Mum's making me homeless
Question
I'm 17 and my Mum's about to throw me out of the house. I'm engaged to my 23 year-old fiancé, but my Mum severely disapproves of the relationship and is on the brink of telling me to leave.
We are looking to move in together but cannot afford to rent a flat as I'm studying my AS-levels while he's at university and works part-time. Is there any way we can receive help in paying rent for our own flat or obtaining cheap housing?
Answer
We're sorry to hear you're having problems at home. If your mum does tell you to leave home, you may be able to make a homeless application to your local council. The council has an obligation to house certain homeless people.
If you make this application, the council will want to check that you're legally homeless and may want to contact your mother to confirm that you can't go back there. Mediation may be suggested to see if it's possible to sort things out between you and your Mum so that you don't have to move out.
The council will also consider whether you're in a priority need category. Most young people aged 16 and 17 who find themselves homeless are considered to be in this category. However, there are certain exceptions; if you've ever been in care, it could be social services that have responsibility for helping you.
If you're classed as being eligible (not subject to immigration rules), legally homeless and in priority need, the council has to provide emergency housing whilst they assess the rest of your application. If you meet these requirements, the council has to offer you emergency housing as soon as you're homeless.
If the council decides that you meet the requirements for emergency housing, that you haven't made yourself homeless deliberately and you have a local connection to the area, it will have a full duty to house you.
This means that it should offer you temporary housing until you're able to move into settled housing. The temporary housing could be in a hostel or similar project for young people. There may even be special housing projects for young people in your area called foyers .
You can make a homeless application for you and for your fiancé as one household. The council would have to accept that you could reasonably be expected to live together.
If the council doesn't help you, it must tell you its reasons in writing. You have 21 days to request a review if you don't agree with them.
Another option is to put your name down on a waiting list for council housing. This isn't the same as making a homeless application. As councils don't work on a 'first come, first served' basis, you could be waiting a while for a place. It's worth getting on it though, as many councils will give you extra points the longer you're on there. You should also get extra points or preference if you've applied as homeless.
You could also put your name down on any housing association waiting lists in the area. Sometimes they run a joint list with the council, but some will have their own.
Another option is renting privately. You can try estate agents or lettings agencies, advertisements in local newspapers or cards in local shop windows. If you use an agency, they will usually charge fees for things such as references and administration charges. You'll need money up front to pay for rent in advance (usually one month) and a deposit (at least the equivalent to one month's rent).
Until you're 18, you can't legally hold a tenancy. However, someone over 18 can hold the tenancy on trust for you until you're old enough. Your fiancé may be able to do this. If you're under 18, a landlord may require a guarantor, who would be liable for the rent if you failed to pay it.
Renting privately can be quite expensive if you're on a low income, although you may be entitled to claim housing benefit to help towards the cost. If you don't have any money for a deposit, there may be a scheme in your area that can help you.
You may also be entitled to other help in paying for somewhere to live. It may be worth speaking to a benefits adviser about your financial situation because benefit rules are very complicated. The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) can deal with most benefits issues. You will need to work out whether there are any other benefits that you'll be entitled to if you no longer live with your mum, and whether you'll be eligible to claim housing benefit.
To talk through your options you could try to find a local advice agency or you could call Shelter's free housing advice helpline on 0808 800 4444.
Updated: 15/04/2010
Question answered by Shelter
