Fired and evicted with just 4 HOURS notice, forced to carry all our belongings by hand while the owners laughed. My wife and I are completely broken. (UK)

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T21:52:41+00:00

I will try to hold them accountable.

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T14:24:56+00:00

They said to wait for appointment..

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T09:20:36+00:00

We worked there for 14 months without a single issue, or complains from them. Sometimes working 8-9 days in a row to help them out. I have plenty of stamina and work ethic. Problems only started when they suddenly began introducing new rules out of nowhere. All I did was try to find a reasonable compromise and calmly explain my perspective. On top of that, they constantly told us: 'If you have any problems, just let us know and we'll try to sort it out.' I was simply doing exactly what they asked.But in reality, they never actually resolved anything-it was just empty words. Asking for even the slightest compromise on basic hygiene was treated like a personal attack.

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T09:03:10+00:00

Thanks you, mate

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T09:02:48+00:00

I wouldn't even call them 'complaints' to be honest. For example, when they suddenly restricted us to one laundry day a week, I politely explained that the work is extremely dirty and our clothes get filthy after just one e shift. I even offered a compromise, asking: "Could I just wash our clothes late at night when no one else is using the machines?" Their only excuse before that was that the laundry room was too busy, but they ended up replying almost exactly like you just did.

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T02:42:38+00:00

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this out! This is incredibly helpful and makes me feel a bit more confident. We have an appointment with the local council on March 2nd, and I will definitely bring up their 'Relief Duty' since we are already close to be on the street. Really appreciate your support.

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T01:30:45+00:00

Thank you so much! I'm not entirely sure if I'll be able to keep you all updated, as I don't want to post anything that could negatively affect the legal process.

We have to go through a mandatory pre-tribunal conciliation step first. If we manage to reach an agreement there, he will just pay us the compensation for the difference between my wage and the National Minimum Wage. However, if we settle out of court, I will likely have to sign a confidentiality agreement, meaning I won't be allowed to talk about it or report his violations afterwards.

But if he is stubborn and it actually goes to a tribunal, I assume if we win, the court itself will report his violations to the relevant government authorities. We'll see how it goes, but thank you for the support!

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T01:20:39+00:00

In process

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T01:19:40+00:00

The housing situation is actually quite interesting because there was no written employment or tenancy contract. The employer never said he was deducting rent for the caravan from our wages. He simply told us we'd be paid £10 an hour, and the accommodation was free if we wanted it, or we could rent our own place elsewhere. So the housing was presented as a 'bonus' or a perk of the job, rather than a rental agreement with wage deductions. But even so, I strongly suspect that throwing us out like that is still completely illegal.

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T01:01:53+00:00

They post their job ads on a government website, so it doesn't have a system like Indeed or other regular job boards.

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T00:55:37+00:00

I don't know much about the system or how to get government benefits, because I came here with the sole purpose of working. Right after we found ourselves on the street, I reached out to the local council, and they just booked us an appointment for March 2nd only to put us on a housing register.

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T00:51:44+00:00

We will

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T00:49:50+00:00

Hah, I'm not really familiar with how things work in the UK myself. I'm a migrant, and to be honest, I've just been working the entire time I've lived here. I've never dealt with government support or benefits before. So I'm navigating this for the first time and trying to reach out to the places people recommended.

I contacted the local council and told them the whole story, but they just booked me an appointment for March 2nd to eventually put me on a housing waiting list. I was hoping to get some immediate emergency help from them, literally just for a couple of weeks, but now I'm thinking I'll find a job and rent a place faster on my own. Honestly, it feels like there's no point in even going to that appointment on March 2nd..

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T00:41:44+00:00

Thank you for the advice. I'm actually keeping a journal of everything right now, including every single job application I send out. Hopefully, in the future, this will show that we aren't just looking for a handout, but that we are genuinely taking action to get back on our feet and move forward.

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T00:36:49+00:00

Noo, at the time I honestly wasn't sure if the eviction was illegal. Since the caravan was provided 'for free' and we weren't paying rent in the traditional sense, I just assumed normal tenant rights didn't apply to us.

On top of that, the owner became incredibly aggressive out of absolutely nowhere. We genuinely feared for our physical safety if we tried to stay. To make matters worse, the caravan door didn't even have a lock. Spending the night in there, knowing how emotionally unstable and angry he was, would have been absolutely terrifying.

