Mrs F had been living with her husband in a property let by a private landlady. When her husband left her with her three children she claimed housing benefit to cover the rent. The Local authority requested a forwarding address for her husband before they would release any money to her. She did not know where her husband had gone and was not able to provide the information that was requested. Mrs F fell into rent arrears and sold her jewellery to try and make ends meet. This would only pay for one months rent and the next month her landlady took her to court to evict on grounds of rent arrears.
Two weeks before the hearing for the eviction Mrs F was granted housing benefit, five months after first making the claim. She was able to clear her arrears and stay in the property. A year later her landlady sold the flat and she was given notice.
On approaching her local authority to ask for help in re-housing Mrs F was told that she had made herself homeless intentionally and that they would not help made representations to the local authority. The arrears were not Mrs F’s fault and she had lost her home for an entirely different reason. Following this,
Mrs F was her or her three children find housing. She approached Moss & Co and we accommodated by the local authority and given long term housing for herself and her three children.