Housing lists scoring

[pinkystinky]

Just applied for housing as we cant afford our rent(now getting a little help from housing benfit).If our landlord turns around and tells us he's not renewing lease, we will be left with no where to go( cannot save the one months rent+deposit!)
How does the scoring go?How many points do you need to get rehoused??

If your landlord doesnt renew your lease ( chucks you out) they will find you some where to live by the day you have to be out but this could be anything!

depends on your council. ours does not use a point system, they use 'stars' - as in gold star meaning you're at the top of the list. BUT, families about to be made homeless are given priority just under those who become physically incapacitated and have a home in which they can no longer abide.

best to check w/a housing officer.

Just really worried we'll end up in a b&B with 3 children(not including the baby expecting in august!)
Got the housing officer coming out next week for a visit, dont really know what to expect!

It depends on the council or housing association alot. They all do things pretty differently.

If you were going to be made homless then yes you would be made priority but thats not always a good thing, as then most of the time you have to accept the first thing you are offered unless you have very good reason to turn it down.

I turned down a property offerd by the council as dd2 is asthmatic and the 3 bed masionatte they offered me had no heating at all, except for one gas fire in the living room. I knew this would effect dd's health as the cold is one of her triggers.
Because I turned it down, i was removed from the waiting list complately.

Unfortunatly, you need to imagine how hard it will be to be rehoused and then times it by 1000.

Which area do you live in ?

Depends where you live, most areas would'nt put you in b&b unless there was no other option.

We live in cambridgeshire!

Ok, is it the council or a housing association you have applied too ??

I have to get ready for work now, but will try and see what I can find out tommorow.

It may be worth going on the council website and seeing if there is any info on their housing policies. It should at least tell you, how they award points.

It is the council list! Thanx any information is much appreciated, getting into a right tizz!!

What district are you in ???

huntingdonshire

in some places, putting a family into a b&b is illegal. but nutty points out something that's common to most councils/housing associations: and that's that if you're a priority and you turn down what's offered (some places you get the chance to turn down one thing and if you turn down the next that's you off the priority list). and what's offered may or may NOT be something that's remotely um, well, any good.

A lot depends on the individual council. Ours (in Cambs) now has a system where they advertise their available properties and if it's one that you like you can 'bid' for it. The council then look at all the 'bids' for each one and offer it to the bidder with the greatest need.

Right, have had a quick look at your district councils website and it is largely unhelpful.

It doesn't make it clear wether the council will nominate you to all housing associations or not. It mentions that with some h/a's you have to already be on the council list and in band A which is priority.

In your position, I would ring every h/a I can get the number of and see if you can apply. Thye may well say no, but it is worth a try, even if only one say yes.

As i said before, becoming homeless will make you a priority, but be careful as you will more than likely get offered something you don't like.

I don't know if you drive , but it's worth going round and checking areas which you know have council or h/a housing, just so you know what you might be offered.

Good luck, if i think of anything else, i'll be back.

Nutcracker thanx for all your help hun! Bit confused with council list and housing association lists, are these two different lists??

pinky
often, council and h/a lists are one and the same. some councils have even transferred all their housing stock to a housing association. our council uses one app for all council and h/a homes. they, too, operate on a 'bidding' process.

Rightyo, i think ill just have to wait and speak to this officier next week, who i can fire questions at!
Thanx everybody!! xx

Most councils will put you at the bottom of the list in your current situation im afraid as they see you as housed suitably, unless you are overcrowded etc.
if you get evicted because you can't pay the rent or your landlord does not renew the lease the council will house you temporarily in hostel accomendation or a flat. you will then have high points on council list and not have to wait very long depending on where you live, but temporarys and hostels charge a hefty rent- housing benefit should help though.
you do usually have to take your first or second offer when your in this situation though. although i think you can still specify areas on most council forms.
If you are faced with being stuck in private rented accomendation for foreseeable future i really would recomend going down the council path as you have no security privatly renting. i am in council housing but am seriously overcrowded and no hope of moving, and no outside space for kids to play, but thats london for ya!!

if you live in Huntingdonshire all the council properties were transferred to Huntingdonshire Housing Partnership - ie there will only be HA properties in your area.
When the Ho comes asks what they use for temp accommodation plus is it within the borough cos some councils use properties in other areas.

Housing officer cmae out, said as we were in a private rented house, and not being made homelees, we will be awarded no points!
Asked what would happen in sept if landlord wouldnt renew lease.Man said we would be put in a b&b( worst case scenerio) if nothing else was avaliable. And be there untill they can offer us something better!