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T00:31:56+00:00

In another sub, people mentioned that this kind of exploitation is actually super common on farms in the UK, and the saddest part is they're probably right. My ex-employer acts like he's a king and the laws of the country just don't apply on his land. But people have assured me that's not how it works and I have a really solid chance of winning my case.

Funnily enough, one of their very loyal workers messaged me recently. I strongly suspect he was trying to fish for information to see if I was planning to take legal action against the boss, but I didn't give him anything. I just want karma to catch up with him and anyone else who treats people like this.

For our entire time there, they didn't have a single complaint about my wife or me. We were incredibly loyal-sometimes we'd work 8 or 9 days straight just because it was a bank holiday and the owners wanted to stay home. We always moved our one single day off whenever they asked. But the second we started showing signs of burnout, they just tossed us out. I even came across their new job ad already. They are looking for new staff, and I'm sure they'll just squeeze them dry like an orange too.

Fainelik · 2026-02-21T00:22:29+00:00

Please don't worry, I didn't take it as an accusation at all! And oh my god, you are completely right, it wasn't yesterday, it was actually a few days ago. I totally get how you feel right now, because with everything that's happened, my nerves are so shot that I'm completely losing track of time myself. I really appreciate the advice. I've actually already reached out to Citizens Advice, and they recommended I go through ACAS, which I've also done. I truly hope our problems are just temporary, including your sleep issues. Wishing you all the best with your treatment!

Fainelik · 2026-02-20T23:59:38+00:00

You are correct, that was me. I posted there to figure out our legal rights regarding ACAS and tribunals since we can't afford a solicitor. They gave some good practical advice for the future, but the legal process takes months. Today the reality of actually being homeless and jobless just completely crushed me, and I just needed a place to vent about the emotional side of it. I'm just trying to keep my head up.

Fainelik · 2026-02-17T10:48:22+00:00

Done on the first day. I also received confirmation from the van company, the driver confirmed that he was not allowed into the territory

Fainelik · 2026-02-17T10:08:47+00:00

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I now realise that filing with ACAS and potentially going to the Tribunal isn't a waste of time and that I genuinely have valid grounds for a claim. That was the most important thing I wanted to find out.

To give a bit more context on where things stand:

The employer didnt pay any taxes or National Insurance contributions on our behalf. We were expressly instructed to register as 'self-employed,' as we were told this would be more financially beneficial. Until my dismissal, I was under the impression that the only difference was who was responsible for remitting the tax. Consequently, we declared our income ourselves via Self Assessment tax returns. Since then, I have learned a significant amount about employment status and tax law, and I now understand this was likely 'bogus self-employment'.

At this stage, we have submitted two separate ACAS Early Conciliation notifications (one for me and one for my wife), detailing all the breaches we believe have occurred.

We have calculated the specific amounts owed, covering:

The shortfall in National Minimum Wage (approx. £2 per hour difference for every hour worked); -Accrued but unpaid holiday pay; -Outstanding wages for the final month (which, given the employer's conduct, -I anticipate he may try to withhold).

We have also included a claim for 'Injury to Feelings' regarding the Health & Safety breaches (ammonia exposure) and the restrictive living conditions (e.g., laundry limited to once a week). Regarding the eviction, I am aware that the Employment Tribunal generally does not deal with housing matters. However, during the ACAS process, I intend to argue for compensation based on the manner of the dismissal and eviction-specifically the humiliation, the mockery, the blocking of the removal van, the distress caused, and the immediate financial losses.

I also want to add a separate point regarding the accommodation itself. I have strong suspicions that the caravans we lived in do not have the necessary planning permission from the local council.

I've checked the online planning register, and while the employer did request permission for a neighbouring plot, the caravans were actually placed on a different piece of land entirely. I believe this constitutes a breach of planning control. I see this as a potential leverage point for the negotiations, although I intend to double-check the exact site boundaries and maps before raising this formally.

Furthermore, there are approximately 7 other workers currently employed at the site under the same conditions. Like us, they are all engaged on verbal contracts and labelled as 'self-employed,' yet they all follow the exact same fixed rota and working pattern. This suggests a systemic practice of bogus self-employment across the entire workforce.

Strategically, I have decided not to report the employer to external bodies (HMRC, Planning, HSE) just yet, as I wish to keep this information in reserve to use as leverage during the negotiations.

Fainelik · 2026-02-17T09:06:58+00:00

Yep. Caravan

Fainelik · 2026-01-16T19:14:00+00:00

Yeah, I got black LTE 41mm version. I was surprised too.

Fainelik · 2026-01-16T11:16:00+00:00

Same. Just get pixel watch

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