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    • #134313
      WICKED
      Participant

      I just feel like giving up, it’s a constant battle and I don’t have much fight left.

      Left marriage and partner of (detail removed by Moderator) years in (detail removed by Moderator), I haven’t even begun to reflect on or process the amount of trauma and loss that’s been boxed up. You would hope that the new Housing Legislation that recently came in to force would make Local Authorities more sensitive to cases of homelessness due to fleeing domestic violence, but no.

      The failings so far have included;

      Placing my son’s and I in a B&B for longer than the 6 weeks timeframe set by the Government.

      Referring us to the neighbouring Local Authority in the hope they’d take responsibility for us because (detail removed by Moderator) and so had a ‘local connection’. They ignored my fears of not living and (detail removed by Moderator) in the same area and having distance between the two areas.

      The 56 day timeframe for the assessment to be completed in regards to accepting a main duty has long since passed, with no decision.

      Finally got accepted onto the housing register (detail removed by Moderator) so we can bid, we’re placed in band D. (We’re homeless, in emergency accommodation, no financial means or savings, no assets. Never been a Social Housing tenant, no criminal behaviour/no cautions. They have placed us in band D because when I fled the family home there was 1 month of rent outstanding. I was told not to take my name off the joint tenancy or else I may be found that I’d made myself intentionally homeless. Therefore, I remained responsible for 50% of the rent payments for a property I no longer lived in. So, they have placed us in band D for having rent arrears. I have been supported by a charity to file for bankruptcy as my husband amounted huge debts in my name and fraudulently took out credit cards, he had full control over every penny and my bank. He told me he was paying bills – he wasn’t. There appears to be no acknowledgement of financial abuse and the impact of this when considering a housing need. They will penalise you for circumstances completely out of your control.

      Lastly, and most upsetting for me is that we have only been found to have a 2 bedroom need by the local authority, despite every bit of legislation clearly suggesting a 3 bed need. I have a (detail removed by Moderator) year old son (detail removed by Moderator) and a (detail removed by Moderator) year old son – my eldest has a diagnosis of Autism. Regardless of his additional needs, both are assessed to be ‘adult children’ and can share a bedroom. I have raised my eldest son’s needs and his requirement to have his own bedroom given his condition but this has has not been considered. I will of course be fighting this decision all the way but the toll on my mental health is great.

      A 2 bedroom property for 3 adults (1 with additional needs), band D…. And they wonder why people don’t leave abusive relationships, or just give up and return to them.

    • #134314
      KIP.
      Participant

      Have you tried having your husband removed from the property? Get some legal advice about an occupation order. The system is brutal. Have you reported his behaviour to the police?

    • #134368
      WICKED
      Participant

      Hi Kip,

      Leaving the area was a much better option for us due to possible risk from people who my husband associated with. Also Part of me wanted a completely fresh start in a area that doesn’t hold any memories and nobody knows me. Having lived and grown up in the same area all my life, I thought I’d miss it and regret the decision, but I haven’t and we like our new area very much (apart from the housing department!).

      I reported everything to the police only after I’d left and was safe in another area. A completely fresh start was definitely the right option for us!

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