WHY OH WHY ARGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I am really worried i popped out with my dog for 15 mins and when i got back there was a card on my mat from the housing officer sayig she had called to see me about under occupatation and could i call to discuss i ws really panicking i have had my housing association rom new 1 years in nov it is a 3 bed and now there is just myself and my daughter live here but wheni tookit on they told me it was mine for life as long as i was a good tenant i always pay my rent have never had a complaint against me and my house is like a show house it really is i have just had it decorated ll the way throgh and re carpeted all through and had all new furniture and it has cost a fortune my parents done it for me as i am home alot more than i used to be

i was in teras imagining that if i call she wil say well you are out by christmas my parents and sister are all away so cant talk to them but i mentioned it to my daughter who said her friend got the same and she just told them no i m happy in my home have spent a fortune dcorating and i am staying. appaerntly my daughter said something about a new rule coming in march/april that if i want to stay here i will have to pay extra to my rent i already pay some towards it as it is but will have to put more so will see if that happens. so that made me feel better there are 2 other homes the same as me in my road so dont know if theyngot a card but wont ask but am waiting for my dad to get back so he can call the lady and discuss it with her as it not fair to do that to someone i love my home if won the lottery i would never move i love it that much i do hope i can stop worrying as when i worry anything i eat which to be fair is nt alot i just burn up i am only just a touch over 7 stone as it is so doesnt take alot to show and i can easily lose haldf a stone in a week when i worry so m parebts will know something is wrong

why is it when you finally get things all sorted and something always comes along to make you worry again i am sure someone is looking down on me and saying right she is all content at the min so lets rock her boat

well who ever you are looking down look away as i dont want you looking in lol love to you diddle xxxxxx

[julieevh]

Try not to worry Diddle, it is probably another half baked government initiative. Tell them you are happy in your home and moving again would make you very ill and you should be just fine.

Julie xx

[Hidden in reply to julieevh]

thankyou i just feel really alone at the minas my parents and my sister are not here and they are the ones i tell things too and my parents always sort things out for me they are fantastic as i just cant seem to cope with stuff anymore and just get myself all worked up so thankyou for that and sorry if i sound like i moaning i arent just really worried but had to let it out or i wold go mad love to you diddle xx

[Hidden]

Diddle thats,why we had to quit our house.either that or we paid extra rent for 2 rooms.we couldnt afford it.not nice we no.

Hope it all turns out okay in end:im sure your dad will sort it all out xx

[Ginsing]

Hi diddle what a rotten thing to happen. Hope your dad helps you sort it all out in your favour it sounds as if you really love your home! This is probably a local council housing initiative tell them you are happy there and disabled need the room! see what happens tr y and be calm and objective hugs x gins

[Hidden]

Hi Diddle

Try not to worry too much. The same thing happened to my parents when my brother and I moved out. Basically just just asked my parents if they would be happy to down size, giving a family a chance to have a bigger house. Back then they did have the option of saying no. As it was they said yes and we're given 3 bungalows to look at as they became available and the last on was perfect. 2 bedroom and we still got to visit. Fingers crossed this is the same sort of thing.

Hugs to all.

[Midori]

Don't panic, I believe councils are encouraging folk not to have unused rooms, but I'm sure they will not just boot you out. They may ask you to move to a 2 bedroomed place, but as you have just paid out for decorating they should be reasonable. You could point out that you were told you had it for life, that you pay regularly and are a good tenant, and as you have health problems moving would be detrimental to your health.

Hope your parents won't be away long, you don't need to be worrying.

Cheers, Midori

[Suzyindahouse]

I really hope you are calmer about the visit now and I can tell you that our council or rather housing association here has been approaching people and offering them money to downsize into a smaller property if they were in a house with more bedrooms than they had people. Some of the people that have moved into the bungalows that I live in have recently moved in off of that scheme. I am sure it is nothing more than an offer like that. It is true as far as I have read about the benefits only paying for the size of house that you are occupying the bedrooms in so if you are in a 3 and only use 2 bedrooms they will not pay your full housing benefit is the new thing they are bringing in and they have been doing this for a long time in the private sector as they had to stop people renting big houses and expecting to have them paid for by the housing benefits. It may not even make that much difference financially so until you know for sure it is not worth worrying about and who knows between know and then what might happen. You might just win that lottery and buy the house off of them and end that worry. I say we have to think positively. I am sure that your family will soon be telling you not to worry as well. Bless you. xxxxx

[webby]

do not worry diddle. they have this new policy called nscrew the poor for more money, my mother in law has had the same letter saying that under occupancy means you have to pay for each bedroom that is not used but maybe if u r disabled it may not apply to you my mother in law was supposed to pay extra 11 pound but her age made her excempt

[hjones]

hi diddle, i had a letter through my door, just one my housing association had sent out to everyone explaining about some new rule with under occupied houses and that it could have an effect on housing benefit. i didnt read the letter as i didnt think it would apply to me as i have 2 bedrooms and both being used but apparently if you receive housing benefit you may face a small cut if you have a room not being used or something like that.

like i said i didnt read the letter properly but if you check out your local council website you should find some info.

also i am in wales, dont know if its different rules for different regions

xx

[mandajane]

Hi I work for a housing association in North Somerset. It was probably about the changes to housing benefit. The rules are changing in April and as you are under occupying you will be effected. You may have received a letter from them. They cannot make you move if you are under occupying but you will have to find the short fall between HB and rent. From memory it's 17% per spare room. Unfortunately there are lots of households in this situation and the HA's want to get to see everyone to make sure they are informed. Talk to them today the more you worry the worse you will feel. Good luck. X

[bumblebee57]

Hi Diddle. Its one thing after another isnt it? As Webby said, its another turn of the screw to make the poor poorer. Im waiting for that letter to come. I have a 2bed council property and I now live alone as my daughter moved out in April. How much more can they squeeze out from us? It wouldn't be so bad if they offered smaller suitable accomodation with removal costs. Id accept that, but cant see it happening. Id refuse to accept a one bed in a high rise or similar. Done the living in a flat thing. never again. Good luck tho.x

[Midori]

Are you in need of a carer, diddle? Some councils match folk up with a lodger who can help you out in exchange for boarding. Not sure what it's called, I found it out yesterday from the County Council publication which lists all agencies which can help folk like us. Might be worth a trip tp your library to have a look.

Cheers, Midori

[Hidden in reply to Midori]

hi but iam not in needof a carer and i have my daughter live withme and my parents do a lot for me love and hugs will get my dad to call my housing officer next week love diddle x