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.

We had a similar problem with our 2 cats. I found approaching landlords directly rather than via a letting agency helped so I could explain the situation to them in person. To secure the property I am in now we offered to pay an extra £150 deposit and offered to sign an agreement stating we'd have the carpets professionally cleaned when we left. We also offered references from our previous landlord whose property we left in a pristine condition when we left. Hope that helps! Sometimes landlords will be more flexible if you are willing to make these kind of offers. Good luck!

What irritates me is... A) the council getting blamed for mistakes made by Capita. Housing Benefit/ council tax were previously dealt with by Capita but has very recently transferred back to the council. B) All Employees being branded as liars or incompetent. I see what goes on in my department. It's hard work, demanding, under staffed, a hell of a lot of responsibility and a lot of pressure. C) The public are so quick to complain but when an employee does go the extra mile for you or assist in some way, the words "thank you" are very rarely said. Yet I have been sworn at, shouted at, spat at etc more times than I can count. Manners don't cost a thing but it's an effort too far for most. I get disheartened from time to time with being a scapegoat for everything that goes wrong in Sheffield just because I work at the council. One day I fear I'll stop caring about helping people as much as I do now. When that happens, like many others, I'll leave. Treat the good employees poorly and you'll be left with people who do not care. Showe some appreciation when it's deserved and it'll go a long way.

Hello, I was wondering if there would be a demand for a service that assists people on health related benefits or on job seekers with updating their CVS, support around job applications, help with looking for realistic roles and comprehensive interview techniques. I have previously worked on a Government scheme helping people in the North of England return to work. I also have experience completing benefit applications on behalf on vulnerable people and have been a support worker. I understand the frustration people have with jobcentre and how overwhelming it can be job hunting and completing lengthy applications. This would be a part time business where I would meet any potential clients somewhere neutral and relaxed (coffee shop or a library). Obviously my rates would reflect the needs of any potential clients. Before I progress, I would like to gauge any interest and ask the people of this forum if they believe this service is needed/ wanted. Many thanks in advance NT

In regards to anti social behaviour from neighbours/ harassment or violence... have you contacted the police or environmental services? Until there is a record of you doing this consistently whenever there is a problem, your complaints aren't likely to be taken seriously. You should also contact the private housing standards team at the council if you feel repair issues are not being sorted. This team can force a landlord to comply and have the legal knowledge to ensure any health and safety issues are dealt with. You can be a private, council or housing association tenant to use their service. Similarly there is the tenancy relations team who can assist with mediation between landlords and tenants and help explain your legal rights.

Sorry if this offends anyone but I wouldn't touch Wheldrake with a barge pole. Don't know much about the other road. S5 is mainly made up of ex council estates, now taken over by housing association properties rather than an area of young professionals/ renters.

Have to agree with what others have said. £500 pcm does not even match the LHA rates for a 3 bed in Sheffield (£504.96 pcm) so you will be very limited in where you can rent for that amount. You can find the occasional 3 bed property for around £575 in the S8 areas of Woodseats/ Nether Edge (roads off Abbeydale Road) which is a nice area. Or Heeley S8/ S2. If you want other "decent" places in the south west area of the city like Crookes, Dore, Totley, Crosspool, Fulwood, Greystones etc you really will need to up your budget to at least £650-750 pcm. £500 for a 3 bed may get you a place in Lowedges (S8), Wybourn (S2), Page Hall (S4), Firth park (S5) and Norfolk Park (S2) but these aren't the most desirable areas.

Things we tend to do: Go for lazy Sunday afternoon drinks and a pizza at Picture House Social on Abbeydale Road Have a pub lunch at The Broadfield or Robin Hood Meet up with friends and have a BBQ (or attempt to if it's raining) Mooch round the shops on Abbeydale Road/ cafes Watch something at the cinema Dig into steak at La Vaca in Broomhill Visit friends and family down south or in Manchester But to be totally honest... most regularly he games on the XBox, I moan about him gaming, I do chores I've not had time to do in the week, we watch Netflix, order food in, watch waaaay too many box-sets and probably spend too long in bed.

I live there too. And like I said... I love it

That was the point I was trying to make but in a more sensitive way. I didn't say it was racist. I said there are gangs of every type across the city. White youths seem a predominant problem in Parsons Cross. Male Asian teenagers are the main problem in the Abbeydale area.

Anyone would mind ANY group of people of any age or race causing anti social behaviour. However, across the city there do seem to be groups of all backgrounds that appear to cause more of a problem in particular areas. It's not stereotyping or being racist... it's just a fact. I've been hounded by a group of young white males more than once whilst working in Parsons Cross. Similarly, I have observed that around the Abbeydale area all the issues I have personally experienced have been due to young Asian males. It's an observation, nothing more, nothing less. I also have noticed the wider Asian community doing all possible to encourage these youngsters to go to school, to not use bad language in shops and to stop loitering. I think this is fantastic as I rarely see the parents of pre-mentioned white youths in Parsons Cross trying to discipline their offspring. Issues experienced- groups of males smoking weed at the end of my road, being threatened because I'm in "their area", name calling when having to try and push through a group hanging around outside a shop. But in every situation, I have stood up for myself as have the community around me. And that's why I love this area. Everyone, of all backgrounds, religions and ethnicities pull together to tackle the few that try to spoil the neighbourhood. I love the community.