Forced into extended period in a tent!

[Mattk]

Well due to various things that have gone wrong, including redundancy and a very nasty landlord I will be homeless in a few weeks....

Anyone else ever been forced into a situation where they've had to fall back on the good old tent?

I think I'll be fine as I've spent whole months before wild camping out in the highlands. I'll be taking the the two tents (two of most things just in case!) I have decent tents and equipment that I've used in -20.c conditions too so I'm no stranger to survival.

2 weeks to prepare...!

Matt.

[John Fenna]

I am sorry to hear of your forthcoming homelessness - but it does sound like you are well prepared!
I hope that things turn around for you soon.

[Puddock]

Anyone else ever been forced into a situation where they've had to fall back on the good old tent?

Fortunately not, thus far tents have only been for pleasure - I wish you well and good luck at this difficult time.

As a suggestion if you contact a Citizens Advice Bureau they may be able to assist with finding alternative accommodation, defending any pending eviction and ensuring that if you have no job that you are getting any available benefits so that you can live and house yourself.

[mountainm]

Just checkin' but make sure you have a postal address sorted dude. And sort out a gmail account (free) and post yourself all your important info, CV, etc. so you can get hold of it from any internet cafe/library etc. if you need it.

Good luck - keep upbeat.

[Nicholson95]

Hey Matt
this hasn't ever happened to forcefully, but if i were you id pick a place to set up camp, take all the essentials in the first go then go back and forth getting the rest of the desirables to make life as easy as possible when I am living out the in the bush, but thats just me.

cant you stay with family or friends?
not that a hardcore bushman like yourself couldn't handle it or anything but I know I would rather have some ware to go back to even though I am perfectly at home in the bush.

hope everything works out for you mate!

Stay Frosty
Iain.

[Mattk]

I won't go into detail as it'll take ages but even Shelter couldn't help in time due to a small redundancy that took me over the limit for legal help.

Basically I'm putting my house contents in storage as I will have to live on £65 a week and that's it. Bit of a shock after working my whole life and paying taxes but that's another rant for another time lol.

I'll get sorted eventually but for the short term I have no option so I'm looking at it like a bushcraft holiday

I'm going to keep a diary and take some pics so at some point I'll post it up on the forum. After spending a whole month before on Skye in the Cuillins I'm actually looking forward to waking up and looking out over the Isle of Rum

[lab72]

Good luck i lived in a tent for 4 months(after my camper van blew up) but that was in spring summer down in devon and was not bad at all .

[Chris the Cat]

Be safe Mattk,
Take good care of yourself.
My best.
Chris.

[tommy the cat]

I hope this doesnt sound flippant but what a beautiful place to be homeless!!
The view you will be looking at I normally have to alot of money to look at.
All the best and hope everything works out for you.
d

[nuggets]

spent a month in a tent -summer time - make sure you air it out ever couple of days to stop the condensation and milldew !!

[Robbi]

i just wish there was something i could do to help you mate, i really do hope you're ok.

[korvin karbon]

hope things work out for you.

I would keep a diary like you said but maybe approach a few papers with your story and have it as an article piece

[Scottishwanderer]

Brother i was homeless for 3 months with nobody and no one. If you have £65 per week you have no reason to be homeless. Sleeping rough is a choice or when you have to, there however are only two reasons why people who don't choose to be on the street are and i pray these aren't the reasons why.

Your local authority have a legal obligation to give you somewhere to stay. Whether it a b and b or a hostel.

If you want me to give you info could you tell me your age?

[Mattk]

I hope this doesnt sound flippant but what a beautiful place to be homeless!!
The view you will be looking at I normally have to alot of money to look at.
All the best and hope everything works out for you.
d

Lol no it doesn't sound flippant and I agree it's the most beautiful place and really the reason why I'm making a crap situation into a better one. I've got my car and I was lucky enough to have been a bit of kit monster when I had money so I'll be fine.

It's just odd how things work out really.

