Housing advice
We provide a free, confidential advice service where a Housing Officer can discuss your housing problems with you and give you the relevant advice to help you.
These are appointment based interviews, held at The Property Shop at City Hall.
If you are unable to get to City Hall we are happy to visit you at home or meet at a mutually agreed venue.
When you have an interview with an Officer it is important that you provide them with full and accurate information about your housing circumstances.
Advice and information is available on:
- Homeless prevention - including landlord mediation
- Private rented housing (finding accommodation, types of tenancies)
- Deposit guarantee schemes
- Mental health and housing issues
- Shared housing projects for single people
- Sheltered housing for older people
- Shared ownership schemes
- Paying for new accommodation
- Housing benefit problems
We can also help if you are worried about losing your home, for example due to:
- Problems paying your rent or mortgage
- Landlord/friends/relatives asking you to leave
- Possession proceedings - what to do if you receive a Notice to Quit, Court summons, Court Order or a Bailiffs Warrant.
- Relationship breakdown
Ask us for help if you are a private tenant having problems with your landlord due to:
- Disrepair
- Your rent
- Privacy, such as your landlord coming into your home uninvited
- Landlord refusing to accept rent
- Your rights if you have no written tenancy agreement
- Harassment and illegal eviction
What help can we give?
We may be able to assist you in a number of ways
- Guarantee your deposit on a private tenancy
- Negotiate with your current landlord
- Referral for debt advice
- Provide to mediation
- Liaison with Housing Benefit
- Referral to other housing agencies
- Arrange a package of support
All the above prevention measures are subject to availability and suitable for each applicant. Further advice regarding homelessness is available from local Solicitors, the Citizens Advice Bureau and Shelter.
