single parent and social housing

ciarad11 · 09-03-2015 10:32PM #1

hey,

I am new to this, I am not even sure that I am posting this in the right place but here goes..I am a single parent, I have a daughter who is 17 months old. I got kicked out of my family home so I went and applied to the county council for social housing while staying in my grand parents house. They refused me on the grounds that I was adequately accommodated.This was not the case as I was staying in my grandparents storage room with my child but the housing department did not even send an inspector out to the house to see our living conditions, so I dont understand how they could come to that decision?

This was there second time refusing me social housing, the first time I was working part time and was living in a 4 bedroom house, so I was expecting to be refused but said I would chance it as I was not earning enough to pay for rental accommodation by myself. The second time, I appealed it as my grandparents wrote a letter to say that I was staying with them on a temporary basis and I ended up having to declare myself homeless,I am still actively looking for work but have had no joy.

Since then I have had to leave my grandparents house as they just did not have the room for myself and my daughter, and I am currently staying between friend's houses. This is very hard on my daughter as she finds it hard to settle in strange places all the time but what can I do?

I have written a letter of appeal back to the council to say that my circumstances have changed yet again but what are the chances of getting a good response back? I have engaged with local Councillors and charities, but I am terrified of bringing my daughter into a homeless shelter for many reasons. I would really appreciate any help or advice

Thanks in advance

haveringchick · 09-03-2015 10:40PM

For the sake of your baby you will have to go back to the homeless CWO and be scrupulously honest with him/her. You are at serious risk of your child being taken into care if one of your family or friends decides to go to a social worker.

ciarad11 · 09-03-2015 10:54PM

There is no question about the welfare of my child, I have been upfront and honest about my circumstances to my local housing authority. My child is well looked after, I just cannot afford to pay €700+ as well as the rest of my bills, not by myself,I had been working for the last 8 years, up until I had my daughter but then lost it due to my hours been cut.

My child is well looked after, but I do not want to have to bring her into a homeless shelter as I feel that it wouldn't be appropriate?

Why would you suggest that a family member or friend would go to a social worker unless of course the child was in danger or being neglected? On what grounds would they have to do this?

fussyonion · 09-03-2015 11:14PM

You're not going to be given a council home anytime soon; there are thousands ahead of you on the Housing List.

ciarad11 · 09-03-2015 11:18PM

fussyonion wrote: »

You're not going to be given a council home anytime soon; there are thousands ahead of you on the Housing List.

I am aware of this but if they could put me on the housing list, I would then qualify for rent supplement and I would be able to afford this.

Sarzm91 · 10-03-2015 12:48AM

this single mother has stressed that her 17 month old little girl is well looked after therefore she will not be taken off of mum...she said that she is moving from friends HOUSE to HOUSE which obviously means that the little one has food on the table, a roof over her head and somewhere warm and dry for the night therefore the child is not neglected therefore would not be taken off mum...

my advice to you would be to go to local counselors, many of them if needs be to get your voice heard...and hope and pray they`ll help you even in a small sort of way at least...

ill keep my fingers crossed for you and best of luck

xx

January · 10-03-2015 10:52AM

fussyonion wrote: »

You're not going to be given a council home anytime soon; there are thousands ahead of you on the Housing List.

Not true... a friend of mine had to be declared homeless. She only went on the housing list in June of last year. She was housed in December. She has 3 children and is married. She spent 6 months living in a hotel paid for by the council.

Gatling · 10-03-2015 10:56AM

January wrote: »

Not true... a friend of mine had to be declared homeless. She only went on the housing list in June of last year. She was housed in December. She has 3 children and is married. She spent 6 months living in a hotel paid for by the council.

Serious

January · 10-03-2015 11:24AM

Gatling wrote: »

Serious

Seriously.

ciarad11 · 10-03-2015 12:32PM

I'm just angry at the County Council for ignoring the fact that I am stuck in a rut and need help, its not like I haven't worked a day in my life,I have worked hard and I have paid my taxes up until now, and my daughter was planned, I had, had 2 miscarriages before having her, I had bought a house with her father and we were engaged. But things changed drastically during my third pregnancy and he started drinking heavily and was abusive so I had no other choice but to leave as I wanted better for my daughter.This could just as easily happen any one of you, I don't know why people have to be so nasty and just assume that I am out to work the system and that I've always been a dole bird?

Thanks Sarah for your positive advice as that's what I was looking for

January · 10-03-2015 12:39PM

I don't see where anyone was nasty to you OP.

