Forced into extended period in a tent!

[Deleted dude 7861]

Well due to various things that have gone wrong, including redundancy and a very nasty landlord I will be homeless in a few weeks....

Anyone else ever been forced into a situation where they've had to fall back on the good old tent?

I think I'll be fine as I've spent whole months before wild camping out in the highlands. I'll be taking the the two tents (two of most things just in case!) I have decent tents and equipment that I've used in -20.c conditions too so I'm no stranger to survival.

2 weeks to prepare...!

Matt.

 

[John Fenna]

I am sorry to hear of your forthcoming homelessness - but it does sound like you are well prepared!
I hope that things turn around for you soon.

 

[Puddock]

Anyone else ever been forced into a situation where they've had to fall back on the good old tent?

Fortunately not, thus far tents have only been for pleasure - I wish you well and good luck at this difficult time.

As a suggestion if you contact a Citizens Advice Bureau they may be able to assist with finding alternative accommodation, defending any pending eviction and ensuring that if you have no job that you are getting any available benefits so that you can live and house yourself.

 

[mountainm]

Just checkin' but make sure you have a postal address sorted dude. And sort out a gmail account (free) and post yourself all your important info, CV, etc. so you can get hold of it from any internet cafe/library etc. if you need it.

Good luck - keep upbeat.

 

[Nicholson95]

Hey Matt
this hasn't ever happened to forcefully, but if i were you id pick a place to set up camp, take all the essentials in the first go then go back and forth getting the rest of the desirables to make life as easy as possible when I am living out the in the bush, but thats just me.

cant you stay with family or friends?
not that a hardcore bushman like yourself couldn't handle it or anything but I know I would rather have some ware to go back to even though I am perfectly at home in the bush.

hope everything works out for you mate!

Stay Frosty
Iain.

 

[Deleted dude 7861]

I won't go into detail as it'll take ages but even Shelter couldn't help in time due to a small redundancy that took me over the limit for legal help.

Basically I'm putting my house contents in storage as I will have to live on £65 a week and that's it. Bit of a shock after working my whole life and paying taxes but that's another rant for another time lol.

I'll get sorted eventually but for the short term I have no option so I'm looking at it like a bushcraft holiday

I'm going to keep a diary and take some pics so at some point I'll post it up on the forum. After spending a whole month before on Skye in the Cuillins I'm actually looking forward to waking up and looking out over the Isle of Rum

 

[lab72]

Good luck i lived in a tent for 4 months(after my camper van blew up) but that was in spring summer down in devon and was not bad at all .

 

[Chris the Cat]

Be safe Mattk,
Take good care of yourself.
My best.
Chris.

 

[tommy the cat]

I hope this doesnt sound flippant but what a beautiful place to be homeless!!
The view you will be looking at I normally have to alot of money to look at.
All the best and hope everything works out for you.
d

 

[nuggets]

spent a month in a tent -summer time - make sure you air it out ever couple of days to stop the condensation and milldew !!

 

[Robbi]

i just wish there was something i could do to help you mate, i really do hope you're ok.

 

[korvin karbon]

hope things work out for you.

I would keep a diary like you said but maybe approach a few papers with your story and have it as an article piece

 

[Scottishwanderer]

Brother i was homeless for 3 months with nobody and no one. If you have £65 per week you have no reason to be homeless. Sleeping rough is a choice or when you have to, there however are only two reasons why people who don't choose to be on the street are and i pray these aren't the reasons why.

Your local authority have a legal obligation to give you somewhere to stay. Whether it a b and b or a hostel.

If you want me to give you info could you tell me your age?

 

[Deleted dude 7861]

I hope this doesnt sound flippant but what a beautiful place to be homeless!!
The view you will be looking at I normally have to alot of money to look at.
All the best and hope everything works out for you.
d

Lol no it doesn't sound flippant and I agree it's the most beautiful place and really the reason why I'm making a crap situation into a better one. I've got my car and I was lucky enough to have been a bit of kit monster when I had money so I'll be fine.

It's just odd how things work out really.

 

[Rigel]

Hey Mattk

Best of luck with everything, hope it turns out well.
Thinking about remote data storage, remember that google also provides something like 6GB of space and that you can read most documents from http://documents.google.co.uk
Sorry I cannot be of more help

Greg

 

[cave_dweller]

I have to admire your attitude towards this - it can't be easy, but you seem to be pretty positive. Good luck.

On one hand, Skye is a beautiful place to be out of doors. On the other hand, it can be a pretty ruthless host. Take care of yourself. Take Mountainm's advice - make sure there is somewhere that you can be contacted by post, and set up a free email address. It would also be a good idea to let somebody know where you're planning to stay, just in case.

 

[Bigfoot]

Very sorry to hear your news. If you haven't done so already, make contact with Skye & Lochalsh Housing Association and The Highlands Council. Register with them and any other social bodies that cover your immediate area. The fact that you are faced with fairly immediate homelessness will give you a priority rating once you have registered with them, you may find some help close to hand.

Council contact info:-

Tigh na Sgire
Park Lane
PORTREE
IV51 9EP
Telephone: 01478 613805
Fax: 01478 613828

The Area Housing and Property Manager is Tracey Urry, who is principally based at the Dingwall office.

For more information, please e-mail: housingandproperty@highland.gov.uk

Lochalsh & Skye :-

http://www.lsha.co.uk/

 

[Ivan Owen]

I don't know whether there's time to set one up or whether you can without an address but this might be an option

http://www.workaway.info/hostlist-GB.html

They sound pretty great and would keep you active; which is meant to be very important when you're homeless.

Probably a long shot, just wanna help some way.

Some others might be interested in some of these by the way.

 

[Deleted dude 7861]

Brother i was homeless for 3 months with nobody and no one. If you have £65 per week you have no reason to be homeless. Sleeping rough is a choice or when you have to, there however are only two reasons why people who don't choose to be on the street are and i pray these aren't the reasons why.

Your local authority have a legal obligation to give you somewhere to stay. Whether it a b and b or a hostel.

If you want me to give you info could you tell me your age?

I'm just a basic person who's never been in trouble and has worked his whole life. I have no drug or alcohol problems (I don't even drink lol). One main reason why I'll be in my tent is that my local authority hasn't helped and it's still pending a decision. I have a greedy landlord who took my redundancy as an opportunity to get me out and put up the rent, I've been hassled and had my life made hell here by him

Maybe I could end up in a bedsit - maybe I'm too stubbornly self sufficient and proud to be somewhere I do not want to be.

It just seems that the local authority is working way too much slower than what is happening to me so hence I'm taking charge and making a decision that I can cope with.

I really appreciate the info everyone's posted as it'll come in very handy.

 

[Toddy]

Matt, we really do only wish the best for you, and this landlord sounds like a total fundamental orifice, but unless you have already agreed with the job centre about this, you can only claim jobseekers allowance if you have an address. Failing that the usual response is that you have to sign on 'every' day.
Even if you don't 'want' to live in the bedsit/whatever accomodation is offered, it might not be a bad thing to have it as an address.

Is there anything, practically, that we could do to help ?
What did you do before you were made redundant ? and is it something you'd like to do again ?

I've worked outdoors in Skye at this time of year, it's damned cold, especially when it's wet and dreich. It sounds as though you've got things organised for that though
A couple of good flasks were a godsend. It seems such a simple thing, but a hot meal (food flask, even couscous or stew or chunky soup) or a hot drink, quickly, when it gets just that edge of bitter cold, is a very good thing

It is a very beautiful bit of the world though
Is it home ? and do you have any family and friends around ?

Really hope all goes well

atb,
Toddy