I work for a homeless charity and still risked becoming homeless…
As the Fundraising Officer for Restore, I am constantly aware of how much money we need to raise, in order to sustain our work and support our residents, and just how expensive housing and bills have become. The Cost of Living Crisis has impacted on York’s housing market; the impact of this upon someone’s life and wellbeing has definitely been put into perspective for me recently, through my own search for a rental property. Here are some personal insights based on my recent experiences.
Over the past few months I have been searching for a new flat as my current tenancy in a shared house is coming to an end, and we are all respectively going our own separate ways. I had until the end of September and started seriously searching for somewhere in June, hoping to have something secured early due to my own anxieties. In hindsight, I’m glad I began looking early because the process has been grueling. The first observation I made as I scrolled down Rightmove was just how expensive even a small, studio flat was in York. The rental housing market in York is far from affordable for many people, especially for anything that’s a decent size, condition, or a central location. Add in extra requirements, such as need for off-street parking and prices and demand simultaneously sky rocket. There are a handful of more affordable properties that crop up every now and then, and many are in York’s surrounding areas, but the demand for these is, as expected, extremely high. I was initially quite surprised by just how difficult it was to even get a viewing. I had Rightmove set to notify me as soon as a new property that matched my search was added, and I constantly refreshed Rightmove and my emails, praying that God would provide something. However, even when a property became available, managing to get a viewing was a challenge; you have to call or email the letting agent as soon as the property is listed in order to even have a chance of getting an appointment, and even then it is not a guarantee. I found that even when I called the letting agent promptly, the appointment list could be already fully-subscribed. . I was also rejected from even viewing properties due to my income. This was particularly frustrating and disheartening as someone who works close to full time in a good job. It was even more frustrating as I was told I did not meet their income threshold, despite earning enough to comfortably afford the rent- this was a problem I had not anticipated, yet cropped up several times.
It was a relief - and very exciting - to get invited to view a property after being rejected from so many, even if most of them were further afield than I had originally anticipated. However, the excitement was often short-lived, as I would go and view the property, submit an application, only to be turned down. I was rejected from three properties that I applied for with no feedback as to why I had been turned down. The longer this process of frustration and disappointment went on, the more anxious and hopeless I felt. I expected it to be a competitive market, but I did not expect it to be quite as brutal as it was, with landlords favoring individuals who could offer to pay six months’ rent up front- something that is not realistic for the majority of renters. I felt like time was running out as I got closer and closer to the date when I had to move out of my current property, without anywhere to move to. The more rejections I faced from viewings and applications, the more I convinced myself that I was going to end up homeless. Whilst I knew that I had good friends around me who would let me crash with them for a bit, the prospect of becoming a sofa-surfer, alongside the uncertainty and instability of the situation took a significant toll on my mental health.
To cut a long story short, eventually I was successful in securing a flat that ticked all my boxes. This was such a relief and a blessing, showing God’s provision for me.
My experience of trying to find affordable accommodation in York’s rental market is far from unique. Whilst there is a large amount of housing in York, there is a lack of affordable housing. Where some groups have described York’s housing market as thriving due to rising house prices and York’s popularity, I would describe it as alienating, with the rising costs causing a bigger divide between what’s available, and what’s affordable. This is having a significant impact on many people living in rented accommodation with increased prices and demand, but fewer properties being available, often due to landlords selling up or turning them into holiday lets, making securing an affordable tenancy in York challenging for many, and impossible for some. A friend of mine has also been looking to rent on his own and in the end has had to move out of North Yorkshire altogether and will have to commute into York for work.. This process has made me realise just how tough it can be to find affordable and suitable accommodation to rent, and how close any of us can be to experiencing homelessness as a result.
We often hear from residents that they have ended up homeless as a result of the landlord selling the property they were in, or rent increases beyond what they could afford. Other reasons our residents give as to why they have had to vacate their previous home may include a relationship breakdown, job loss/unemployment, poor mental health or physical illness. All of these things can put anyone at risk of homelessness. However, if you’re already in financial hardship, or struggling with the day to day challenges of life, then trying to navigate the private rental market and being able to afford or secure anywhere else can be near impossible.
This is where Restore comes in. Restore provides accommodation and support to individuals who would otherwise be homeless. We provide our residents with a safe and homely environment in which to live, recover, and to develop the skills for independent living. Residents will live with us in a Restore house, and will engage with support until we are confident they can succeed in independent living. At this stage we will support them to secure and move into their own tenancy which is usually a city of York council property due to the challenging nature of the private rental sector. I am grateful that eventually I was able to secure a private tenancy, but my recent experiences have increased my level of empathy for our residents and others in similar circumstances. If you can help us grow, so that we can support more residents to a life beyond homelessness and provide hope and a sense of community to more individuals, please use the links below. Thank you.
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