Any advice ending tennacy

[inapanic]

Hi,

 

first time posting and wondered if anyone could help me - I was housed by the council (in private acc) using thier deposit bond scheme and housing benefit..

 

I needed to get out of the house i was living in or would have ended up homeless (currently im pregnant) i looked around the flat during the day and thought i had checked everything - turns out not quite - i have had problems and having issues with things in the flat - although my main problem is the area im so scared being here on my own at night i dont sleep - due to a number of reasons (i can put in more details if required but didnt want to make my first post a really long one)

 

Im also having problems in the flat doesnt have a fridge/freezer washing machine and pay for the plumbing work or cooker (i knew this before i moved in and stupidly thought i may beable to get some help getting these items- which i have since found out i cant as they are not needed) so i cant afford these items which is stressing me out even more as i have to buy things for the baby as not long now, the hosiptal have told me im not eating enough as have ketones and need to up my food intake - bu saving for these items and trying to make food without these is not easy but the people i applied to told me i did not need these items as a microwave and a sink with cold water is sufficant.

 

Anyway between all these problems im so stressed and upset and have been admitted to hospital 3 times to moniter my baby as lack of movement and my blood pressure is a little on the high side - my friend after seeing how upset i am and fearing for my little one (as we all know stress is not good) has offered to put me up in accomadation in a nice area near my family and will pay rent - deposit etc.

 

My question is as this landlord has loads of property and he only rents though the council if i gave up my tennacy (i also dont know how to do this as its 12 months no break clause) can he sue me? altho im sure th council have people needing this property so it wont stay empty for long, as it took them 3 months to house me as there was so many people waiting for propertys.

 

Also who do i speak to to end the tennacy my landlord or council? i know i will need to contiune paying back the crisi loan (which was for my first months rent) and into the deposit scheme which is fine i can afford the £10 just about but can they sue me for anything else??

 

Please help me i dont know what else to do..

 

sorry for the long post

[clocloclo]

inapanic I can't help with your questions regarding the tenancy issues as there are a number of ways you could handle this and I am certainly not a good person to give you advice.

 

But I wanted to check...are you getting the healthy start vouchers that are a few pounds a week as these will help you greatly with good food.

 

Also, my first baby everything was bought new and beautiful. With my second I got EVERYTHING(inl pram and car seat etc) from freecycle after a 'wanted' post. Alot of the items were not very nice, but they were washed and cleaned. Babies go through so much stuff so fast it really does not matter. Just get new muslins, moses mattress and any bottles if not breastfeeding.

 

I think however what ever you do decide, it is apparent that there is no way you are going to be happy where you are.

 

It could prove difficult and stressful ending the tenancy, but from the sounds of your post, it will be the only way for you.

 

Please-just prioritise your health, what you put into your body affects the little one, but it will NOT matter what things it does or does not have.

[inapanic]

clocloclo thank you for your post im at the moment trying to claim the healthy vouchers - they dont make it easy - and i have signed up for freecyce etc even put a post about a cooker washing machine and fridge - as thought id have no way out of this property. I got my £190 healthy start grant and managed to get nearly everything for baby that i wasnt able to beg and borrow or get second hand.

 

Thank you though i was worried people would judge me so thank you so much for proving me wrong and all your advice.

[inapanic]

Can anyone help with my question please?

[callumsgran]

What a load of rubbish!

You are entitled to a crisis loan/grant for a fridge and cooker, go to Jobcentre and apply for a crisis loan or a grant

 

 

 

I would think the council are where you should be going

When did your tenancy start and for how long?

[clocloclo]

clocloclo thank you for your post im at the moment trying to claim the healthy vouchers - they dont make it easy - and i have signed up for freecyce etc even put a post about a cooker washing machine and fridge - as thought id have no way out of this property. I got my £190 healthy start grant and managed to get nearly everything for baby that i wasnt able to beg and borrow or get second hand.

 

Thank you though i was worried people would judge me so thank you so much for proving me wrong and all your advice.

 

Have you claimed the healthy start vouchers online? I did and they popped in the post shortly after The form apparently takes forever for them to come through. They do backadate, but the vouchers have a VERY short life span as are often sent late!(They are dated).

 

I'm glad you got your healthy start grant though. 'Technicaly' this is for you, to make sure mothers are eating correctly.

 

Now, I certainly can not lecture you as when I left my ex I was pregnant with my youngest. I left with £4.26 to my name and it took 8 weeks for my benefits to come through. My only source of income was my eldests child benefit. So of course he ate healthy meals and for a long time I ate AWFUL food, I had one meal a day which may have been two pieces of toast or value soup or noodles. But I had a living breathing child infront of me and I prioritsed his health! I tried everything to get help, but it just never happened! So I do understand where your at.

 

Baby is VERY healthy and happy and I guess we have to remember there are women in famine conditions who are pregant. There was no £190 payment...I missed it by days! But despite my littlun being fine, you MUST be careful!

 

As you have spent it, there is not much you can do now, but try to include fortified cereals in your diet if you can not get your 5 a day at least.

