living on CL alone as a single mum - paying private rental - how do you do it?

[Beatrix]

def in northern suburbs you can get rent ranging froom $150-$200

ok so maybe the areas arnt the best... but sometimes a roof over your head is more important then the area its located in.

[Traveller]

As a landlord I have never increased the rent I was charging. One house I rented out for 2 and a half years, with no urge to increase in all that time. Perhaps after 5 years I would have looked at increasing but no sooner than that.

[SJL]

Firstly sending big hugs to you and Bilby.

I am in Victoria and am a single mum on centrelink. We get by ok financially, its tight but manageable you just have to watch your money, buy things on special and use charity when you need to (dont feel ashamed of it - I did for a long time time and struggled but then when I finally went to the local centre they were great and didnt judge me like I thought).

We have gone through homelessness 3 times in the last 3 years. The last time our agent had increased the rent by $50 a week (first increase in 2 years - when you get a house look at your lease agreement and know your rights when it comes to rent increases). The most recent time I ended up putting everything in storage and going to the local homelessness service and they had no choice but to help us on the spot, that night we had accommodation. They had ben telling me they couldn't help because we didn't get a high enough score on there assessment (no alcohol, drug, DV issues) but once we were officially homeless and had no where to go they had to find something for us. They will have to do something for you - keep pushing! and dont tell them you will go back to him even if you havent yet removed all of your things, they dont need to know you are going back to collect things.

For furniture / whitegoods etc the Salvos should be able to help you to get those things.

Good luck, take care of your self.

Sjl

[Gigi]

yesterday I went to an open inspection (15 mins) for a one br. unit within ten mins of where i live now. There were 25 people inspecting the property when i was there, it was a good location, but more what i would call a bedsit. The "back yard" was the size of the a fold down line and the space to stand there and peg up wet laundry. That was for $225 per week. If that one had worked out, and i was approved, at least i could have kept some routine in bilby's life.

I get emails from real estate sites sent to me daily, i scan the local newspaper classifieds online. i see 2 br units and small houses for the 200 - 250 mark (in the northern suburbs). The competition is fierce.

In Saturday's paper i only found TWO rentals that were under 250 per week.

Sometimes i find rentals for under 250, (just, i mean like 225) but then it says at the end "six month lease" or "three month lease".

Where i am currently, the rent increases every six months, and i do hear of that happening to others too.

I hope i find a landlord like you Traveller LOL.

i also think - if i am looking at the bottom end of the rental market, the reality is that some of the places are very rundown, so it's not unheard of for landlords to bulldoze places and build brand new places, so that would mean moving again for me. ($$$)

tonight, bilby's dad, just before going to bed (on loungeroom floor!!!!) said "so does this separatedunderoneroof thing mean a change to your money"? and "will they make us live in separate houses?" - he still has no clue - that maybe I want out myself, nothing to do with a government department telling me to go.

SJL - sounds like you have been thru the wringer. I'm glad you have somewhere to live now.

I admit i am petrified of starting again, with a child, in an area i know nothing about, by myself.
I know i would feel very differently if it was just me.
and i would love a "no B/S guide" to the northern suburbs. i'm sure, like everywhere, there are good and bad bits, which the locals know about, but i don't.

You are right Beatrix, shelter is the main priority.