I am still trying to get my rent changed the local authority here is dragging their feet. Been trying to update it since March with Universal Credit but the council keep stalling with updating the amount. They have already acknowledged with me and my landlord they also stole money that I have overpaid for rent arrears which they would not have stopped unless I rang and asked if I had finished paying off the small amount I owed which went from one month's rent to 5 month's rent arrears which is odd because I have proof of it all. I was only about £400 in arrears and they made out I was £3.450 in arrears and when I asked for a breakdown of all the money APIs to them they sent me very hard to read. The most minute bill summary that was hard to understand even for a professional financial advisor. They refuse to give me exact dates and even though they get my rent in full from Universal Credit they pay my landlord less some months and more others it's almost as if they are doing it to make it confusing and from what I could actually work out there is a 1.489 in descrepencys which shows exactly what I thought that they owe me around 1.500 which they are refusing to look into and just dismiss me. They are rude and insulting. One person there in particular is extremely rude, insulting and just inconsiderate and doesn't take anything you tell him and calls you a liar and makes out that your insane for asking for help which they are reluctant to give at the best of time. He's so bad that I've thrown him out of my property 2 times and even asked for no contact due to the rudeness. One property they signed off on as a 2 bedroom flat made me cry, they made me wait 5 months after my MP contacted them to ask why it had taken 4 years to move us from the delipidated property we were left to rot in and said it was perfect for us but we got there and I broke out into tears. It wasn't even finished, there was a whole wall completely unfinished with wires everywhere and the hallway entrance was bigger than the small bedroom, if you could call it that, I would call it a closet. But then we went on a few extra viewings most of which were rubbish I loved the place we're in now and asked all the questions my landlord is nice but he lied about things and made out it was peaceful here but the neighbours are nightmares they are racist and sexist towards us and make noise all the time. It's that bad we can hear people 2 floors up screaming at each other their music blaring and their kids running wild. It's ruined our lives here, I hate where I live and the council refuse to help on these matters either don't move to this area if you want to be able to live somewhere that has any type of standard living because the council do nothing about anti social behaviour and just ignore housing repair issues like mould and bug infestations. They leave you to rot and make out that they have no knowledge of the people who they are actually housing in temporary accommodation who are jail birds and drug addicts and people who are violent it's just wrong they leave us all like this and everyone ends up hating each other. They do nothing and are still in charge of everything here they won't even update my rent, it's been nearly 4 months. I've been asking my landlord is still on at them and luckily enough he's not kicking me out because he knows it's not my fault but he's a nice landlord other people might not be so lucky and will have been handed their notice by now.

So far, I have not really needed support with housing etc.
However when I did not have work a few years, I really struggled to find a house to rent for me and my 5 young children. Estate agents would not even let me view the house because they assumed that I would not pay the rent because I did not have income from employment.
I then had to turn to my local Council for advice. They did call me from time to time during my period of house search and I felt supported in some ways albeit little. Eventually one private landlord who used an online estate agent did allow us to come and view their property. There were at least 5 applications for this house and thankfully the landlord chose us to rent their property. We are happy where we are now. Our private landlord has so far has been good and kind to me and my family.

I find help through Universal Credit and housing benefit. Part of Universal Credit a lot better than having to deal with the council for your housing benefit. It's a lot simpler than not constantly recalculating and deciding that you owe them money. Universal Credit is a major improvement on trying to claim housing benefit through your council. Since being on Universal Credit, there has been no issues when I've had rent increases. In fact, each year they ask me if I've had a rent increase before I even have a chance to ask them. Universal Credit housing benefit part is a million times better than trying to claim it through the council.

My personal experience of housing and support is that I will have to consider downsizing my home. Where I currently live the house prices have doubled in the past few years. I am looking at living in a cheaper smaller town and buying a house outright so I have zero mortgage or rent. This will mean changing jobs and relocating. I am happy to do this have I have already done this before.

My youngest who is one, has been walking for a month or so, well running LOL. But she has a scuttle bug thing and she loves doing it. Yes, it's second hand but its getting well used. And as before we moved in garden was left a right mess: overgrown, rubbish, etc. we had have family to come help as little one started exploring in garden. As for a gardener it would cost way too much as was given quotes of like 100-130, I cant afford that kinda price.

Had to ask family member for money which hate doing but had to as my son has only got his school shoes as when I got him a pair of trainers, they were destroyed in about a week. As I have had hospital appointments plus weekly food shop, not had any money to get anything. Plus, I need new tops as most mine have holes but I will always go without so my kids get what they need x

Well since moved county housing been 100% better. Food cost, bills, it's a big struggle to the point that some days I don't eat or if I do too much food I'll get my partner's brother to come get some just to help out.