 

You know as well you can get folic acid from midwife/gp?

 

I'd also get them to check your iron levels...you may need tablets if your diet has been unhealthy and you have become anemic as a result.

 

Anyway, I presume you have your £500 maternity grant lined up? You can apply from 29 weeks and it comes through 7/10 days later...I missed this also due to a benefit screw up lol

 

This is what you should be using to buy any maternity clothes and new things for baby. If possible, I'd buy a cot(or atleast a new cot matress) with it as baby's grow out of moses baskets fast! Very fast! If possible buy a cot bed as it will see you through to school age

 

Jobcentre Plus - Working Age Benefits Social Fund Crisis Loans check this for info for crisis grants.

 

However, I'm not sure it will be the best thing for you. Ok, you repay gradually out of your benefits etc. But it takes AGES! You may be better when your £50 grant comes through(depending if you can wait as i'm not sure how far along you are?) waiting and buying second hand fridges/washers. You have to remember, even if you stay in this property for how ever long your term is...if you move afterwards you may have a fridge/washer there. Infact...I have NEVER rented an unfurnished place without a fridge, freezer, washer!

 

Anyway, I expect you know all of this. I hope someone can help you with your tenancy soon. To help other posters(by the way how far gone are you?) they will no doubt need to know some details, like:

 

When did your tenancy start?

It is private but through the council-yes?

It is an AST/Assured shorthold tenancy-yes?

Are you positive there is no break clause in the small print?

Do you think if there is no breakclause that the LL would consider negotiation?

Is there high demand for rental property in the area, so that it may help you?

 

Keep well x

[inapanic]

Thank you for your replys i was told a microwave and cold water in sink was enough but i guess i can try and apply anyway and ill do that healthy vouchers online...and cereal is m main diet at the moment as i thought the same thing.

 

And yeah due to personal circumstances i left with nothing even worse i was working but on sat sick pay due to spd which im still on which is £2 more a week that what i can get on income support so i cant get my £500 altho i may still try to apply - once baby is here ill be going back to work so i promise im not trying to scronge everything i can and ive worked since i was 16 i just need a bit of help at moment so i really appreciate people not judging.

 

but thank you for all your advice clocloclo in the above post im looking at the links and just going to apply for everything - i think the reason they wont give me a crisi loan is they gave me one for my first months rent which im paying back and wouldnt let me add anything on maybe thats why i cant apply for another one for fridge etc..

 

to answer the other questions

my tennacy started on the 11th may this year

it is private but though the council and the landlord who has a lots of propertys only lets though the council

it is an ast

there is deffo no break clause

the landlord isnt english and to be honest isnt the nicest of people (i heard the way he spoke to another tennent but luckly he has been ok with me so far) so maybe an option

and yes very high demand for propertys in this area esp though the council so the wouldnt have any problems reletting.

 

oh and im 31 weeks

[clocloclo]

Firstly, people MAY judge you, but it does not matter, it is how you judge yourself. You may well find that you can not go back to work as soon as you wanted. Various reason have prevented me. For example breastfed babies sometimes simply will not be weaned to bottles. Babies can require care through health related issues that need more support than a nursery or C.M are prepared to give. Mothers if they get say DVT can have issues themselves. Also there is great evidence that if lone parents return to work before they are ready, it can cause immense stress and depression to the mother, which impacts on baby.

 

Obviously...great you want to return to work, but make sure it is the right time and you are ready, otherwise you can get depressed and then go back onto benefits for longer!

 

Ok...I am not sure of laws, so can not advise you, but this forum seems quiet the last few days, so I will tell you what approaches I would take, but please don't follow it lol

 

I kind of wish I knew what other factors are making you unhappy there, as i'm sure they influence?

 

Anyway.

 

My first point would be to write a letter(or call the landlord) stating that you understand your responsibilities due to the terms of the AST. I would then say that whilst you are bound to the AST your personal circumstances are making things hard. I'd then explain that if I were then to move to be closer to familly and friends that it would increase my support network. I'd then ask if there were any possibility that they would consider a mutual surrender of tenancy.

 

If they then refused, I would probably say/write a letter that explained that I was grateful they had considered a mutual surrender, even if not agreeable and that I now intended to stay in the property for the whole of the term.

 

I think really there is no 'legal' way out of this. You are really, without a break clause, at the LL's mercy.

 

I would however call CAB and shelter, possibly the council too, to see their stance?

 

You may find that as you are pregant and classed as 'vunerable' the council may offer to speak to the LL on your behalf, if they believe for the reasons you have not given, that it would put immense stress or pressure on you, if you were not to move.

 

Depending on my level of desperation due to the 'other factors' I may even be inclined to speak to social services?

 

Part of me feels that at 31 weeks you could have your baby any day and that you should not really be embarking on a move, unless you have a strong support network. But again...dependant on the 'other factors'

 

 

 

 

Hopefully someone will come along soon, correct me and give you some better advice! I'm just waffling tosh! Do remember though...may next year will come around very fast! x