[Rigel]

Hey Mattk

Best of luck with everything, hope it turns out well.
Thinking about remote data storage, remember that google also provides something like 6GB of space and that you can read most documents from http://documents.google.co.uk
Sorry I cannot be of more help

Greg

[cave_dweller]

I have to admire your attitude towards this - it can't be easy, but you seem to be pretty positive. Good luck.

On one hand, Skye is a beautiful place to be out of doors. On the other hand, it can be a pretty ruthless host. Take care of yourself. Take Mountainm's advice - make sure there is somewhere that you can be contacted by post, and set up a free email address. It would also be a good idea to let somebody know where you're planning to stay, just in case.

[Bigfoot]

Very sorry to hear your news. If you haven't done so already, make contact with Skye & Lochalsh Housing Association and The Highlands Council. Register with them and any other social bodies that cover your immediate area. The fact that you are faced with fairly immediate homelessness will give you a priority rating once you have registered with them, you may find some help close to hand.

Council contact info:-

Tigh na Sgire
Park Lane
PORTREE
IV51 9EP
Telephone: 01478 613805
Fax: 01478 613828

The Area Housing and Property Manager is Tracey Urry, who is principally based at the Dingwall office.

For more information, please e-mail: housingandproperty@highland.go v.uk

Lochalsh & Skye :-

http://www.lsha.co.uk/

[Ivan Owen]

I don't know whether there's time to set one up or whether you can without an address but this might be an option

http://www.workaway.info/hostlist-GB.html

They sound pretty great and would keep you active; which is meant to be very important when you're homeless.

Probably a long shot, just wanna help some way.

Some others might be interested in some of these by the way.

[Mattk]

Brother i was homeless for 3 months with nobody and no one. If you have £65 per week you have no reason to be homeless. Sleeping rough is a choice or when you have to, there however are only two reasons why people who don't choose to be on the street are and i pray these aren't the reasons why.

Your local authority have a legal obligation to give you somewhere to stay. Whether it a b and b or a hostel.

If you want me to give you info could you tell me your age?

I'm just a basic person who's never been in trouble and has worked his whole life. I have no drug or alcohol problems (I don't even drink lol). One main reason why I'll be in my tent is that my local authority hasn't helped and it's still pending a decision. I have a greedy landlord who took my redundancy as an opportunity to get me out and put up the rent, I've been hassled and had my life made hell here by him

Maybe I could end up in a bedsit - maybe I'm too stubbornly self sufficient and proud to be somewhere I do not want to be.

It just seems that the local authority is working way too much slower than what is happening to me so hence I'm taking charge and making a decision that I can cope with.

I really appreciate the info everyone's posted as it'll come in very handy.

[Toddy]

Matt, we really do only wish the best for you, and this landlord sounds like a total fundamental orifice, but unless you have already agreed with the job centre about this, you can only claim jobseekers allowance if you have an address. Failing that the usual response is that you have to sign on 'every' day.
Even if you don't 'want' to live in the bedsit/whatever accomodation is offered, it might not be a bad thing to have it as an address.

Is there anything, practically, that we could do to help ?
What did you do before you were made redundant ? and is it something you'd like to do again ?

I've worked outdoors in Skye at this time of year, it's damned cold, especially when it's wet and dreich. It sounds as though you've got things organised for that though
A couple of good flasks were a godsend. It seems such a simple thing, but a hot meal (food flask, even couscous or stew or chunky soup) or a hot drink, quickly, when it gets just that edge of bitter cold, is a very good thing

It is a very beautiful bit of the world though
Is it home ? and do you have any family and friends around ?

Really hope all goes well

atb,
Toddy

[Scottishwanderer]

The local authority has to by law give you somewhere to stay but your not homeless yet so that'll be why. The day you actually leave your home, phone the homeless and you will get into a hostel.

There you will be put on the council housing list which in fife can take up to 5 years even when homeless. Or you will get a scatter flat.

Saying that i've been on the street and yesterday i made arrangements to leave my flat in one month to be homeless again. I believe through personal experience that the less i have the happier i am.

[Tengu]

Its a shame your not closer you could come and live with me.

