Hi all hope your sunday afternoon is going smoothly

Well i went into our local council office on thursday to find out what they were doing regarding our housing issue.
We currently live in a 3 bed house with 5 Children 2 who have CP Emilie is mobile but unsteady on her feet and Evie is not mobile at all, we were told we would need a large bungalow to accomodate both girls on ground floor level! When i went in she informed they had found a 5 bed town house (3 storey) private rent at £570pcm.
I expressed my concern to her that it wasnt suitable as 1 it isnt ground floor living 2 it was private rent and 3 we couldnt afford it as it is £270 more than what we pay now and we are not eligable for housing benefit.
Her response was as if i hadnt mentioned any of the above and said they were still persuing with it, im hoping when the OT goes to view it it isnt suitable for us! How on earth do they expect us to find the extra money each month?? She even siad the landlady was going to rent till the housing market had picked up!! Great hey lol
I'm stuck as i really dont know what to do any advice muchly appreciated
Donna

Anyone??

i think you need to contact shelter to get professionals on the case as they can help to hurry them along in finding a suitable place for you. have you called your ot to tell her your concerns as she could call housing too as even without visiting it would be obvious that a 3 storey house isnt going to work never mind the fact you cant afford it and they cant give you a long term contract and constantly moving is no good for anybody.

I think its ridiculous they're offering you private rented in the first place. Isn't the point of going onto going on the council list to get a council/HA house? I would certainly speak to your OT, I've no doubt she'll deem it unsuitable anyway and the woman you spoke to probably wasn't well informed, is there a housing manager you could contact? We spoke to the allocations manager at our local housing office who was really helpfull. Or like corinne said you could contact shelter for objective legal advice. Its shocking what they're proposing to you when its clearly totally unsuitable!!! Xx

The main issue is that the property isnt suitable and hopefully the occupational therapist will make this clear.
The council dont usually consider the affordability as such as they will say if its beyond your budget to put a claim in for housing benefit and although you may not be entitled to housing benefit at this moment when the rent is increased you maybe and thats the way they tend to look at it.
They would obviously ask you to undertake a means test to test if you would be eligible and they may meet the additional cost.

But going back to the first point if the property isnt suitable then they cant force the house on you quite simply.
But sadly if the property is suitable they could class it as a valid offer.

Is the offer they have made you on the grounds of a medical needs application?

In terms of maybe having an idea if they would be able to assist with housing benefit have a go on the benefits checker and work on the assumption of your incomings and outgoings paying the proposed rent
Use the following link:
http://www.parentsofdisabledchildren.co....t-521.html

When it asks you about rent payments put the £570 as the figure and it will tell you if this would grant you any additional help.

Also it will be worth you using the benefits checker on your current situation and checking all your entitlements whilst your there as pretty much everybody who uses it finds something somewhere they could possibly gain.

Please do this and let us know what it comes up with

Thinking of you