Housing

I live with my mum and my 17 month old and my mum has said I need to make alternative arrangements by the end of may as she has been really struggling with the stress of having us here. I know she would let me stay if I can’t find anywhere but I do feel it’s unfair on her now. (obviously can’t say this to the council as I’ll get 0 help) I can’t afford private rent in Hillingdon or surrounding areas so need to go through the council route. I don’t know where to start though, I’ve been extremely anxious about it. I need to get it started as I only have until the end of may. I’m really scared they’ll put me in a hostel or somewhere with mold/damp. I have asthma, I experienced quite a severe asthma attack less than a year ago that put me in hospital, and I don’t want my daughter to breathe that in. I actually have damp and mold issues at my mum and have to keep treating it but I’ve definitely noticed I’m struggling more with my asthma. I have severe anxiety and ADHD and also having health issues due to chronic pain and having tests done on my liver due to blood tests indicating liver damage and need to be close to an area where I’ll have support. Has anyone got any experience with Hillingdon and housing? I’ve heard that they’re a nightmare and make it incredibly difficult so im definitely really anxious about it. Any advice or sharing your experiences will be appreciated. This isn’t a post to put judgement in, you’re entitled to think I’m an scrounger but I just want my daughter to have a home so will be selfish if I need to🤷🏻‍♀️

Show your support

I’m with Hillingdon council and I’ve been on the locata at a B with 3 kids living in 1 room for 2 years and been told it’s an 8 year wait for a council property , so I’ve had to go down the route of private rented accommodation as I’m living with family member Hillingdon council are the worst council honestly x

@Shannon that’s awful. Hopefully because it will be for emergency housing they may be better. Even though my mum probably would let me stay as she’d never see me on the street, I have to go down the route of her asking me to leave as her rent keeps going up and she might have to leave at any point so I think I just need to do it and not leave it too late. Hopefully they find somewhere for you soon, we all deserve a home that we can actually afford to live in.

@Shannon good luck x

Emergency is no better tbh , they offered me emergency accommodation but said it would be out the borough as there’s nothing in the borough I refused as all my support system is here so I’ve asked them to find me private rented in the borough x

@Shannon I don’t mind doing out of borough as long as it’s no more than 45 minutes away, that might widen my options a bit but I know they’ll do anything to not help🙄😂a few years ago I would have been able to afford private rented as housing benefit would have covered it all or near enough it all, now for a 2 bed I’d still have to pay at least £500. I might be able to just about afford a 1 bed but may as well try through the council first I guess🤷🏻‍♀️

@Shannon hopefully they end up finding you one while you’re looking as just having that little bit of financial reassurance is so helpful x

They offered me burnham and Newcastle I refused both because my means to travel is only on public transport , yeah they only cover £1300 2 beds are around £1600 even more it’s ridiculous they should change it so housing benefit cover the whole rent in my opinion xx

@Shannon burnham as in slough? Tbh slough works ok for me, I think they’re trying to move everyone there atm as they’ve had a lot of new builds, as I have friends who live that way and because I drive it’s literally like 30 mins from where I live now. It’s hard for people who’s don’t drive though. We can’t expect them to cover everything but it’d be nice if they did for sahms who are planning to go back to work eventually. Like just offering us some that until we get settled into work as it would allow to afford childcare which makes us more likely to work🤷🏻‍♀️