My partner is leaving me and I don't know what I am going to do

MatthewD1985

My partner is leaving me over the weekend and we both live in a council house her name is on the tenancy agreement I am not a joint tenant and therefore do not appear in the tenancy agreement at all, but they know I am here. She will be gone by Sunday so where does that leave me. If I become homeless I will lose my job as I work from home and need a fixed telephone and wired broadband connection to do my job and in fact is in my contract. There was no warning or time to plan anything. I cant find much online but I found the Welsh Gov deals with social housing rather than the central housing and communties dept in Wales. There is something called an occupation order but that seems to be for someone who hsa been a victim of domestic abuse and lives in their partners home - this essentially stops them chucking the victim out and enforces the tenant to stay away until there is a permanent agreement, I sort of need that but to stop the council rather than my partner chucking me out. Any advice would be appreciated

Pippa_Alumni

Oh I'm so sorry to hear this @MatthewD1985, it sounds like a really tough time for you. 

Given the circumstances, I would recommend getting in touch with the Shelter team, as they're likely to be well-informed about what your options could be. 

Chat to an expert housing adviser online.

Our advisers are available to chat during the hours below:

• 9am - 5pm on weekdays

I hope this helps, and please do keep us updated.

MatthewD1985

Thanks Pippa_Scope, have sen a message through to Shelter Cymru and they should be in touch soon. Lots of people have said they are unlikely to make me homeless as because of my mental health they may end up having to help me anyway. I also found  some info on shelter (referring to England only though) that said that unless they had reasonable grounds such anti social behaviour or no evidence that rent payments can be kept up to date then as a social housing landlord and under normal circumstances they normally allow you to stay. I'll have to wait until Monday now. Its been a nightmare waiting as only the emergency housing team have been working the last few days because of the weather so i'm just waiting till they open.. I feel sick thinking about it..

poppy123456

Hi,

You "she'll be gone by Sunday" i assume this means that you'll be left in the house? Sometimes it's possible to change the name on the tenancy agreement but for this she'll need to contact the housing association.

Benistmonk

As long as your GF has not contacted the council in writing or by phone to say she is giving up her tenancy, it is possible to get your name added to the tenancy agreement if you are cohabiting. Do it first thing Monday morning.

MatthewD1985

Benistmonk she is going to contact them for me tomorrow to tell them, but she hasn't done already. So worse case scenario they take that as 4 weeks notice and I'll have to be out after that time or they swap the tenancy agreement. In the first case they will then have to help me find somewhere else either temporarily or permanent so I suppose if they just swap it it would be less work and possibly cheaper for them I just hope they see it that way and besides I have lived here since 2013, they know I am here and I am the reason that full HB is not paid. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed and hope they open at least tomorrow they have been shut since thurs morning due to weather. poppy123456 yes I am now at the house alone - I also have my son and daughter still here with me at the moment (not sure if this is a permanent thing, as usual i will be the last to know about anything)  she is moving out of the kids catchment are and as far as I am aware she hasn't made arrangement to change schools etc, the house was only allocated because of them so this would make it harder for them to evict me surely? Only problem is she could come and just take them whenever I suppose I hope they are open tomorrow that's all I can say!!

Angiebabes2410

Can i ask why you didn't think to have your name added earlier? Also if she has given 4 weeks notice I thought the tenancy would basically be up. I had a friend who was in Manchester, she didn't put her husband name on the tenancy and she died, leaving him alone in the house and he managed to get his name on the tenancy but he was almost evicted from their house just because they didn't add his name. 

Maybe SHELTER or your local Citizens Advice Bureau might be able to give you more advice I hope you can get it sorted the sooner the better as I was homeless once for more than 3 1/2 years and I know how distressing it can be I wish you all the best luck in the world take care and keep us informed

poppy123456

I've google searched a few things and what i can see is that it could also depend on whether you're married or not. If you're married then it could possibly be easier to stay in the property than if you're not.

I don't think it's going to be as easy as just adding you to the tenancy agreement because that agreement will no longer exist when your partner leaves and ends the agreement. You will have to take out a tenancy agreement in your name and that may not be as straight forward as it seems.

Please do come back and let us know what happens and i wish you good luck!

One other thing. Are you going to need help to pay for the rent? I know you said you work from home but do you claim any other benefits, like ESA and do permitted work? Do you claim DLA or PIP, if so what award do you currently have?

MatthewD1985

I'm still waiting for the housing officer to get back to me, I will let you know what happens though..

poppy123456  I used to do 15 hours per week and get ESA, Housing benefit and have just renewed PIP on lower mobility and higher daily living. But after increasing hours I only get PIP now. I keep being told my earnings are too high each month so haven't been entitled to UC so far either  - I am waiting till next month to find out if my sick note that I sent will make any difference. I will also have to add my daufghter but need to know what the housing situation first. So I am just working as many hours as possible as am paying full rent as HB obviously stopped when ESA stopped.

I hope they hurry up though I have had this feeling of dread for almost a week now and don't know how much longer I can wait... lol..

MatthewD1985

Angiebabes2410 I just didn't see the need to put my name on as I didn't really think anything like this was going to happen tbh, when I moved in they said I could go down and sign to be a joint tenant, but that this was not compulsory as long as housing benefit knows your name doesn't actually need to be on there because in fact I had the esa and HB but could use it on her house as she was a joint claimant on my esa but busy with work and kids etc I didn't really see the point and slipped my mind tbh as didn't seem important.. at the time anyway... lol. She hasn't given any notice to them  - she decided and told me thurs and I emailed council that day - the council was closed thurs and fri due to weather - as they know I'm living here anyway I know I'm safe for at least 4 weeks after i sent them the email as this is when they will have been notified, but im guessing this would not be sufficient for them to start the process of ending tenancy she hasn't got in touch with them as far as I know and I can't really imagine that she will now either... they replied Monday to inform me that my enquiry had been forwarded to to someone else, and the same Tues and again today so we will see... watch this space....