Housing

Whats the deal with getting out of a house contract you cant afford to pay?

Even after housing benefits I’m almost £200 down on the rent each month. Currently I’m fully paid up and the backdated benefits will cover this Feb’s but can I escape the contract any way after that?

When we signed, we were still students so we had to have a garuntor (parents) and by looks, they’re having to foot the bill until we move out.

Citizens Advice have been more like Citizens No-advice.

If there was a guarantor, then the only way out is to sub-let and that may not be allowed in the t&c. Have you tried a face up negotiation with the landlord on what you can afford to pay until the end of the contract? For the landlord, something is better than the prospect of nothing and having to small claims.

DT.

I was just chatting to Bigsheff - we’ve both been there. Same advice as DT.

Worth checking with Housing Benefit people you are getting the correct amount, and that the amount you are getting is to the max for your area - the max amount allowed under housing benefit is different for different area’s. Part of the prob with benefits they are so… slow… to deliver.

The letter says I’m receiving the maximum amount of benefit for my area.

Sub letting is also disallowed. I’ll speak to the letting agents and see what they say.

In my second year at uni i went into a house where you could leave the accommodation as long as you found someone to replace yourself. i think it depends on the agent, hope you can get out of it :xfinger:
Bully

Another option is to look around for your local Credit Union. They’re like-banks-but-not. In a nutshell, if you save regularly with them, I think it’s 12 weeks, (about 2 3/4 months) a small amount, you can get a loan 3 to 5 times the amount you’ve saved with them, and they don’t take anything from the amount you’ve saved. Y’have to pay it back of course. Interest is about 2%

Timescale may be out of sorts for you tho’. Available to anyone btw. No credit checks, but to a max of £5000. If you pay a larger amount that would add up to more than £5000, they will loan more, but it has to be approved, which takes about a week.

The only other downsides are - no cashcard, checkbooks, credit cards ect - and if you want to withdraw, you need to let them know a week in advance. Like the ‘good old days’ :slight_smile:

I thought it was fairly standard for most housing contracts to have a 1-month notice for termination regardless of how long the contract was signed for.
That normally works both ways, so if the landlord wants to get out of the contract early for whatever reason they can give tenants notice - hence why I believe it’s standard practice.

I’ve found this site quite useful in the past… you can also search for local CAB’s

Advice from my other half…

is it possible to scan in any relevant part of the t and c’s as it might be able to spot the best way to get out of it.

Sometimes notice applies to guarantors, as well as tenants, so as long as notice is given…the guarantor may have to pay the 30 days or whatever but then stop

It might be possible to get a section 17 loan from social services (miscellaneous funds to prevent extreme hardship), or the Benefits Agency do crisis loans, that are repaid from benefits.

Also, i’d appeal the housing benefit decision too

hope it helps :slight_smile:

Here’s all I can see on the contract regarding an early end.

i would read that as if you can find someone to fill the room and pay the rent then he incurrs no cost in re-letting and no loss of rent income and therefore you can get out of the agreement

Bully

As long as I can find someone to fill it, yeah. However, that may be slightly difficult.

ouch, I’d be quite surprised that such a clause is actually legal to include - but could be tricky proving it without lots of digging around, I’ll see if I can find anything this evening about “fair clauses in tenancy agreements”.

I’d say it’s definately worth seeking professional advice - I think some solicitors offer free advice in the hope they can charge fees should you choose to follow it through.

My housemate knows a solicitor so I’ll get him to speak to him.

I believe this might be what you’re after (again thanks to the Mrs :smiley: )

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/Housing/Private_housing/Homelessness_Advice_and_Prevention.aspx

She also says it’s in the council’s best interests to help you or to back up your housing benefit as it’s cheaper for them to do that than to “rescue” you should you be evicted. Also, if the worst comes to it, going through official council advice centres will mean you will already have a port of call if you need to speak to someone about urgent re-housing.

Good luck!! :thumbsup:

Top notch, cheers! :smiley: