Types of housing

Some options are:

Staying put
For many people this will actually be the best option, though for some people this will not be an option at all. The advantage of staying put is that you can and take time to plan your next move and possibly save some money to help you do so.

Buy a House
This means raising a deposit, often thousand of pounds, and monthly payments. Many young people just don’t have that choice.

Hostels and Night shelters
Places that can take people in immediately include short stay hostels, direct access hostels or emergency night shelters. They are usually run by voluntary organisations, housing associations and the council.

Some hostels and nightshelters accept people at the door if there is room, but its best to telephone or just turn up to see if there are any vacancies. If there aren’t, you might be turned away if you arrive when the hostel is full. Many emergency hostels also have restrictions on who they accept. Some will only take people who have been sent by an advice agency or the council. Some will only take women or young people.

Often accommodation is very basic and you may have to share a room or facilities. Some hostels will provide you with a room. Some close during the day. They usually have strict rules and you might have to be in quite early at night.

The length of time you will be able to stay can vary from a couple of nights to a few months, but most hostels will try to help you find somewhere more permanent before you leave. Hostels usually provide accommodation for only a limited time and most have staff available that can help and advise you. Some hostels will help you move on into somewhere more permanent if this is what you want. Housing Benefit may cover the cost.

The hostel/nightshelter will expect you to pay rent, either from your wages, benefits or Housing Benefit. The rents charged are quite high and may not be affordable if you aren’t entitled to housing benefit. You may also have to pay money for services like cleaning or meals form your income support, JSA etc. If you are not receiving any income hostel staff will help you sort out your benefits.

Some areas of the country don’t have emergency hostels and may only have nightshelters open during the winter. These places are very basic and provide somewhere to stay as an emergency during cold weather. You might only get a mattress on a floor in the same room as lots of other people and maybe some food.

Bed and Breakfast Hostels.
These are run by private owners. Some of them will accept people at the door, but others only accept people who have been sent by the council or social services. You will probably have to pay some rent in advance to stay. If you aren’t working or are on a low income, find out which places take Housing Benefit as not all of them do. If they do accept HB, it may not cover all the rent and you will have to make up the difference from you JSA or Income Support, Training Allowance or wages.

BB can be useful for the short term whilst you are looking for something more permanent. You may have your own room or you may have to share a room. The standard of the rooms might be poor. If there aren’t any cooking facilities you may have to rely on takeaway meals, which can be very expensive. You may also have to leave your room, and in some cases the hotel, during the day. The length of your stay will depend on the owner, and you wont have a legal right to stay there if you are asked to leave.

Women’s Refuge
There are refuges around the country that house women, with or without children, who have had to leave home because of violent or threatening behaviour. They are designed to offer a safe place where women who have experienced violence can feel protected. The addresses of refuges are kept secret to protect residents, and in most cases male visitors are not allowed.

Some refuges will also take young women who have left home because of violence or abuse. The workers at the refuge are usually women and will be trained to help you work out your problems. They can help you find somewhere more permanent to live, if that’s what you want.

If you are in this position you can find out where you’re nearest refuge is by ringing the number for Women’s Aid.

Staying with friends
This is probably the easiest and least stressful option, although it may only be short term. You will be with people you know and you might have more freedom. It will also give you a breathing space to look into other options. However, you will have no legal right to stay there and, after a while, you may start feeling that you’re getting in the way, especially if your friend is still living with there family. Go to an advice centre as soon as possible to work out where you can move on to.

Squatting
You are squatting when you occupy an empty building without the owners consent. This can now involve committing a criminal offence even if you don’t break in. Owners of property can get possession orders without you being allowed to give evidence to the court, and once this order is granted, you must leave within 24 hours or risk being arrested. If you are forced to squat you may end with a criminal record. If you need to know more about squatting then contact an advice agency.

Sleeping Rough
Sleeping Rough is illegal under vagrancy laws. It leaves you at risk of being attacked and you will get cold and dirty. If you sleep rough you have no fixed abode, so getting a job, training place or even claim benefits can be difficult. If you have been sleeping rough or feel that you have no other option then contact an advice agency.
If you do not have a choice, here are some tips:
Try and find somewhere off main areas that’s dry and warm.
Don’t sleep on the ground. Put something underneath you like cardboard and on top, also using a sleeping bag to keep in warmth.
As a lot of your body heat escapes through your head wear a warm hat Don’t drink alcohol, even though it gives you the sense of warmth, it makes you loose a lot of body heat.
Use all available drop-in centres for warmth, showers and food. Also get advice about housing options and accommodation as soon as possible.

