Nowhere to go.

MileyReilly

As the title says we have nowhere to go. In 23 days the notice to leave our rented house will be up and we have nowhere to go.

We've rented the same house for just over 6 years with rent allowance. My partner and our 3 year old child. Landlord is selling the house and generously gave us 6 months notice, we were always on good terms. For the whole 6 months we've looked for a place and have found nothing that we can afford. Nowhere will accept rent allowance. Been to all councillors and am on waiting list for RAS scheme but the council can't help they just tell me that there's simply no houses available. Council have advised me to find houses for rent and ask landlords to put their house on RAS but nobody seems to wants to put their house RAS.

23 days left here and when that's up I don't know what we will do. My partner is Portuguese and has no family here who could help and my own parents house is full with no spare rooms. We have fridge, freezer, wardrobes etc etc to move with nowhere to even store them.

There are places to rent here in town that you'd need to wipe your feet on the way out and even they're out of our price range and even if I had to move there they won't accept rent allowance.

In Carlow Town if anyone by some miracle knows of anywhere to rent or any ideas I'd be more than grateful

whomitconcerns

Try outside Carlow I'd imagine you'll find places in the countryside

riclad

Go and see the welfare official at the health centre ,
they ,ll arrange temporary accomodation if you cant find a new place to live .
Its, up to the landlord to provide furniture,fridges etc

https://www.focusireland.ie/

maybe vincent de paul might store the fridge,freezer etc for you in their warehouse.
The no of landlords taking ra seems to be going down .
IN Dublin focus give out a list every day ,
houses for rent that take rent allowance,
at 11.30 am.

Th3B1tcH

Maybe these can help I know says Dublin but might have local office or tell you other places that can help
http://www.homelessdublin.ie/renting-and-worried-about-losing-your-home

PS. If you have kids you might be able afford a place bit further out without RA there are places cheaper if willing move farther and no need for RA (just another option)

Gone West

Let's face it. The problem is not that you "have nowhere to go", but that the taxpayer can't afford anywhere that meets your standards.
Adjust either side of the equation.

handlemaster

If the state is paying for your housing you can at least look outside of carlow. There's a whole country out there with lots of small towns that have houses for rent with little demand. The most important thing is the kids and having a home will be more important than having family and present friends close by. Best of luck.

P.s. landlords dont want RAS because of the hassle and problem tenants.

riclad

OR in many areas, ras is 20 per cent less than the market rate for that area .
So landlords don,t take on ra tenants .

athtrasna

handlemaster wrote: »

P.s. landlords dont want RAS because of the hassle and problem tenants.

Please don't make sweeping generalisations

Mod

handlemaster

athtrasna wrote: »

Please don't make sweeping generalisations

Mod

ask any landlord on RAS their opinion, it will be less than positive

Internet Ham

Fuzzy wrote: »

Let's face it. The problem is not that you "have nowhere to go", but that the taxpayer can't afford anywhere that meets your standards.
Adjust either side of the equation.

Eugh. People of your opinion I want to see fired out of a cannon at a wall. Having standards is nothing to be scoffed at. I have lived in properties where my basic standard is not met. It is deeply unpleasant.

rossmores

Private landlord are getting out of the business because of increase regulation and high taxes hence the increasing shortage of private rented accommodation sorry for your predicament as a poster said readjust your expectations

handlemaster

Internet Ham wrote: »

Eugh. People of your opinion I want to see fired out of a cannon at a wall. Having standards is nothing to be scoffed at. I have lived in properties where my basic standard is not met. It is deeply unpleasant.

You were just given friendly advice id suggest you take it and look outside your 'comfort zone'.

SCOOP 64

handlemaster wrote: »

You were just given friendly advice id suggest you take it and look outside your 'comfort zone'.

Thats friendly and helpful ?

athtrasna

Mod note

Posters are asked to stay civil on this forum. It's no place for attitudes, high horses or personal attacks. Thanks

handlemaster

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

Thats friendly and helpful ?

We are now a nation of 'we have to get offended or upset' if the obvious is pointed out . The OP is looking for accomadation and asked for opinions they can take it or leave them as she wishes .What has been suggested is that she look outside of her area Carlow. There are loads of small towns looking for people to rent there.

McGrath5

OP, you came on here asking for ideas regarding your situation.

I think you will need to be pragmatic and expand your search to find yourself and your kids accommodation.

Have you looked around the Northwest? Plenty of small towns with less demand for very nice houses.

rawn

While I agree with the advice for OP to look elsewhere, let's not forget the moving costs associated with a big move across the country, especially with large furniture. It might not be feasible right now.

Also, if they are on the housing list for Carlow doesn't that mean they can't get RA anywhere else?? I'm not sure how it works so I might be wrong...

haveringchick

What do you mean when you say that there are places to rent but you'd have to clean your feet on the way out?
I don't understand what that means?
When I was renting, the place always had to be scrubbed, by me, room for room before I moved in. Am I missing something? Is it different now?
Your in a pretty serious situation OP so you'll have to change your position
Take one of the places you don't like and you and your partner go in first and take a few days to clean it up, throw on some paint etc ( are neither of you working?) or you'll have to look further afield because ultimately if you go to the Homeless Unit they will house you temporarily in a B&B before telling you that you will just have to take one of the properties advertised

haveringchick

rawn wrote: »

While I agree with the advice for OP to look elsewhere, let's not forget the moving costs associated with a big move across the country, especially with large furniture. It might not be feasible right now.