Lots more jobs here too

[Gotte]

Good luck, friend. I hope it works out for you. You sound well equipped to make it work. All the best.

[CBJ]

yep sorry to hear of your situation, Wish you all the best and hope you get back on track soon.


Craig

[Alex...]

This really irks me!

When my parents split up, my mum was not entitled to any help even though as Matt has done she had paid all her taxes etc, worked full time blah blah.

Matt, my advice to you would be to forgo your deposit (and judging by what you have said about your landlord it sounds as though you might not get it back anyway). Although I have a passionate dislike of the "usual type", I would change the locks, and claim squatters rights.

I know there may be members on here who say it's just not done, immoral, not British (and normally I would be one of them) but I think it's about time us "smaller" people actually took advantage of the rules we pay our taxes for. Even if we don't agree with them.

Here is the protection of eviction act

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/43/contents

Also have a look at this

http://www.landlordlawblog.co.uk/200...ters%E2%80%99/

There may not be any change in the eventual outcome, but you may be able to stay there a few more months at least.

As mentioned above go to the CAB.

Sorry for the rant, but it's about time people who really deserve our help in the UK, get it. It's one of the major reasons I'm emigrating in a month.

[v-ness]

Thats a bad situation to be in
There might be an option to tide you over....
Have you thought of joining the Woofers? There are lots of places in Scotland and all over the world where you can stay on an organic farm in exchange for work. It might give you a bit of breathing space so you have time to think and make decisions without the 2 weeks time pressure

http://www.wwoof.org.uk/join_wwoof

What ever happens.... Good Luck!!

ATB
Ness

[Will Bowden]

Have you read 500 mile walkies by Mark Wallington? Well worth it in your situation.

If you don't have any other responsibilites then why not take off on an adventure and walk the coast path or something. Start writing the diary, keep it upbeat and see if one of the walking or outdoor mags will pay you a bit for the articles, it won't be much but it may lead to something else workwise at a later date. If nothing else it'll prove to a potential employer you are resourceful.

Its the right time of year to find work everywhere around the coast, everyone is getting geared up for the season ahead. Wander into a pub and say you are working your way around the coast and someone will give you a day or twos work for certain.

Good luck, if you head this way give me a shout on here and I'll see if I can sort some work out for you.

Will

[Frogo]

Hi Matt

Have you tried claiming housing benefit as you will be entitled to it as you have been made redundant.

Are you still within your contract with your landlord because it's illegal to put up rent during the fixed term of the contract, the rent can only be put up when/if the contract is being renewed.
Have you paid a bond, if so has it been registered by the landlord with one of three tenancy deposit schemes (which you should have received proof of within 14 days of paying the bond) if your landlord has not put your bond into one of the three required schemes he has lost his right to evict you and if he took you to court he would end up having to pay you three times the bond plus the original bond that you paid him as compensation for not protecting your original bond.

If he has protected your bond the only legal way he can evict you is if he issues a section 21 of the housing act, but this can only be issued 2 months before the end of your contract is due to expire and must be dated for you to vacate the property on the day your contract ends, so basically he can issue you with a section 21 five months before your contract ends but you are not required to move out until the last day stated on your contract.

If you really have got no choice change the locks and sit tight because an eviction will take at the minimum six months to get to court.

You really need to seek legal advice, if you want any more info pm me.

Frogo

[Magentus]

To echo everyone else - good luck, and I admire you for making such a positive and strong decision in such adverse conditions.

As well as WOOFING you could also try this website;

http://www.helpx.net/

It's a site connecting people who need help on their land with willing workers.

Thoughts go with you.

Magentus

[backwoodsman]

sounds to me mate like you want a bit of a camping holiday and this is just the push you needed, your not really homeless as you haven't really tried all that hard to sort it out that way, One thing though is that when you do try to get a house once your fed up playing at it,it may be quite hard as people will see you have been all right in your tent.
Look at all the people who live in the middle of with roundabouts with there sky dishes and porta loos.
Loads of posts offering you help, addresses, phone numbers. Take it!!!!!!