Cant Find anywhere within Rent Limits !

andym1

Hi ! I am a seperated dad and mind my 9 yr old during the school week and he stays 3 nights a week. My allowance was 525 pm and my actual rend was 650 pm and i paid the difference. I got a letter from SW saying this has now reduced to 475 pm and I should either get Landlord to reduce rent or find somewhere cheaper.
I have checked Daft.ie and even putting in 500pm and places where they will accept rent allowance I got one result searching the whole of Dublin !
Its a 1 bed flat and i need the seperate bedroom because he goes to bed at 9.30 (we share a bed )
I cannot get anything within the rent limits and have till jan 13 to do something as they will stop my rent allowance on the 13 th. I am on Disability benifit and am currently up the wall with worry as I live beside his school in D3.
I dont know what to do.

fussyonion

I know exactly how you're feeling, believe me.

I've been in the same position and it's not a nice feeling.
If you have a decent Landlord who's happy having you as a tenant, chances are he won't want to lose you, so don't be afraid; go and talk to him and tell him your situation, ask him if there's any chance he could reduce the rent.

If he won't, and you can't find anywhere within your new rent limits, have a chat with your local Community Welfare Officer, show him print outs of places you've found on Daft that prove you can't find anywhere within the new limit, talk about your situation and see if anything can be done.

Failing that, are you on the housing list?
If so, try to find out your position on the list--a lot of people aren't calling them enough to find out and if you don't chase it up, they don't contact you.
Try and tell the council your position too and maybe chat with a local TD.
Let us know how you get on.

andym1

Thanks Fussy, I am going to see the CWO on tuesday morning. If all else fails I will have to continue to pay the difference and I will be left with 32 euro for food, bills and my sons school stuff. He has a letter in his bag every week from the school looking for money for something. My ex only works 3 days a week and she helps me out a lot. I have nothing left to cut back on at this stage.
Will keep you posted and Thanks .

fussyonion

You can't live on €32 hun, nobody can.
Are you on the housing list?

You should really let them know you need a place for you and your son and that with the recent rent review and cuts, you can't manage.
When the rent allowance was cut last year, I knew I wouldn't be able to afford it anymore and I called the council and told them I was going to be homeless.

My rent allowance had been cut every year for the past five years so I couldn't ask my Landlord to reduce it anymore.

Soon after telling the council my situation, they offered me the RAS scheme.

Have you heard about it? You really should-it could be the answer to your prayers.
You can seek a suitable property for you and your son and if the Landlord of the property agrees to a fixed lease, the council will pay most of the rent and you contribute a smaller portion directly to the council.
Your home is guaranteed for a minimum of 5 years and rent allowance isn't in the picture.

Ask the council about it, but you need to tell them you're in an impossible situation and that you have a son you need to provide for.

Definitely get a TD on your case too; they can help strengthen your appeal, but in the meantime, bring print-outs of the ads on Daft, showing there's nothing within your limits in your area and see what the CWO says.
I really wish you all the luck in the world because I know how hard it is.