Lodgings
When you live in lodgings or digs you are in effect a paying guest. The landlord/lady lives on the premises and you have a room in their house. The advantages of lodging are that meals, cleaning and sometimes washing are included and that you will be treated as part of the family/household. The disadvantages are that it ca be expensive and you can be easily thrown out if you do not get on with the landlord/lady. Look out for newspaper adverts and shop window notice boards if you are looking for lodgings. Get advice before signing anything.

Renting From a Housing Association
Housing Associations are organisations, which build and rent houses and flats. Rents are usually higher than those for council houses, but lower than those demanded by private landlords. Housing Associations usually have waiting lists and how long you wait will depend on your personal circumstances. Some Housing Associations will consider you if your under 18 years – see an advice agency or Local Housing Department or look up Housing Associations in Yellow pages.

Renting from a Private Landlord.
Landlords with a room or house to let will often advertise in the local papers or in shop windows. This can be expensive as several weeks in advance and/or a deposit may be required. Even if you are entitled to Housing Benefit it may not be enough to pay all of your rent. If you have any doubts about being able to afford the rent or about a tenancy agreement your landlord wants you to sign – get advice. Remember that although there are some exceptions, if you are under 18 years you are not normally able to take on a tenancy.

Housing Benefit won’t necessarily cover the whole of your rent. There is a rule that single people under 25yrs who are paying rent to a private landlord are only entitled to Housing Benefit to pay for a single room in a shared house. If your accommodation is considered too expensive or too large, or if the rent includes things like water rates or bills, you will have to make up the difference with your own money.

You can get an idea of how much rent Housing Benefit will cover before you move into a place by getting a ‘pre-tenancy determination’. Your landlord will normally have to agree to this, so it can be difficult if your landlord isn’t willing to take people on claiming Housing Benefit. You need to get a form from the council and fill in all the details about the place you are thinking of moving into. The council will tell you within a few days how much they are likely to pay. However, this is not a guarantee that they will pay the amount they say, as they still have to do a full assessment of your circumstances.

Get an agreement and don’t sign anything without reading it through.

The private sector has some of the worst safety conditions of any housing. These range from serious fire and gas hazards, to problems with fire escapes. Try to ensure that your landlord has an annual gas safety check carried out by a CORGI registered engineer. All landlords should hold written proof that such checks have been made and to be made available.

The main problem you’ll probably have in getting your first private flat is that most landlords want a deposit before you move in. Deposits are usually equivalent to a months rent and are held to cover damages or rent arrears.

In some parts of the country there have rent guarantee or cash deposit schemes that can help. If you have no money behind you, they’ll provide the leg up you’ll need to get into private housing. To find out if there is a scheme in your area, contact your local council housing department or housing advice centre.

Renting from the Council
Most councils have long waiting lists. Normally people under 18 years can be put onto the Housing Register, but cannot hold a tenancy until 18 years and over. Your personal circumstances will be taken into consideration if you apply to the Housing Department.

Getting help from the council does not mean that you will automatically be given a council property. If you want to be considered for council housing you will need to fill in a form to put your name on the council’s waiting list (housing register). In most areas, the waiting list is used to decide who will get a permanent council or housing association place. Different councils have different rules about who can get onto their waiting list, so if the council won’t let you put your name on the list you should get advice about your rights. Once you are on the list, you may have to wait a long time before being offered a permanent place, depending on your circumstances and the amount of accommodation in your area.

However, if you are homeless, the council may be able to help you find a place to stay or arrange emergency accommodation (see young and homeless).

Remember:
Where you live will depend on your personal circumstances and age.

It is important to discuss the options open to you.
For many of the options you will require an income.
Don’t view a property on your own – take a friend with you.
Landlords should always give you reasonable notice to enter a property that you are renting off them.

Always check identification of officials wanting to enter your property, if you are in doubt re-arrange and have a friend there for support.

 

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