advice needed

Re: advice needed

Sal the 1st — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:37:49 GMT

Caros advice is good - you can look around for something else. If you wage is sufficiently low you may find you have some entitlement to housing benefit or council tax benefit, even if it is only a little it is better than nothing. I think it is important that somebody legal look at your contract.

Re: advice needed

Sal the 1st — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:34:05 GMT

have you been in touch with CAB yet - if not dont leave it too long. Make it a priority.

is there anything showing on your wage slips that you pay rent? There should be under deductions (or something similar) Do you have any council tax bills, utility bills etc showing your name?

If you have an extra person moving in then there will be a difference in your services bills - how does your boss intend to deal with this? If the other person isnt paying then you should not have to pay extra, but as it is new accomodation to you you have no idea of what the bills are going to be. Do discuss this with your boss and do stay calm - deep breaths and write down the points you need to discuss so you dont forget anything. Do try not to make this confrontational.

I dont want to worry you unduly - everything may work out well - but it does no harm to be prepared.

Re: advice needed

Caro Laithwaite VN — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:27:25 GMT

There is some good rent deals about at the moment l would look outsiode the practice for somewhere else, do not be shy and assume there is none.

Re: advice needed

rachel w — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:43:08 GMT

Thank u for your reply i'l try and answer all ur questions:

my contract states that i will be provided with accomodation at the bosses choice my rent is calculate yearly and taken out of my wages monthly that is the only proof that i have of paying rent dont have a rent book, it doesnt state weather i'm meant to share with anyone although the practice has only ever had nurses sharing together never admin or reception people.

I've been with the practice three years this month and have paid rent since i started with the practice have lived in a house and then this 1 bed flat i'm in and now moving above the practice.

I dont think my rent will change as its the standard rent that all previous nurses have paid, the boss knows my b/f is over most nights and this has never been an issue he also knows about my cats as he's there vet and i have had them since before i took this job.

I'm concerned about the bills as at the moment i pay gas electric and council tax practice pays water rates i'm worried that this will be expected when i move which is fair enough if the bill is being split between us but shes been told she doesnt have to pay anything which is v.unfair.

I found out today that she was meant to move into an annex at one of the equine vets houses but she counldnt afford the £300 a month rent which is y the boss offered her the flat rent and bill free, including my council tax bills and rent it comes to about this a month at the moment anyway so if she did move in with me and split the bills it wouldnt be that much cheaper for her apart from everything else she earns nearly double what i get a month so cant understand her not affording this

I spoke to my hvn today and shes going to approach my boss first as she knows i'm likely to either cry or not say what i feel if i have to talk to him so no doubt i'l be called into the office tomorrow

the main thing that worries me is that this girl is friends with both my bosses she use to work and babysit for them and often goes round to theres at wkends i just feel there going to take her side and give her what she wants and not kisten to me, have looked at the price of renting round here and i cant afford it on my own and my b/f currently lives and works an hr away so not practical for him to rent with me

Re: advice needed

Sal the 1st — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:32:13 GMT

having lived in practice accom quite a few times in the past might be able to advise you on some of this

1) what does your contract say? - does it mention that you have sole occupancy of the flat?

2) how long have you been living in the flat and paying rent? - ie if it is over a year has your tenancy become an 'assured' tenancy ? Do you have a rent book or some record of you paying rent?

3) does your boss know and agree to your boyfriends use of the flat?

4) will your rent change as a result of the new person moving in? - ie will it become less?

5) point already mentioned re council tax and loss of single person occupancy discount

6) does your boss know and agree to your pets?

7) will any provision be made for the new person to pay you or the practice for a percentage of the bills?

8) will your wage change at all as a result of this?

9) does your boss have another use for the flat you are already living in? and is he able to prove this? - this is unfortunately a classic get out clause with practice accomodation. If your boss says that he needs your current flat for some other use but is willing to provide alternative accom there may be little you can do.

I would also take internal photos of the flat esp if any damp spots showing but also giving a general view of the internal flat . If things dont go to plan - another classic get out for employers is to call a spot inspection and tell you you are not keeping the flat in good condition and withdraw accomodation at short notice - if you have photographic evidence to the contrary then that one would be a non starter.

speak to your boss, if needs be have somebody with you either for moral support or to act as a witness. As already mentioned things may not be as bad as you fear, better to get it from the horses mouth than to listen to gossip.

do speak to CAB

PM me if you feel I can help - and good luck

Re: advice needed

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:46:39 GMT

I would also take legal advice on what is happening.

Re: advice needed

Maisy — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 12:18:56 GMT

I would speak to your boss first as often details can be passed around in not an entirely true form! Not saying your colleague who told you was lying, but facts can be expanded a little. As for your cats I presume your boss knows you have them, so if this other person is to be moving in with you, she should have been made aware of this already. You were living there first and if she really doesn't like cats, can she not move into your original flat instead of sharing with you?

Hope it all gets sorted out, and you can get some help for your migraines.

Re: advice needed

rachel w — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 11:29:47 GMT

Thank you for your advice i'l sit down this afternoon and write a few things down,

My b/f doesnt live with me but does spend more time at my flat then his house, we cant afford to move into our own place (well he can i cant), my other problem that i dodnt mention yesterday is my 2 cats who admittitly are my babies and are spoilt rotten she doesnt like cats at all infact she told me that she hates them this worries me as my 2 are quite sociable and where we're moving to have no choice but to continue being indoor cats.

the option of moving in with someone else isnt really an option got into bad debt a few years ago and am still paying it off now so cant afford anything else my rent through work is mega cheap.

As for my migrain been waiting 2wks for an emergancy referral and nothing through yet didn;t sleep last night as was to painful cant take any more medication than what the doctor has given me which doesnt work have tried near enough everything that they have to offer hoping the referral comes through this week i miss sleep and having fun.

Re: advice needed

loopylou711 — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 02:31:43 GMT

my adivce may not be great so i shall apologise in advance!

First of all hope your migrane problem is sorted out when you have the docs

Secondly, regardless of what this girl is like it should be the same rule for her as for you. She should be paying her bills and rent like you have too!!Talk to your boss about it!

Also do you really want to share the place you and your bf live? its a big invasion of privacy fair enough if it temporary but not fair on you. However, if you don;t mind sharing would you do room share with other ppl out with practice or maybe rent your own flat?

Talk to your boss again and tell him what you heard and maybe he can explain it whats going on. It could all be gossip, girls are a bitchy lot at times!! and the girl who have laughed at you... ignore her shes not worth stressing over!

Good luck though let us know what happens with this and your migranes :)

Re: advice needed

Steph Worsley — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 02:31:23 GMT

Hey I dont think it sounds petty, your boss should be upfront with you and ask if you mind sharing with x y or z and also rent/bills etc should be split equally esp council tax as if you are on your own you get 25% discount and if you are found out to be claiming this and you arent the only person it will be you that has to pay the fines etc!!!!

If you feel you cant talk to your boss, write things down then you can re read them before giving them or one of us wont mind reading it to make sure you are coming across rationally and not seeming unreasonable.