There are many reasons why people would come to see us for housing advice. Some of the more common reasons are that a relative or friend has asked them to move out, or they have a court possession order telling them to leave their tenancy.
The earlier you contact us the better because there is a lot of information that we need in order to understand your housing problem fully and look for all options which might help you. We will often carry out a home visit or organise mediation if there is a relationship that has broken down.
How we can help:
if you are a private tenant or leaseholder, we can help to resolve disputes with your landord to prevent or delay your eviction
if you are living with parents or friends, we will mediate on your behalf to try and keep you in your home
we can help you claim housing benefit to clear your rent arrears and prevent your eviction
we can provide inforamtion about low cost home ownership
we can provide information about accessing hostels and private rented accommodation
If we think we might have a duty to assist you with housing, we may also offer practical help with finding a tenancy in the private rented sector. Please note that before we accommodate people we need to be satisfied that they meet our criteria. We have up to six weeks to conduct our investigations, so the earlier you contact us the better!
We are not the only ones that can help!
Whilst the Housing Needs department can offer advice and assistance with your housing problem, it is best to get as much help as you can. There are many charities and organisations that can help with advice, assistance and advocacy, please see the link on the right for other helpful organisations.