always cautious around these people now. A few years back I was approached by an elderly man asking for money outside Nandos on West St. Was the middle of a Sunday afternoon. I'd popped to see a friend off on the tram so didn't even have my handbag with me. He asked for some change and I said I didn't have any. He then asked for a cigarette and again told him I had none. Then he asked for a lighter, I gave the same response. Then he saw my mobile in my hand, lunged for it and tried to grab it. It's only because he was drunk that he didn't succeed. When he didn't get the phone he punched me in the chest and shoved me over before staggering off. Obviously this was reported to the police though unfortunately they didn't catch him. I was on my own, female in my 20s and not one person on West Street or in Nandos stepped in to help. Not even after the man had wandered off and I was still winded on the floor. Point of the story... most beggars are harmless but always have your guard up. People can be unpredictable. It doesn't need to be dark or late at night for people to behave dangerously.

I've been a private renter for a decade and have never gone through a lettings agency because of these fees. I've found my properties by posting an advert on here or gumtree explaining what I'mean looking for and landlords have got in contact with me. I have then provide the contact details for my previous landlord (with their permission) so a reference can be requested. Letting agents put me off for a number of reasons. 1) the extortionate fees. I work with tenancies and know that there are templates that take less than 2 minutes to complete so I will not pay £150- £300 in administration fees for something I do everyday and do not charge tenants for. 2) in my experience the majority of landlords that use letting agents live out of Sheffield and therefore both the landlord and tenant are reliant on the letting agent to deal with emergencies. Not great if something happens after 5pm or at the weekend. 3) Friends inform me it is very hard to find a proactive letting agent. 4) it should be illegal to charge for renewing a contract. Especially if the tenants have paid their rent on time and looked after the property. What's wrong with a 6 or 12 month AST that becomes a rolling contract?! With the decrease in available social housing, increasing rental costs and lack of pay rises, I truly believe that agency fees set a lot of tenants up to fail. Many tenants take out loans to cover rent in advance, deposits, fees and removal costs as less and less people can afford to save in this day and age. If rents increase as a result of agency fees stopping, landlords will just be shooting themselves in the foot because renting will become unaffordable. Tenants will move in through desperation, fall into debt and then the landlord will have to several notice and pay to apply to the courts for a possession order. Why not charge a realistic rental amount to begin with so a tenant will not fall into arrears. It will cost you less in the long run.

The Responsible Landlord Scheme no longer exists so no list can be offered by the Property Shop or council. There is a Private Rented Solutions Team at the council but they only rehouse people threatened with homelessness into affordable private accommodation.

Trust me... it's a giant step up from Luton.

Agreed, unfurnished but with white goods- oven, fridge/ freezer/ washing machine.