DSS considered?

[JLCooper]

Me and my partner have been out of work for a few months, not by choice but just purely down to the fact that there is nothing in our town (Swindon) that doesn't require you to have some sort of University education, previous experience, or a driving licence (neither of us can afford to drive).
We have been living in a single room which has literally just enough room for a double bed and not a lot else, with my mother for the past few months in which we have been paying her rent from our Jobseekers allowance. As it is both impossible to live in this small a space and the agreement with my mother was that we can only stay for a few months we have had to start looking for a starting property of some sort to move into. Unfortunately we seem to have hit a brick wall, we've tried every property search site, every estate agent in the town, but no-where will accept DSS payments.
Between us we have about £600-£800 saved to count towards a deposit/fee/month in advance, and are both respectable people, though no-one seems to even want to give us the chance to explain or prove this to them. We just get told that DSS is not accepted and you'll have a great deal of trouble in finding a place that will accept it.
If anyone can offer anything on this subject, it would be greatly appreciated. We're not fussy about the place itself as long as we can call it our own. Anything would help us whether you know agents or landlords in the area that would consider, advice on who to go to, just please anything. We are both very willing to work so with luck the DSS would only be a very temporary thing until some jobs start turning up in the area.

We have also tried going to our local housing offices and getting a list of landlords and agents who may be able to help but still no luck even from them.

[cherrychapstick]

does it have to be in the area or would you be willing to relocate to somewhere that you and your partner would be able to get jobs as you have said there is no work where you are ,so chances are this isn't going to change ,you could go back to the housing and tell them you are about to become homeless and hopefully they will help more you may get offered a house or flat in a run down area but as you have said it doesn't matter where you are as long as you can call it your own

[JLCooper]

We would be willing to relocate yes, the only problem would be moving the things we own. As mentioned neither of us can drive so finding transport would be quite an issue :(

[brenda]

I think your Mother is a right old cow charging youn rent in these circs -- good luck.

[sara3]

I'm also a bit shocked that your mother charges you rent in such circumstances and has asked you to move on, but we don't know the full details.

have you contacted local Housing Associations? put yourself on the council housing list?

some private landlords will take tenants on benefits as they know the rent will be paid directly to them via Housing Benefits.

[Twenty20]

I think this is a very difficult situation with no easy answer.

There are a number of LLs who do take on DSS claimants, but finding one in your area might prove very difficult. Transport seems to be the key, both for a property and for finding a job. It might be worth considering using the money you have saved to take driving lessons (I'm not sure how far £600 - £800 goes these days with driving lessons?) but you may find it a good investment as it will make you a lot more flexible in the job market. Once you get a job, getting a rental property will be much easier.

I'm not sure about your mother's attitude, unless there's another problem there that you're not saying?

It just seems to me that if you had transport you might even be able to get a menial job (no offence meant) such as working at a supermarket etc to get you back on the job ladder and get an income.

At the moment, sinking all your money into a deposit on a property seems to have few benefits. Apart from the rent (which would be paid in arrears to the LL, if you can find one) there are a lot more other expenses in running a home. Where would you get the money at present to cover all these bills?