UK's Renting Crisis: Single Mum of 2 Feels The Cost of A Broken System | Evicted

After being unable to afford a rent increase, single mum of two Dawn found herself being evicted by her landlord. Now turning the council for help, she must navigate a housing system stretched to its limits by a rental crisis - all whilst taking care of her children.

Evicted: Priced out, pushed out - the young renters fighting for their rights and facing homelessness. Dealing with impossible decisions, what can they do, and where do they end up?

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[samsmith]

While I do sympathise with her situation, I saw an apple watch, a fairly new iPhone, professionally applied acrylic nails, professionally maintained eyebrows, dyed hair, lots of tattoos and pets...none of which are essential spending (not to mention she was expecting a delivery when she got the baliff letter). While forgoing these may not give her all the money she needs the fact she is spending on them while on the brink of homelessness suggests to me she's not exactly being careful with the money she does have, at least based on what this clip shows.

[jennifermarie]

I'm sorry, but it's hard to work 60 hours a week and make the decision to put off having a dog (which I would so dearly love to do) and having kids because all I can afford is a 1 bedroom, just to see other people get it all handed to them with my tax money. For her to think she's entitled to nothing less than a pet friendly 2 bedroom in the location of her choice while I literally have a graduate degree and work 60 hours a week and can't afford such luxuries is asinine.

[rizwansoomro]

Salute to the guy who had 2 kids with her and is nowhere in the picture.

[WorldOfMellie]

She was the wrong person to do this story with because she comes across as very entitled. She was lucky to get offered a one-bedroom temporary accommodation and not a hostel. She was also lucky to be offered a property so quickly which doesn’t normally happen and then she turned it down to sofa surf with her two children, one a newborn 🤦🏾‍♀️complaining about the sofa bed just clean it. I’ve been through the homeless system it’s hell and you’re just so grateful for what you get.

[abumaalik]

Are people really not understanding how it's possible to not afford to live? Let's break down some costs:rent £1100, council tax £150, Energy Bills:£200, food £300, mobile phone £15 - grant total £1615. This is a conservative estimate so you need a salary of £27k. The UK average salary is £30k, meaning half the population earn below that.

[akrids]

canada goose jacket, tattoos, dog, car, iphone 13 pro max, apple watch, make up, pedicure, hairstyling, jewelry yeah probs from the government giving child support money into all these...the system is truly broken

[gingerkilkus]

The fact that there is already an excessive amount of demand awaiting its absorption, despite how everyone is frightened and calling the crash, is another reason why it is less likely to occur that way. 2008 saw no one, at least not the broad public, making this forecast, as I'll explain below. The ownership rate was noted to have peaked in 2004 in the other comment. Having previously peaked in the second quarter of 2020, we are currently at the median level. Between 2008 and 2012, it dropped by 3%, and by the second quarter of 2020, it had dropped from 68 to 65.

[clipkut]

There are key lessons to take away from this:

1) Choose your partner using reasonable criteria before having one or more babies, not because of butterflies. Get commitment first and treat and respect your partner. There is a reason why families made up of older and wiser individuals used to be active in the selection process of an appropriate husband as well as guaranteeing that the bride was raised properly and well-behaved. Some might not like this type of guidance but the alternative is broken homes and broken single moms and therefore broken children too.
2) Don't "follow your passion" with a personal trainer job, if you're the sole provider for your kids you need to go for something that's well-paid and stable, your feelings come second at that point.
3) If you're on your own, always keep enough cash in hand before getting comfortable with personal spending and if you can't use a credit card and pay it off every month to at least have access to credit if needed
4) If you get a council house that fast and at everyone else's expense, be grateful, like VERY grateful. The fact that she was picky about the couch or the location of the accommodation is already a red flag that she struggles with entitlement, which likely affected her relationships too.
5) Nothing will change until it becomes less socially acceptable to willingly make so many bad choices which also harm the kids. Shame is a good thing, we need more of that. Because social stigma it is a deterrent for bad behavior, as opposed to giving sympathy, and attention, and subsidizing the behavior to shelter the person from the consequences of their actions.

[Kiwiwanderer]

It’s not a human right to have a dog or children. It’s not a human right to have a 2 bedroom property. Ask the millions in Japan, asia and Europe living in small apartments. If you decide to have children and a dog - make sure you can feed and house those dependents on your on paycheck. If you can’t please don’t have them.

Adults need to understand - the government, taxpayers and society do not have to pay for your decisions.

[tripleb]

£900 canada goose jacket, make up, hair, nails, tattoos, car, babies.

but cant afford rent ?

and its upto the tax payer to bail her out.

thats the problem with this country.

[pirhan]

Tattoos, dyed hair, nice nails, new phone, Apple watch, new furniture AND a dog and popped out TWO children. No father in sight. My goodness gracious.

[ncfo]

The question that everyone should be asking - WHY did she have kids that she obviously can't afford? She isn't a victim. Just thinks that she deserves kids because she wants them and they're cute.

[markpallister]

Firstly, She is NOT ENTITLED to have a dog if the council or landlord does not allow it ... Secondly, a one bed flat is FAR BETTER than living on the street....Last but not least, where is the father of these kids....WHY make children if you dont have the means to support them?? 😮

[Starfire]

Wheres her baby father at? Stop having kids if you cannot afford them.

[MaterLacrymarum]

There's a lot to ponder here. How did she end up with two children and no partner? After the first, how did she get pregnant again? Then there is the idealistic thinking (I need at least two bedrooms) as though she is owed not simply accommodation, but ideal accommodation. And finally, when she was offered as place, she turned it down and moved to a different county.

Then we have the underlying issues of expectation. Back in the 1950's and 1960's, it was common to live in social housing. You rented from the Council and were good to go. There was lots of stock, and you could pick and choose. In 2023, people still think this is the case. It's not. Thatcher's Right to Buy decimated social housing. In short, there are not enough properties out there. If you're going to the Council, you can't expect much these days, and don't expect to be able to pick and choose.

As for private renting, it's a disgrace and is poorly regulated. From no-fault evictions to a complete lack of rent controls and onward to often poor maintenance, private renting is actually the worst kind for tenants. We need new laws put in place.

A complicated set of circumstances set off, largely, by the lady here having not one, but two children without a family foundation. She no doubt loves her kids, but she's clearly not able to take care of them, she really needed to think about the consequences before she arrived here. On the other hand, the system is not in her favor.

[bmker]

She doesn't look like she's lacking.. no doubt a Boyfriend is lurking in the background somewhere. We need to be a lot tougher on the parent who isn't contributing either absent mum or dad.

[missjane]

She is very picky at being given free accommodation 🙄

[dalibormares]

I am similar age as her, but before buying car, having dog, getting a huge tattoo and having kids I saved money and bought an apartment. Well, different people have different priorities.

[mrumarGTA]

Someone knocked her up & doesn't even provide for the kids. That's the problem with society. Deadbeats.

[AllisonSherman]

This administration is putting many families in difficult situations. A lot of people are financially struggling to live, put a roof over their head and put food on the table. Things are getting worse these days, if you don't find means of multiplying your money you might wake up a day to realise you didn't plan well for yourself and family…