If you have to leave your home; you will almost certainly have to consider renting in the private rented sector. This can be:
- A faster route to finding settled housing
- A better outcome than being placed in temporary accommodation
Temporary accommodation is short-term housing the council may provide if you are homeless and meet certain criteria. This could be:
- A property rented from a private landlord or Council owned temporary accommodation (often with limited bedrooms/space and/or shared facilities)
- A B&B& or hotel without cooking facilities (this is always a last resort i.e. where all our hostel spaces are full, and we will seek to move you as quickly as possible
Most people stay in temporary accommodation for a long time:
-
Over half of those in temporary accommodation made their homeless application over a year ago
Some types of TA are very expensive for the household and the Council, and we often have to move people between different types of temporary accommodation.
Where safe and possible to do so, staying with family or friends, or seeking a private rented property is likely to be a better experience for you, and we want to help you with exploring these options.
The rent and deposit scheme
Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, landlords and letting agents are no longer allowed to charge administration fees before you move into a property.
However, you will often still need to pay:
- Your first month's rent in advance and;
- A deposit to cover the landlord against damages
If you do not have sufficient funds to pay these charges yourself, Southend-on-Sea City Council may be able to help through the rent and deposit scheme.
The Rent and Deposit Scheme is one of the ways in which the Council helps people who have been accepted as homeless or threatened with homelessness. We pay the landlord or letting agent the monies they require for you to move in. You then repay the money to us on an interest-free basis, at a rate that is affordable to you.
If you are interested in the rent and deposit scheme please contact the team via: rentdeposits@southend.gov.uk.
Private Rented Sector tips
- Websites like RightMove, Zoopla and OpenRent can be useful to quickly search what is on the market. However, we would recommend you go into letting agents in person as applicants are more often successful in getting homes this way.
- If a letting agent does not have any properties when you call in, don't be discouraged. The private lettings market moves quickly, and they may well have suitable homes available in a couple of weeks. Be persistent and keep going back.
- Ask your family and friends if they know of anyone letting a property that would be suitable for you. A surprising number of people find tenancies through their own contacts. Especially if you live alone and are looking for a room in a house. Word of mouth can be a very good way to find someone who has a room you can move into
- Properties and flat/house shares can often be found by searching websites such as SpareRoom and Gumtree. You can also look at adverts in local papers or shop windows. However, proceed with caution as there are scams. If you are in any doubt, please contact rentdeposits@southend.gov.uk.
Affordability
It is very important to consider where you can afford to live. If you are in receipt of either Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit, you need to look at the Local Housing Allowance (LHA).
This is the maximum amount of money the DWP will pay towards your rent. The LHA rate varies from city to city.
If your rent is higher than the LHA rate, you will have to pay the rest of your rent from any other benefits you receive.
The rent deposit scheme is available for those that are homeless or facing homelessness.