Im at my wits end

pepper

FIRST OF ALL IF THIS IS IN THE WRONG FORUM I APOLIGISE!

Hi

i am a 21 year old woman-I was recently in a car accident which left me in a wheelchair-i am disabled and therefore cannot work so I am on a disability benifit.

i moved into my new apartment on 3rd august.Today is the 25th of september and the housing authority have not yet called up to see my flat in order to sort out my rent as Im on benifits.My landlord is very angry and has made it very clear that she wants her rent paid to her in the next 2 weeks.

I am scared cos i have no tenancy agreemant or lease(She said she never uses them) and im worried i will be kicked out of my flat.I know she did it to the girl in the flat before me so I know she will have no problem kicking me out.I have been down to the housing authority twice and they said they will send someone up-But its been a week-My landlord is calling at the end of this week for her rent and if i dont have it i know she will kick me out.

Ive told her that the housing authority still have not called but she said it is not her problem.Im considering getting a loan to pay her the back rent until its sorted out because i dont want to lose my home ive no where else to go.I owe her nearly 1,000 euro in rent and shes losing her patience!

What are my rights?

seamus

Without a rental agreement or a lease, your rights are extremely limited. It sounds like your landlady is a complete bitch who is taking her rent as cash and not declaring it.

What I would advise:
Demand a lease agreement from your landlady. Mention that you're going to talk to the revenue about claiming tax relief on your rent, and you need her PPSN. She'll be nice as pie then. If she refuses a lease agreement, move out.

Have you any family who can help? Asking family for cash isn't nice, but it's more cost-effective than getting a loan, and family will accept that "The council haven't come down yet", even when a bank and a landlady won't.

Love2love

Go to your local community care centre and talk to you relieving officer. They will give rent allowance.

democrates

pepper wrote:

FIRST OF ALL IF THIS IS IN THE WRONG FORUM I APOLIGISE!

Hi

i am a 21 year old woman-I was recently in a car accident which left me in a wheelchair-i am disabled and therefore cannot work so I am on a disability benifit.

i moved into my new apartment on 3rd august.Today is the 25th of september and the housing authority have not yet called up to see my flat in order to sort out my rent as Im on benifits.My landlord is very angry and has made it very clear that she wants her rent paid to her in the next 2 weeks.

I am scared cos i have no tenancy agreemant or lease(She said she never uses them) and im worried i will be kicked out of my flat.I know she did it to the girl in the flat before me so I know she will have no problem kicking me out.I have been down to the housing authority twice and they said they will send someone up-But its been a week-My landlord is calling at the end of this week for her rent and if i dont have it i know she will kick me out.

Ive told her that the housing authority still have not called but she said it is not her problem.Im considering getting a loan to pay her the back rent until its sorted out because i dont want to lose my home ive no where else to go.I owe her nearly 1,000 euro in rent and shes losing her patience!

What are my rights?

First of all I'm very sorry to hear about your accident, it must be tough enough to cope with the changes without this kind of thing landing on your plate.

Check out http://oasis.gov.ie/housing/renting_a_flat_or_house/landlords_rights_and_obligations.html and http://oasis.gov.ie/housing/renting_a_flat_or_house/tenants_rights_and_obligations.html for general info on landlord/tenant law.

I think you should get back on to the housing authority and let them know you are facing a deadline set by the landlord, don't hesitate to ring them every day, take note of the date, time, name of the person you're talking to and what they said. Ask them to confirm if they will have it sorted in time, if so, problem solved. If they say impossible then you have a two-track response.

Without giving personal grief to the person you're dealing with on the phone, let them know you're being put in an impossible position and are being left wondering if you now have to go to a local politicians clinic or contact the papers in desperation to see if anyone can help. That should spur them on to action.

If they tell you it's probably going to be sorted but then isn't, let the landlord know you're going to camp out at the housing authority, tell them you are refusing to leave the building until some action is taken to resolve your predicament and will ring the southside news about your story. That should stay the landlords hand as they won't want that kind of media attention, but don't direct your anger at the landlord, talk about the housing authority.

But it may not come to that, it may be possible to meet a local welfare officer during the week who has the power to intervene and accelerate the process or make an emergency payment, don't accept a fob-off standard response on the phone, insist upon escalating the issue until it is resolved.

In any event don't lose heart, this problem will be solved, it's a question of when and by what means, and you just fight your corner and ask your friends and family to help, you'll get there. Make sure you get emotional support too at this difficult time, your independance is one thing and fair play to you getting your own place, but there's no need to put yourself through soldiering on alone regardless, stay connected to those who care, we all need that.

Talliesin

seamus wrote:

Without a rental agreement or a lease, your rights are extremely limited.

You've still got normal tenants rights.

Black Swan

Ask for a supervisor at the Housing Authority and explain the urgency of your problem.

Trinity

SOrry to hear about your situation.

If you know the name of the community welfare officer call up and ask to speak to her/his boss - that always gets them up off their ass if you think you are going to report them.

it is unfortunate that the only way you can move them is to threaten them in the nicest possible manner. Can i speak to someone in charge of Ms/Mr X.

seamus

Talliesin wrote:

You've still got normal tenants rights.

Sorry, you're right. This much I should have expanded on. If you are a tenant, there are some basic rights you have by law.

The two which will probably be of most consequence in your situation are:
a) You cannot be evicted without a month's notice. This is regardless of how many months' rent goes unpaid. If you haven't paid for say six months, the landlady is still required to give you a month's notice of eviction, and then must pursue you in court to get the money. She cannot turf you out without notice because you haven't paid. At the very
b) She cannot enter the premises without sufficient notice and without your permission.

democrates

How are things Pepper, been wondering if you had any joy with the housing authority.