Homeless in 2 weeks - advice please

Sjoh123

Hi I'm a lone parent of 3 children and rent has been put up and rent allowence wouldn't accept the new rent. I have tried to find a new place but can't find anywhere. I have 2 weeks left here and don't know what to do. I went into council 2 months ago when I knew the rent would be put up and they said find somewhere cheaper which I wasn't able to find. Just got my letter to vacate the 11th August. Don't know what to do

The_Morrigan

When did you receive the notice to quit? Two weeks isn't a typical notice period under the RTA.

Also, do you have a current lease?
How long have you been renting this particular house?

who_ru

Sjoh123 wrote: »

Hi I'm a lone parent of 3 children and rent has been put up and rent allowence wouldn't accept the new rent. I have tried to find a new place but can't find anywhere. I have 2 weeks left here and don't know what to do. I went into council 2 months ago when I knew the rent would be put up and they said find somewhere cheaper which I wasn't able to find. Just got my letter to vacate the 11th August. Don't know what to do

ring your local TD.

Mrs OBumble

Start looking for houses in area where the rent is lower.

MouseTail

Im afraid you will have to look wider as stated above. I know it can be difficult, especially if the children are in school. But the alternative is to present yourself as homeless once the two weeks are up, and be placed in emergency accommodation. Please try to avoid this.

Sjoh123

The_Morrigan wrote: »

When did you receive the notice to quit? Two weeks isn't a typical notice period under the RTA.

Also, do you have a current lease?
How long have you been renting this particular house?

My lease is up over a year. He told me about it 2 months ago I have been trying to find accomodation but not many in Dublin that will accept rent allowence because the limits are low

Sjoh123

I have spoken to Fingal council who advised they can't help till actually homeless. They advised to call Threshold which have been a great help, they will try to negotiate with the landlord and rent allowence to get an increase on rent allowence. I've been told this is a common problem now that rents have increased in Dublin. So I have to wait and see now

GarIT

Sjoh123 wrote: »

My lease is up over a year. He told me about it 2 months ago I have been trying to find accomodation but not many in Dublin that will accept rent allowence because the limits are low

Try Kildare and Meath.

Dredd_J

This is why landlords in general are not accepting rent allowance anymore.
Landlord wants market rent, tells tenant, tenant goes to welfare, welfare says no. Landlord has to ask tenant to leave.
Too many people in the equation.
What should happen is that welfare rent the house off the landlord and then the landlord has nothing more to do with it.
When lease is up and rent increases the rent is to be either paid by welfare or they give the property back vacant and in the condition they got it. Without requiring the landlord to deals with whoever welfare put in there.

Welfare want to just pay rent and then wash their hands of the tenant. Landlords are not taking that anymore.

jimmycrackcorm

op, what is stopping you from moving to a small town where you can rent much cheaper. A friend, a single motjer, moved down the country, got a huge detached house renting at half the cost. She doesn't miss Dublin one bit, loves it.

Sjoh123

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

op, what is stopping you from moving to a small town where you can rent much cheaper. A friend, a single motjer, moved down the country, got a huge detached house renting at half the cost. She doesn't miss Dublin one bit, loves it.

What's stopping me, I am from
A small town and have had no choice now but to move back to my parents house with two of my children out of 3 because I can either stay in a homeless shelter or move home to my parents. Easy for u to say I have lived here for 12 years my life is here. Now I'm homeless and my son wants to stay with his father cause his friends are here. And I don't have a choice so not everybody's situation is like ur friend

Mrs OBumble

Are there really no houses for rent in the small town that you come from? Why not rent one of them?

Lots of working people cannot keep living in the places where they have lived for years, because they cannot afford the prices there any more. It's really no different for you.

Potatoeman

I have heard of more people leaving Dublin. Someone I work with has just moved out of the city as they couldnt justify paying what the landlord was looking for. They get a train into work under an hour commute , bigger property and half the price.

whomitconcerns

Sjoh123 wrote: »

What's stopping me, I am from
A small town and have had no choice now but to move back to my parents house with two of my children out of 3 because I can either stay in a homeless shelter or move home to my parents. Easy for u to say I have lived here for 12 years my life is here. Now I'm homeless and my son wants to stay with his father cause his friends are here. And I don't have a choice so not everybody's situation is like ur friend

Lots of us in same boat...makes no difference if you are paying rent or the government are..dont want to sound mean but...

We dont get the option (non RA tenants) unless we can afford it so why would you get it?

lukesmom

Heart goes out to you. Really hope you find something soon.

The_Conductor

Point to note- once you stay with your parents- you are not 'homeless' and the council have no obligation to assist you. If you stay at the shelter (even nominally)- you are 'homeless' and with 3 children- put at the top of the priority list.

firestarter51

would you not tough it out in the shelter and have the kids stay temp at your parents, or even have one with you, could be the easiest way to get re housed, never know you might get council accomadation and pay the rent directly to the council, if your on low income the rent will be low, and if you get a job the rent will rise but wont crucify you

Sjoh123

firestarter51 wrote: »

would you not tough it out in the shelter and have the kids stay temp at your parents, or even have one with you, could be the easiest way to get re housed, never know you might get council accomadation and pay the rent directly to the council, if your on low income the rent will be low, and if you get a job the rent will rise but wont crucify you

I spoke to the council and there are no houses to give out until the government build more there are people in homeless shelters over a year now and that's normal. Many are housed in b&b as there is no where to put ppl. Il move to my parents for now with two of my children as it would be best for the kids rather than a shelter

Sjoh123

The_Conductor wrote: »

Point to note- once you stay with your parents- you are not 'homeless' and the council have no obligation to assist you. If you stay at the shelter (even nominally)- you are 'homeless' and with 3 children- put at the top of the priority list.