It may be the fact that you already own a house that they won't help you?

ciarad11 · 10-03-2015 01:14PM

I don't own a house and telling me that I am at serious risk of my child been taken off me is nasty

haveringchick · 10-03-2015 02:40PM

You just said you bought a house with the father of your child. Just because your not living in the house doesn't mean you don't own it.
Your local council can't consider you in need of housing if you already own house.
However if you have documentart evidence that you had to leave because of domestic abuse, say from the Gardai or a social worker then the council will reconsider.
Another poster has said that they know of someone housed by the council after only 6 months. I don't know what part of the country this is in but the general waiting time in any large town is 3 to 4 years. Much longer in cities. I work at the coalface

January · 10-03-2015 04:55PM

haveringchick wrote: »

You just said you bought a house with the father of your child. Just because your not living in the house doesn't mean you don't own it.
Your local council can't consider you in need of housing if you already own house.
However if you have documentart evidence that you had to leave because of domestic abuse, say from the Gardai or a social worker then the council will reconsider.
Another poster has said that they know of someone housed by the council after only 6 months. I don't know what part of the country this is in but the general waiting time in any large town is 3 to 4 years. Much longer in cities. I work at the coalface

This was in Fingal council area, in Dublin 15. (I'm in the same area and on the council list two years now. It was purely because she was in homeless accommodation that she got the house within 6 months)

OP, you just said that you bought a house with your ex, did you sell it? Unless you sold it, you still own it, especially if there is a mortgage on it you need to still be paying your portion or you leave yourself open to legal proceedings cos I bet your bottom dollar your ex won't be paying the full portion if he is as you describe him.

chrysagon · 10-03-2015 05:02PM

Speaks volumes for your family that they are willing to let u go through all that stress!

haveringchick · 10-03-2015 05:05PM

^^^^
This.
OP unless the house you bought with the father of your child has been sold or repossessed, or unless you have documented proof of domestic violence in the home causing you to have to leave, then you won't be considered in need of housing.

haveringchick · 10-03-2015 05:09PM

chrysagon wrote: »

Speaks volumes for your family that they are willing to let u go through all that stress!

I wouldn't jump to conclusions. There's usually 2 sides to a story. Most grandparents wouldn't allow a tiny grandchild to "sofa-surf" like this.

ciarad11 · 10-03-2015 07:58PM

My ex got left money and he was able to buy a house and do it up from that money, we furnished it together but there is no mortgage on it . Because I left the house and also because we weren't in it long enough for me to be entitled to half of it, I have nothing, my name was not on the house from day one, everything was in his name, I paid for a lot of second fixing in the house but it all went through my ex so I have no proof of this.

My grandparents would have let me stay but it was uncomfortable for all of us, they have a lot of health problems, there was no room for our clothes, toys etc. it just wasn't a long term option for me and it wasn't fair to do to my grandparents either.

January · 10-03-2015 11:04PM

Then you need to fight to go on the council housing list. You need to take it to a supervisor/manager in the housing section and you may or may not look into getting a councillor or TD onto your case too.

haveringchick · 11-03-2015 10:49AM

OP its worth mentioning here that if you gave the Council the same impression that you gave us, that you bought a house with the father of your child, then it might be just a question of correcting that with them.

ciarad11 · 12-03-2015 09:10PM

I have appealed their decision again and they rang me today and referred me to a local homeless action team, does anyone know anything about what they do?I am staying with friends at the moment so I don't need a place to stay for now but will the council see this as adequate housing?and refuse me for the third time unless I go into emergency accommodation?

Gatling · 12-03-2015 09:14PM

ciarad11 wrote: »

I have appealed their decision again and they rang me today and referred me to a local homeless action team, does anyone know anything about what they do?I am staying with friends at the moment so I don't need a place to stay for now but will the council see this as adequate housing?and refuse me for the third time unless I go into emergency accommodation?

From my own experiences of homelessness your not considered homeless till your litteally homeless with no where to go .
You don't nessescary have to go into a hostel you could well end up in a b&b or hotel.

but good luck with your situation

January · 13-03-2015 08:16AM

go and meet them and see what they say. Honestly you'll get nowhere if you don't even meet with them. Explain that you are staying with a friend but it's not permanent. Explain you don't want to go to a shelter but would prefer a bandb or hotel if you do declare yourself homeless.

lukesmom · 15-03-2015 11:10PM

Hope you get sorted soon. I've a friend in the same situation as you so I'm aware of how stressful it must be for you. All you want is a safe place a roof over your heads. Best of luck.

Stheno · 15-03-2015 11:16PM

ciarad11 wrote: »

I have appealed their decision again and they rang me today and referred me to a local homeless action team, does anyone know anything about what they do?I am staying with friends at the moment so I don't need a place to stay for now but will the council see this as adequate housing?and refuse me for the third time unless I go into emergency accommodation?

How long were you with your ex?

single parent and social housing

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