There is a high demand for live in carers to assist older people who live in big houses, which pay minimum of £700 a week plus all living costs paid. The fact you have a daughter, could be an asset, as most older people enjoy the company of children. Not suit everyone but a good option for some. I know because I use same for my elderly mother. Many live in care agencies around.
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skank " a dance performed to Regae music" ?
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Spot on and beyond argument. 
Just tell them that you cannot help them due to the way the government systems work.
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Mr Colin renting house is like filling a form to heaven here in the UK …how are you considering student with family that came for Master and has all the full payment for your rent …student that own a Company in their home country, making enough money to pay the rent and buy ur house …so tell me how are you considering those one apart From doing all the dirty Care job you left behind ?
when you entrusting a valuable property to a total stranger you want to know everthing about them… Owning a company does not mean anything to me . Companies go bust all the time
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I had a bad experience when I purchased a property with various issues making it hard to rent out. In desperation I allowed the local council to find me a tent, bad mistake.
Be patient, it might cost you a bit of money in the short term, but in the long run, will probably both save you money and allow you to have a much more stress free live.
Council tax and energy bills you pay while the property is empty are deductible from from your tax bill.
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Hi Yuliia,
I have the deepest sympathy for Ukraine and it’s citizens, and while your not the only refugee hoping to live a fulfilling life here in the UK, the issues with the UK rental market have existed before you arrived in the UK and will continue to exist for who knows how long?
Do you have access to any support to help you integrate into the local community.
Good luck with everything, including being able to return back to Ukraine at some point in the future.
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I had a young mum + 2 children from Columbia, needed a house desperately, having interviewed her and seeing her work ethic I took a chance on her, she’s turned out to be the best tenant ever and absolutely a role model others should follow. We can only dream!?
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I’ve only just seen this thread & a bit confused about your response.
Anger at Landlords will get you nowhere.
I’m A landlord.
I was a single mum having to claim housing benefit in order to cover rent in London despite working 60 hours a week.
I’ve had serious illnesses & had to stop working & had to claim benefits.
Now I own 3 properties & even with the small amount of money I get because of all the costs and mortgages etc involved, if I get ill or need legal help I get no financial help whatsoever Because I own property.
I’m a good decent person & landlord & rent to people who are very happy where they are & can’t find anywhere else to live if I decide to sell up which I want to do because it’s become too risky. But I keep the property because of my tenant so she has a home. Though I’ve told her that will change in a year as I need to sell it.
She’s lucky to have such a nice home. People need rental homes. Landlords provide this.
I totally understand and empathise with people on benefits finding it difficult to find a rental property because they are on DSS. I’ve been there! I have several disabilities which meant I had to stop working in the film industry which I did since age of 15. I got into property because of my disabilities as a way to make an income while being able to look after my health. But renting is causing so much stress I’m getting out. I’m tired of people making out landlords are evil people. Most are incredibly kind & helpful. There are some terrible rogue landlords but most are decent people.
I’m surprised that people on benefits apply to rent one of my flats that is super high end saying their total income is £51 a month!! And no guarantor. I’ve had loads of people apply who can’t afford it & will never pass the credit checks. I’m not going to keep handing out money for credit checks on people I know will fail I’m afraid. And this particular flat is so high end that it’s about 4x the average rent so no way in hell it will get covered by DSS or other. The simple fact is, that it’s not affordable for some people.
When I was a single mum on very low income, I looked for properties That were realistic & affordable. Though I also know that local councils cap their rental payments & while I understand why as they don’t want to be covering luxury flats, I also know their cars are way too low!!! I had this problem myself when I was bringing up my daughter on my own. I had to give that extra £60 a week they would not cover:
I don’t even want to be a landlord anymore because of all the horror stories from close friends & on landlord forums about tenants stopping paying rent and completely destroying their flat. This is not fiction. It happens & it can ruin that landlords life if it’s their only source of income or if it’s money they depend on for living. During lockdown I was HOMELESS because my tenants refused to move from MY HOME & because of COVID they could do it & get away with it. They did it knowing well & good I was seriously ill & needed to be back in my home near my doctors and hospitals.
I’m getting out ASAP & it’s a shame for people renting because I’m a decent good landlord.
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Hi Yuliia,
Firstly, welcome to the UK. I too came here with a suitcase & not much else except my18month old. It was so so hard even back in 1991. I did not suffer from a war torn country so I can’t begin to imagine that.
London is stupidly expensive. Im a landlord now, very small only 3 properties, but I moved from London after 20 years as I just could not afford it & having children makes it even more tough.
Im not sure if you are open to moving somewhere else such as Hastings at the Seaside 1.5 hour journey from London. Some people commute every day to/from London. Is your allowance one flat rate or is it down to each council how much? If it’s a flat rate, you could get a lot more for your money outside London. Tons of people have moved to Hastings recently from London. It’s quite trendy. There are very good refugee programs. And there are quite a few Ukrainian people living in Hastings with families or other types of households. I do get that London may be a place you might be able to connect more easily with other Ukrainian people? There’s obviously more work opportunities in London but it might be a consideration to move somewhere cheap to start rebuilding, get courses out of the way, have some peace in your life and start making a plan to move forward. I’ve been there, starting from scratch with nothing, not knowing anyone, not having family around me. It’s not easy.
I hope you can find somewhere soon & can have some peace in your life.
Kind regards
Amy
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Hmm, good luck finding a tenant who’s working who isn’t claiming universal credit or some kind of benefit.