Also, if they are on the housing list for Carlow doesn't that mean they can't get RA anywhere else?? I'm not sure how it works so I might be wrong...

I think what posters mean is that there are plenty of houses to rent in the county of Carlow as opposed to just confining themselves to Carlow town
If your not in a position to provide housing for yourself, then you must be prepared to be flexible about the housing that the State offers

Stheno

haveringchick wrote: »

I think what posters mean is that there are plenty of houses to rent in the county of Carlow as opposed to just confining themselves to Carlow town
If your not in a position to provide housing for yourself, then you must be prepared to be flexible about the housing that the State offers

I did a search on daft. There were three properties under the rentt allowance limits for rent in the whole of Carlow two of which were student accommodation

handlemaster

Stheno wrote: »

I did a search on daft. There were three properties under the rentt allowance limits for rent in the whole of Carlow two of which were student accommodation

All the more reason to look else where.

haveringchick

Stheno wrote: »

I did a search on daft. There were three properties under the rentt allowance limits for rent in the whole of Carlow two of which were student accommodation

The CWO has the authority, if it can be proved that no other suitable properties were accessible, to approve a higher limit
They can and do this all the time
However, saying a house wasn't suitable because it was dirty won't do.
Likewise demanding to live only in particular areas

riclad

I heard this on newstalk,
it happens often,
the landlord puts up the rent,
the cwo can opt to pay ra over the limit,
in order to stop someone becoming homeless .
Mostly used in cases of women renting with 1 or more children.
this was mentioned by a social worker being interviewed about the housing crisis we are
going through .

Wanderer78

haveringchick wrote: »

The CWO has the authority, if it can be proved that no other suitable properties were accessible, to approve a higher limit
They can and do this all the time
However, saying a house wasn't suitable because it was dirty won't do.
Likewise demanding to live only in particular areas

this seems to be becoming a common complaint. our standards have really dropped. i wouldnt recommend any family to take a house in my area. you're playing russian roulette with your and your families lives if you do. its very worrying to see families being backed into a corner and having to take substandard living arrangements just because our government wont step up to the mark to start properly deal with this housing crisis. but in saying all that, we do need more info from the op. its hard to make out the issues with the info given but best of luck with solving it. thats a very worrying situation for a family but there are solutions out there.

MileyReilly

To the people who haven't read it properly I did not say I won't move into a place that needs a good clean. I'm saying that even the places that need a good clean will not accept rent allowance or go on RAS. We don't drive so not possible to move to the country. But thanks for the helpful comments

haveringchick

MileyReilly wrote: »

To the people who haven't read it properly I did not say I won't move into a place that needs a good clean. I'm saying that even the places that need a good clean will not accept rent allowance or go on RAS. We don't drive so not possible to move to the country. But thanks for the helpful comments

Miley here's the deal.
You've had 6 months to sort this
You are 2 adults with tiny dependent
I get that you have been searching for a home but it's not working out so now it's crunch time
One of you needs, really seriously needs, to get a job
Even if that means moving away from Carlow. Or getting a Credit Union loan, getting driving lessons, learning to drive, get some kind of s car on the road, drive to work, or get a house in the country.
Carlow Council are not going to pull a house out of nowhere for you at the last minute
You will end up in B&B accommodation with your kids
I live in a slightly smaller town then Carlow and there are 44 kids in B&Bs in this town tonight and it is s nightmare.
Act now for your own sake.

MileyReilly

Here's the deal. Not any jobs going in case you didn't notice. Don't really have money lying around to just buy a car.

Stheno

MileyReilly wrote: »

Here's the deal. Not any jobs going in case you didn't notice. Don't really have money lying around to just buy a car.

I'm not trying to be offensive but have neither of you been able to find a job in six years?

c montgomery

MileyReilly wrote: »

Here's the deal. Not any jobs going in case you didn't notice. Don't really have money lying around to just buy a car.

Maybe no jobs in Carlow but lots in Dublin,cork etc..
Do you have any qualifications?


RAS is a crap scheme for landlords so im not surprised none will go for it.

haveringchick

MileyReilly wrote: »

Here's the deal. Not any jobs going in case you didn't notice. Don't really have money lying around to just buy a car.

There are jobs.my niece just walked out of one retail job and into another today. Its minimum wage, but it's s job.
If you are on the dole SW often pay for driving lessons for people who say they could look for work further afield if they could drive.
The Credit Inion are giving loans to people on SW with no saving history to stop them from going to loan sharks
But I don't think you want suggestions that cause you consider a lifestyle change so I'll leave it here and wish you and your partner and children the best of luck with finding a property to suit you in under 3 weeks.

riclad

People on ra don,t all get council housing, you can get ra anywhere ,
as long as you are listed on a local authority housing list .
we ARE in a crisis there, 100,s of people living in hotels cos they can,t get housing.
MY friend was on ra for 8 years before she got an apartment from a housing charity.
The government has increased costs and taxes on all landlords ,
many are getting out, selling up,
the no of landlords taking ra is falling .
All the action is see is they are going to build emergency housing ,in some area,s
probably on council owned land .
it,ll probably take months before a single unit is built .
Say a woman takes a job in a chipper, she loses the right to claim ,ra.
she ,may have to pay a child minding service .
And she has to pay all the rent out of her wages after tax ,prsi,etc