Things have been hard recently as my son suffers with bowel issues since moving we have put in for local health visitor to do a referral to continence team which was never done. So now they said it's got to come from school or doctor which annoyed me as we've been waiting for bout 3 months. School did it well day and one or two days later received letter with phone appointment.

Hello everyone, the housing cost is really high. The bills and rent are so expensive the private landlords is on a high level. By the time you add the cost of buying food it's crazy: hope the government can act fast.

Living with three children in a two bed flat is totally miserable. Housing department of local council didn't give us a good service apart from allocating this house to our family. This house is quite good in terms of location and transport link but the problem is we are living in this house as a temporary tenant since 8 years and need immediate permanent house. Never got any housing moving cost.

My experience of housing support was not good. It was troublesome matter to me. Still living in a overcrowded place and kept bidding but not a positive outcome yet received. I have never received any changing cost while moving houses.

Final half term before the school holidays. Numerous birthday marathons of nephews ahead and not an inch of savings in sight. Having stopped looking at the prices of food as it just serves to put you in depression even more, treat food has been replaced with treat days of normal food. Bank of England in my head should probably be named ‘should we deplete the ‘Tank of England’s tiny household economy even more? I used to look forward to looking for work, hoping it would put me in a better stance, but being that I will be the sole provider in my 2 child dependent household, I might be putting my children at risk to becoming worse off…To eat or not to eat, to regain a career for the name and not the financial security or just rely on small income gigs as a lifeline on an already broken social welfare income system so as not to have daily mental health anxiety, that is the question? Shakespeare would have written an opera by now, not just an ordinary play.

I moved home in November 2022, into a different borough. I spent almost £800 on moving costs, and had to borrow money from family members in order to afford it. I searched to see if there was any support I could apply for and applied for a DHP which was rejected. Moving into my new home became a stressful experience, and I ended up not being able to buy simple things for my home like bedding and wardrobes because I had to pay back the money I owed. There was a difficult transitional period with UC, as my housing costs had changed and I had reported this on the same day as my move. Despite this, I immediately fell into rent arrears because UC took a long time to update my details. Before I knew it, I owed over £2,000 with my landlord calling me to ask why the rent had not been paid. As someone who suffers with longstanding anxiety and depression, this time became almost unbeareable. The same issue arose again when the rent increase happened in April. It is very hard to get through to anyone in UC to explain or ask what is going on with your claim.

I applied for council housing when 20 weeks pregnant with my son. To be told as I had moved into my parents home, and they knew I was pregnant that there would be no support available. Subsequently my son is now 4 years old and living in a 1 bedroom studio flat. We are regularly number 150 in the bidding for properties, on an account authorised in 2019. With no support available. Due to the increases in rent prices and no increase in local authority letting prices I am unable to move into another private rental as it would be unaffordable

Housing is one of the most difficult thing right now in the UK. In fact, I and my kids are struggling at the moment. We've been placed in a hotel, a travel lodge where we cannot cook. We are buying food on daily basis and it's so stressful. We are still hoping to be helped, but nothing has changed. It's quite stressful to live like this. No fridge, no microwave is allowed here. We are living like I don't even know what to say because there are no houses available in the London at the moment. It's really a lot of struggle. I was asked to look for a private rent and it's so difficult. I've not been able to find anything. The houses are very expensive. I don't even know where to start. I haven't been able to get any help in that regard.

I was getting housing support and now it stopped from two months.
Paying rent on my own no support any more. Its affecting my health now because I have to do extra hours with working full time already to pay the rent.
Unable to give time to my son on weekends too. As no choice but to work on weekends too.
Support from government is a joke.

There is a huge lack of affordable houses to rent in this area.
Private rents have risen by 50% since lockdowns.
Council rules say I cannot be offered a home from them as adequately housed and not homeless... although I'm in poverty paying the extra rent over the benefit limit.
The bidding system for homes is online with many housing associations all connected to this system.
There are around 100 people applying for each home.
It is a cut throat, dog eat dog system. Abrupt staff talking down at me as if I am stupid... just a bit hard of hearing. There was a lack of compassion from a housing officer as my pet dog was being put down to ill health later that day and she called to check had we "got rid of dog yet". Pressure to make quick decisions in a poor frame of mind.
The same housing advisor gave out wrong information on benefit/ UC rules too for changing circumstances. Which swayed me to decide to leave an offer of a flat that day. Later found out from citizens advice much info from housing officers is wrong.
I'm 52 left a violent relationship with my children 10 years ago and still not worthy of a warm, permanent affordable home.
Nobody told me that 10 years ago. If I knew, I would probably have stayed.