Oh Thanks, your too kind.
Hello Amy,just read your reply and hope you can advise me on what I should do.Im a full-time carer on benefits,I care for two disabled grandchildren,one has been sleeping on the sofa for two years as council gave me two bedroom house and due to their disabilities cannot share the box room they dimmed suitable.Im on the housing register have been for five years got pediatrician letters,OT letters, MP was involved yet here we are been disqualified twice off the waiting list for rent arrears I didn’t owe because all rent was always paid directly to landlords.The two boys are now starting College in September and due to one of my grandsons disabilities he cannot travel long distances so I’ve been told by housing officer to look for private housing nearer the college,it’s in another district,I am so scared of going private then told to go after a year as the boys can’t handle change,you said one of your tenants is lucky to have such a nice home ?bit condescending,as she will have to move because you are needing it back I don’t know what I’d do if I had to do this going homeless with two disabled grandchildren I wouldn’t want to put them through that but it seems no-one cares.I can’t afford to buy a house,I’m wondering how you managed to but all luck to you I’m not having a go . Because you know what it’s like I’d appreciate your guidance,advice , College starts in a month time is not on my side I’m exhausted mentally as I’ve tried every avenue I can think of.Please help if you can Yours sincerely Tonia.
I’m really sorry I’ve not been responding to any messages to me because the property is not available anymore. At least it’s not available for a couple months.
I’ve had many enquiries prior to you getting in contact with me and they will have first dibs in terms of viewings and putting a deposit down.
I’m afraid I need to decline this.
Regards
Amy
Hello Amy,I think you misunderstood my message,I seek only advice seeing you have experienced life on benefits and housing while unable to work,I live in Birmingham.
Sorry. I’m working a 15 hour day today. Will revert when I get time
Have you been able to make contact with Shelter and see what they advise?
If the rent arrears were the result of HB/UC mix up you should not be penalised in any way for this.
Are there any disability charities that can help you fight your corner with the council.
Something seems very wrong in your situation.
Hi
I get I’m a good few days out of this post but felt I had to comment to defend both sides as well as offering a little advice to all landlords who fear DSS tenants.
FIRST: Do not be upset with landlords who do not rent to people on benefits!! I’m sure everyone on benefits thinks if They were a landlord They’d definitely rent to DSS applicants. We’ll ask yourself this question if you paid over £100k for a car would you just hand the keys over to anyone? Or would you hire it out to anyone who couldn’t afford to replace it fully? The answer would be NO!
Unfortunately rightly or wrongly the stats show that many people who claim benefits do not respect property when their is no financial responsibility to them. The laws and regulations on landlords are becoming absolutely ridiculous!! A landlord has to endure their home is 100% habitable (obviously) but not only that they also need to keep them happy and comfortable even when they are not paying their rent! Where are the laws protecting landlords?!! I am not a landlord, I am a tenant and I’m actually a tenant on benefits and unfortunately I can’t do anything to change my benefits dependant life due to being disabled. So you may be confused as to why I’m defending those landlords who are advising not to accept tenants on benefits. I’m doing it because so many landlords are getting out of the residential renting market because the laws and regulations are becoming ridiculous! Laws telling them that no matter how much they are care and patience they put in to properties and tenants they should carry on doing so even if they are not being paid what was contractually agreed on the tenancy! Also that as well as not getting rent they will also need to pay huge court fees to get them out and the list goes on! Tenants laws? Almost non. They can live there without paying rent but at the risk of eviction within 12 months or longer depending on how financially sound they are but even then tenants will be given access to said court and free representation at zero cost!!
So again ask yourself would you really want to rent to Benefits claimants?
So I’m writing this because unless us tenants on benefits don’t start to contact out MPs asking them to put landlord friendly laws and regulations in place then we are going to be facing an even bigger problem than we are now. I have been extremely lucky that I found a landlord after lots of begging and free access to every part of my life by telling him to call to the current home I was at any random time and day, showing my bank statements showing my rent going out every month for the last 4 years that I lived there. Also telling them what and why there should be no issue of me paying the rent even if my benefits stop a tenant can apply for help due to zero income etc.
I want to suggest that all those people wanting to be given the same respect in renting as those renting and employed that you start writing to your local MPs calling for all money paid to claimants for renting/housing support be ring fenced and serious sanctions will be imposed if they do not use it for rent/housing costs! I have written continuously to mine but one voice is not loud enough! It take no more than 5 minutes to write an email and if your not working there should be no excuse. If you can write a comment on here or Facebook or any other social platforms then an email is just as simple. If you want change you need to ask for it and work for it!!
I said I’m lucky that I got a landlord to trust me 3 years ago but I want to move somewhere with a garden so I can enjoy gardening and nature but the market has become almost impossible to people like me.I don’t have guarantors or anything (so you can see why I say I’m lucky) and have just given up and concentrated on trying to get people to speak out for landlords. If we succeed then the market will almost definitely become a level playing field.
Good luck to all of you looking for the perfect home and tenant.
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good for you but we are up against … the L/ A who lie and give NO help and tell tenants to wait till the Balliffs arrive… Shelter who only help tenants… The benefits system who pay the RENT to the TENANT… A court system that can take a year to evict… Landords WILL contiue to sell …it is too late to avert a renting houseing disaster. Housing associations are owed millions PS I predict the Wesh Goverment will be the worst offender to landlords . i say that ,although my heart is in Wales ,I lived there in an old mill house for 14 years.
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