I know I'm not the only person to be stressed out, or to moan on this forum but I need to write down and externalise and then get on with things....

*screams in a fashion to Munch's 'Scream'*

My landlord is selling my house so I need to find a new home, I HAVE to finish a conference paper by the end of today, and I'm so stressed about money. I woke up at five am today and just lay there. I feel paralysed - I just stared into space over a cup of tea for about an hour. And so now I habe been awake for 5 hours and achieved nothing.

I need a release...I think maybe a good cry in the library toilets would be a good release actually!

If your library toilets were anything like the ones in Sheffield, the fumes were enough to make your eyes water without any emotional stimulus!

Whereabouts are you btw?

So, your issues, one by one

1. House - do you have friends you could live with? Where are your current housemates going to live (if you have housemates)?

2. Conference paper - not sure what to suggest there, but I'd say that's the most immediate issue.

3. Money - can you speak to someone at your Students' Union about it. They have hardship funds for people in trouble. Also, if you really get stuck with a place to live, they'll be able to help, at least in the short term.

This said, your situation doesn't sound much like fun. I hope it all improves soon...

I know just how you feel. At one point I got made redundant and told to move out (landlord selling up, like yours) in the space of a few weeks. And cos I was on housing benefit (cos I'd been made redundant) no bastard landlord would give me the time of day

As for accomodation: try gumtree.com in your area, you can post messages requesting rooms/flats as well as look around at what's on offer. I got several offers. Once you've got secure accomodation (and you WILL find something, no matter how bad it may look right now) you'll feel much more able to deal with your other stresses.

Thanks for your comments people... (I'm in Manchester)

A bit of a weep , and some green tea and I feel a little better.

I know things will be okay - I know that I'll move with one of my current housemates and that the cash flow problem is temporary and will be resolved eventually with wringing my next two pay cheques for all they're worth, and perhaps a parental loan of duty ( which I really hate to do) .

Today's aim is to finish the paper and email it to my sup by 5pm. I'm sure things will be seem better then.

I find it difficult to deal with things that 'threaten' my PhD...I already have to juggle a job and a full time PhD...so when things pop up (like finding a for sale sign up outside your house)
it feels like my portion of stress has just been supersized!

OK over the years I've heard a lot about people getting chucked out of their accomodation because the landlord is selling up. Now I'm probably wrong, but surely there must be some kind of protection for tenants in these cases. Particularly if you have a formal contract for a certain period of time. Maybe you don't have that, but still, as everyone [should] know, tenants have rights too!

Sorry to hear about your situation though. I sincerely hope you get a wave of good fortune, or you can pull yourself out of this rut - look at it this way, though - by tomorrow you'll have sorted out at least one of those problems.

The landlord has to serve you formal notice via what is called a Section 21, 'vacant possession'. By law they have to give you at least 2 months notice from the date on your tenancy agreement. So if you signed up on the 29th of the month and you receive it on say 13th Jan you still have 2 months from the 29th Jan.

I don't have a contract with the landord, because I know the landlord. To be fair on the landlord, the house was surveyed 4 months ago so it shouldn't have come as a suprise. I was still chagrined to see the sign up though without warning. The rent has been generously low as well...so I can't complain at all.