There is no top of list now as there are so many in the same position as me since rents have went up, I believe over 100 family's homeless in Dublin and it's not just Dublin I tried just outside Dublin but most are over the rent allowence limit or won't accept it.

Sjoh123

whomitconcerns wrote: »

Lots of us in same boat...makes no difference if you are paying rent or the government are..dont want to sound mean but...

We dont get the option (non RA tenants) unless we can afford it so why would you get it?

I understand that, and if my eldest would move with me that wouldn't be an issue having to leave Dublin but he's 12 now and wants to be here he's been here his whole life

Sjoh123

The_Conductor wrote: »

Point to note- once you stay with your parents- you are not 'homeless' and the council have no obligation to assist you. If you stay at the shelter (even nominally)- you are 'homeless' and with 3 children- put at the top of the priority list.

I spoke to council and this is not the case anymore as there are to many family's homeless now and no new social housing been built.

ohohseven

Didn't I hear in the news not so long ago that RA was being increased in Dublin ?

chris85

Sjoh123 wrote: »

I understand that, and if my eldest would move with me that wouldn't be an issue having to leave Dublin but he's 12 now and wants to be here he's been here his whole life

I want to live where I grew up but cant afford to buy there. I currently want to buy a house where I am renting but cant afford it so I am going to compromise and move elsewhere. We do have a right to shelter but not location. I think this is fair enough to a degree. I don't completely agree that the rent allowance is enough given our rising rents but the government cannot afford to give out more and there are houses in other areas which are within the RA limits i'd imagine.

Sjoh123

ohohseven wrote: »

Didn't I hear in the news not so long ago that RA was being increased in Dublin ?

Didn't hear that, I spoke to ra and they just said I had to find somewhere cheaper or go homeless and speak to Fingal council

Sjoh123

chris85 wrote: »

I want to live where I grew up but cant afford to buy there. I currently want to buy a house where I am renting but cant afford it so I am going to compromise and move elsewhere. We do have a right to shelter but not location. I think this is fair enough to a degree. I don't completely agree that the rent allowance is enough given our rising rents but the government cannot afford to give out more and there are houses in other areas which are within the RA limits i'd imagine.

Yeah I agree with u but why is there not a limit on what landlords can charge rent in locations. I've my stuff nearly packed up to move back to my parents tomorro so at least I'm not homeless. But there should be limits on rent or at least regulated in some way

mrmitty

Sjoh123 wrote: »

Yeah I agree with u but why is there not a limit on what landlords can charge rent in locations. I've my stuff nearly packed up to move back to my parents tomorro so at least I'm not homeless. But there should be limits on rent or at least regulated in some way

I guarantee you that if there was less government manipulation of markets rather than more then the cost of housing and rent in Dublin, a two bit city on the perfiry of Europe would be a lot less.

It's the excessive government manipulation of the market and pïss poor urban planning that's to blame for these insane prices.

chris85

mrmitty wrote: »

I guarantee you that if there was less government manipulation of markets rather than more then the cost of housing and rent in Dublin, a two bit city on the perfiry of Europe would be a lot less.

It's the excessive government manipulation of the market and pïss poor urban planning that's to blame for these insane prices.

Yeah have to agree. Regulation would not be ideal. I dont think its the governments place to regulate a rental market. This has been studied by the EU before and a few things and the rental market can shrink as less people rent due to smaller returns from it. Also if regulated poorly it may struggle to allign with economic conditions for the landlord (i.e. raising rates for a mortgage but unable to raise rents due to over regulation).

But poor planning has seen a lot of crap properties enter the market. I would more like to see some regulation of the standard of rental properties. Some are in horrendus conditions and are still getting rented.

No Pants

Sjoh123 wrote: »

if my eldest would move with me that wouldn't be an issue having to leave Dublin but he's 12 now and wants to be here he's been here his whole life

12 year olds get to choose where they live now?

Look on the bright side; one less mouth to feed. He's the father's problem now.

Chattastrophe!

Yeah I wouldn't be letting a 12 year old dictate where he lives. Fair enough if this arrangement suits ye best, but you're the parent, you should make that decision, not him.

On the bright side, while your current situation isn't ideal, at least ye have a roof over your heads. How long are your parents willing to have you there, and have you decided on the next step yet?

You'd be amazed at how much cheaper rent is outside of Dublin. As two working professionals, we can very barely afford to rent on the outskirts of Dublin, so I'm not at all surprised that it isn't affordable on rent allowance. If you don't want to stay in your hometown, you could pick one of the bigger towns around the country - you'll still get the benefits of living near a big town, but without the crazy rent.

Zamboni

Sjoh123 wrote: »

Well at least I'm not homeless now bit of a squeeze me n two kids in one room and my eldest with his dad. Just the government don't give a **** it's all about cut backs and that's all

Spot on.
The government don't give a ***, should be every bodies starting point in life. That enables a person to not depend on the state for accomodation or resources and encourages self sufficiency.

The_Conductor

Sjoh123 wrote: »

There is no top of list now as there are so many in the same position as me since rents have went up, I believe over 100 family's homeless in Dublin and it's not just Dublin I tried just outside Dublin but most are over the rent allowence limit or won't accept it.

You get put on the list.
You are prioritised according to need.
It doesn't mean there is anything available- and at the rate things are moving- it could be years before anything is available.
There is a list.
Whether or not the list means anything with respect of urgent accommodation needs- is entirely a different question.

At last count there are over 430 families homeless in the Dublin area- and its increasing by 1 per day (according to Threshold).