It's a struggle as it's the time of year when my rents gone up. And now I have to find the deficit which is about 25 pound a week. It's a struggle on benefits as I have budget everyone and was just about right with a little struggle now I have to think on what I have to cut back on to pay it. I do get help but not enough

Looking and applying for an affordable home had become stressful.
Leasing agents and landlords still discriminative against single parents and asking for job title, earnings from job and reference from employer.
I have justified I am a full time carer and provided proof of all rent payments from last 3 years.
One leasing agent "lost" my application although sent by email.
Other never replied.

I paid my£600 rent on time and in full on the 1st of every month before and throughout lockdowns. My private had made no attempt to contact me within the 3 years I and my daughter stayed in the flat.
Out of the blue, in lockdowns, I started to receive phone calls from the landlord's wife that the neighbours (in their own bought flats) had called them and complained I was causing damage in communal areas of the block of flats. I found this strange as the neighbours never came to me direct and how did they have my landlord's phone number as they moved away across the country. These absurd phone calls became more regular and the landlord and his wife decided to visit.
They picked faults of our living conditions. It was not a show house, it was lived in and I had a basket of washing sitting to be ironed. The landlord's wife made a fuss saying I was not coping mentally. She went into my daughter's bedroom without permission. My daughter has autism and the landlord and wife did not respect us. My daughter was struggling with her mental health at the time and became distressed as the landlord's wife sat on her bed announcing she was a retired social worker and it was clear that we were not coping.
I lost my temper and shouted for them to leave.
Landlord did not adhere to laws and give 24 hours notice to visit. He would sit outside my flat early in morning and wait for me to leave as he mentioned he had a key and could enter his property any time he liked.
Police and the private rental housing officer of council played it down as lockdowns were causing tempers to rise.
One morning the landlord pushed his way in and both my duaghter and myself pushed against the door. He put his foot in the door and shouted we were attacking him! I called police who said it was a domestic and we needed to calm down. They did not come out to flat. I called all services who supported my daughter who is autistic. None were available and all working from home. They were not allowed to enter my flat due to council covid restrictions.
Finally a kind volunteer from Citizens Advice came out and arranged a time with landlord to have a discussion.
Turned out that this was typical bully behaviour of private landlords who wanted to evict tenants but not want to go through proper court procedures as it costs.
There was no reason to evict us. The communal repairs were due to the neighbours not having home insurance and blamed me to get my landlord to pay. They were all in cahoots.
Inside the flat, the landlord had failed to maintain gas boiler annual checks and the 5 year electricity checks. He broke the law.
The lease was not legal binding as it was printed from the Internet and used American legal jargon.
The landlord owned other properties and the tenants could not pay rent in lockdowns and he wanted to sell all his properties as soon as lockdowns lifted.
I had done nothing wrong, but the impact of the bullying landlord still affects the mental health of both my daughter and myself.
I found another private house which was more expensive but was in better condition of the only 2 homes up for rent. I got into debt with a high interest loan to pay the deposit. The council offered to support financially for deposit and white goods but took 12 weeks to process the application that stated 28 days turnaround. By that time we were already in our new home. The council refused to reimburse me.
I had no washing machine or fridge freezer for first few months and had to buy second hand and pay a local man to plumb in washing machine. With high interest payments on the land for removals and deposit. We were in poverty.
Again citizens advice came to the rescue with organising lower loan repayments.
We been here 18 months now... The house is cold an damp not insulated. No carpet downstairs yet. Draughts can be felt from windows when shut. Black mould growing on front of house walls. Minor repairs are not being done letter box broke off and can see daylight through a gap. Energy bills are very high.
Leasing agent is kind but making excuses of the damp being caused by walls sweating due to pictures on walls. We took pictures off walls, cleaned the mould off and 2 months later there is more black mould.
I am paying over the benefit limit and the energy bills are still high even though I received cost of living payments, the bills are not any lower.
Looking for a more affordable home is near impossible as rent prices are up again over the housing benefit limit.

So at the moment, I'm on housing benefit or they paid pretty good with the credit, but I'm having constant problems with my landlord. They are constantly on my case because the health and benefit system is paid slightly. I think it's a month in arrears and council don't like that getting told letters of I owe money even though a week after they sent me a letter the rents were being paid up. It's the benefit system in regards to University Credit, sending the payments to the local authority. The local authorities don't always seem to match up in my case, which is a bit of a pain.

Now summer is fast approaching how do you pay for meals when the children are not in school? How do I occupy them without it costing me? These are all my worries.

It’s been awful I have been on the waiting list for over a year. Who wants to wait up until midnight to bid on a house? The rent prices are ridiculous you can’t get anywhere that is even covered by support from the council. So how are you supposed to find a house?

Very sunny day in Northern Ireland. Lovely weather and no need to put the heating on to dry clothes as you can dry them outside. Today is a good day all round.