This is my story...
I wanted to add my
personal experience and give my story a little background, supporting
Shelter’s current campaign against “no DSS.”
As a side note, I want
it to be known this does end in a happily ever after...
Initially this was a
difficult thing for me to take on so publicly as I am mostly a proud
person and not much of a sharer. However, I have come to realise I
have nothing to be ashamed of – what needs to be realised is this
could happen to anyone and it is not necessarily a result of failure,
as some people may assume. So, after my face being put out there
(quite literally!) combined with the support I've had (plus the
frustrations of reading some poor preconceived opinions), I decided
to take the bull by the horns!
I am a mum of three
boys (I already face a daily challenge to survive!). In 2016 we came
back from Australia to visit family on a holiday. It didn’t quite
take the turn you would expect on a family holiday when my then
husband returned to Australia and I remained here with my three sons,
at the time aged 3, 1 and 2 months old living out of a suitcase.
Everything between then and now has been a battle. The divorce,
selling our family home in Australia, child support, getting on the
benefits system (having an asset we couldn’t access in Australia
and being out of the country for so long adds complications) and
subsequently finding housing (whilst remembering to feed the
children). Needless to say it was a turbulent and expensive few years
for us starting from scratch but as most parent’s will understand –
you just have to get on. Please remember, it all ends happily with my
sanity intact (for the most part)...
After, rather luckily
it seems, securing a private rental without too much trouble, we
received a section 21 notice after living there for 18 months. The
landlord wanted to sell the property leaving us having to find our
next home. Living in a small village we had settled well, finding
friends, being a part of a community, my oldest in school, my second
ready to start and my youngest in preschool. I had a part time job at
the school and we had finally been successful in reaching a divorce,
financial settlement and were receiving child support. Although I
realised we may struggle to remain in the village I was shocked at
just how difficult it would all be. I engaged with the council,
approached our MP, ticked all the boxes I needed to, joined Home-link
and started searching for private rentals in the area.
When a private rental
came up in my village I immediately got my hopes up. With a good
rental history, references, my dad as guarantor, the ability to pay
up front, being in the community already and being a potentially long
term tenant I didn’t anticipate being turned down. The argument
being, to start with, that the estate agent didn’t consider housing
benefit to be a source of income. I did argue that I was also
working, in receipt of various other benefits and had court ordered
child maintenance so had enough income to afford the property. This
apparently didn’t matter, my already arranged viewing appointment
was cancelled and it was made apparent they were not concerned about
how much income or savings I had. Not even 12 month’s rent up front
could tempt them. There were further discussions to follow once I
suggested this seemed unfair; the landlord didn’t want a family in
her home, the insurance wouldn’t allow a tenant on housing benefit
– the insurance turning out to be through the estate agent, amongst
other excuses. I made the point that surely if the rent was already
paid for 12 months the landlord wouldn't need the expense of the
extra insurance? I made a complaint and was told this was all a
misunderstanding it’s just a shame that I potentially had to uproot
my children once again or face homelessness.
In step Shelter…..
they took on my case as indirect discrimination with the aim of
having it going to court or a public letter of apology from the
estate agent in question to strengthen their campaign against "no
DSS."
Stepping aside from my
personal background for a moment now and focusing on what I, and many
others see, as a discriminative, outdated and rather primitive
system; it is not ok to say no to someone and deny them a basic need
of housing just because they have fallen on hard times, are disabled,
divorced or have children. I am not saying that every one of these
people will always perfect potential tenants, but it is a rather
sweeping assumption to make to suggest that none of them would be.
Surely renting out your home should be based on individual merit, not
on a preconceived notion. There is always an associated risk with
renting out your home no matter whether someone is unemployed or not.
I was made to feel ashamed and embarrassed by my situation but I
realise now that that is wrong. I am proud of what I have overcome as
a single parent family, challenging the preconception of people on
housing benefit, mostly media driven; being seen as irresponsible,
unreliable, vandals amongst other stereotypical views. I once had a
career in criminal justice and a 4-bed home in Australia but a change
in circumstances led me to become a single mum with three children
under 4 years old. I was in the process of divorce, waiting for
assets and funds (and ideally some sleep) for nearly 2 years (I am
still waiting for sleep).
I am now working again, for a homeless charity. My role as a housing
advisor is supporting people that have been left in an unfortunate
position, helping them navigate their way to finding housing. Many of
these people are not as fortunate as me; having family support, close
friends, some savings and good health. I’m very happy to say I am
now in a secure home, in the same village with the same friends, a
new partner and an extended family in the mix.
(…pick it back up,
dust it off, probably apologise to it and put it away somewhere
safely ...)
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