This page provides information and advice for people who are at risk of becoming homeless.
There is high demand for all types of accommodation in Reading. If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, it is extremely important that you take action to resolve the situation or seek advice immediately. The sooner you do this, the higher your chances of preventing yourself from becoming homeless. If you feel unable to prevent your homelessness on your own, please get in touch with us as soon as possible.
On this page:
6 min read
If you are in private rented accommodation and have an assured shorthold tenancy agreement, your landlord must provide you with a formal notice to end the tenancy for you to leave the property. The form of the notice will depend on the type of tenancy you have and the reason why your landlord is asking you to leave.
This short video explains how a landlord may issue notice to end your tenancy, what the notices involve and steps you can take if you receive a notice.
Watch time: 6 min
There are 2 types of notices landlords can use:
Section 21 Notice
Currently, the landlord does not need to evidence any breach of tenancy agreement to issue a notice for you to leave. It is likely that you will receive a Section 21 notice in these circumstances. You are unable to challenge a Section 21 notice and, as long as the notice is valid, possession must be granted to the landlord. There is normally a reason why the landlord has served a Section 21 notice, such as requiring the property for their own use, financial difficulties, requiring vacant possession to carry out essential repairs, or other personal reasons.
Section 8 Notice
If there has been a breach of the terms of your Tenancy Agreement, the landlord can issues a Section 8 notice. A breach of your Tenancy Agreement could be persistent rent arrears or late payments, or anti-social behaviour. You can challenge a Section 8 notice and it is recommended that you seek advice immediately if you receive this type of notice.
If you are a social housing tenant and you have a secure or assured tenancy agreement, you will not receive a notice for no reason. You will have only received notice to leave if you have breached the conditions of your tenancy agreement. You should still follow the steps below to prevent your eviction.
If you are being asked to leave as a result of a breach of your tenancy conditions, you must take all reasonable steps to prevent your eviction. If you fail to do something, such as paying your rent, or you behave in a way that results in notice being served, you may be found intentionally homeless and no further accommodation will be provided to you. The Homelessness Prevention Team will discuss this with you in more detail.
If you have been served with a section 21 notice you should first check that the notice is valid. You can check whether its valid online. If you do not have a tenancy agreement and you share the accommodation with your landlord, you have fewer rights against eviction, but you should still get reasonable notice (usually 28 days). If you believe the notice is invalid please contact the landlord or letting agent to discuss. We can help you with discussions with your landlord and help to confirm if the notice is valid or not.
If you have received a notice to leave your home, and you do not think it is valid you should contact your landlord to discuss. If you require help discussing this with your landlord you should contact us as soon as possible.
As soon as the notice is received, and it has been confirmed that it is valid, we would recommend that you take the following actions. You should contact us as soon as you receive a valid notice to leave your home. In the meantime, you can also take the following actions:
If the reason the notice has been served cannot be resolved, you can take the following actions:
Social housing is in short supply. If you become homeless, it is likely that the support the local authority will provide is helping you to secure private rented accommodation. We understand that the barrier to do this for most people is financial and we can support with the following:
We may also assist you with the Rent Guarantee Scheme. This matches people who need homes with landlords who have private rented properties to let. We pay the rent directly to the landlord, in advance, and guarantee to pay up to six weeks’ rent as a tenancy deposit. Read more about the Rent Guarantee Scheme and find out if you qualify to apply. Keep in mind there are more tenants on the scheme than properties available, so you will probably have to find your own accommodation.
You can also apply for social housing by joining Homechoice at Reading or consider using Homefinder UK to find social housing in more affordable areas.
4 min read
If you are living with family or friends, you do not have a tenancy agreement and it is important to remember that you are living there with the owner’s permission. As you are living in someone else’s home, it is important that you positively contribute towards the household. This could mean paying a level of rent, buying your own food, or helping around the home.
Living with family or friends is an opportunity for you to save money towards a deposit for your own future home. Renting can be expensive and comes with many responsibilities. Whilst having your own space is appealing, it is more sustainable when you are in a stable financial situation.
This video explores some expectations of living with family and friends, what could happen if they ask you to leave and where to seek advice or support when necessary.
Watch time: 4 min
If your family or friends have asked you to leave, they should ideally give you at least 28 days’ notice, which gives you some time to find another place to stay. However, there might be situations where you receive less notice, for example, where there is poor behaviour or an emergency situation.
If you feel that there are potential issues that may arise (even before you are asked to leave), start talking to the family or friends you are living with. Think carefully about:
Approach the negotiation or mediation honestly and openly and be prepared to work together with your family or friends to solve the issues. Focus on the future, rather than what has already happened. You can find tips about how to negotiate yourself online, for example from Relate. We can also assist with negotiations if this is required.
If you are unable to resolve the situation and your family or friends ask you to leave, you can:
If you feel that you will be unable to negotiate remaining where you are or secure an alternative home, contact us as soon as possible. The more time we have to support you, the more likely we can prevent your homelessness.
We can also help by:
We may also assist you with the Rent Guarantee Scheme. This matches people who need homes with landlords who have private rented properties to let. We pay the rent directly to the landlord, in advance, and guarantee to pay up to six weeks’ rent as a tenancy deposit. Read more about the Rent Guarantee Scheme and find out if you qualify to apply. Keep in mind there are more tenants on the scheme than properties available, so you will probably have to find your own accommodation.
You can also apply for social housing by joining Homechoice at Reading or consider using Homefinder UK to find social housing in more affordable areas.
1 min read
Learning how to manage your money and getting advice on your debts is helpful for everyone. However, it is especially important if you are struggling to pay for your home. You should address the situation as early as possible to avoid it becoming out of control. The sooner you can resolve the situation, the more options you will have.
Getting debt and money advice can help you to feel less anxious and more in control of your life:
If you are struggling with your living costs and have worked out your finances but your home is still unaffordable, contact us as soon as possible. We will work with you to make your current home affordable for you and will explore opportunities with other organisations who can assist you.
If you have been issued a notice to quit from your accommodation please see the received notice to quit section.
7 min read
Your home may no longer be physically suitable if it is in disrepair, insanitary, overcrowded, or if it is not accessible due to disability or ill health. Depending on the situation, we will first try to support you to remain in your home.
Your home can become overcrowded due to:
Overcrowding rules apply when you are looking for assistance due to homelessness caused by significant overcrowding. To be considered homeless in this context, the overcrowding should meet specific statutory criteria and potentially be recognised as a Category 1 Hazard by Environmental Health. However, you can still seek advice in situations where you believe any of these conditions apply.
There are thing you can do to reduce the stress of living in overcrowded conditions. Some actions you can consider are:
The local authority’s priority will be to support you to remain in your accommodation. If this is not possible, we will:
If your home is in disrepair, you should first discuss your concerns with your landlord. Some repairs may be your responsibility and these will be outlined below. Check the conditions of your tenancy, as it may specify additional repairs that are considered your landlord’s responsibility.
Tenants have responsibilities for some repairs and the condition of the home. You must use your home in a “tenant like manner”. This means:
As a general rule, the repairs that will be the landlord’s responsibility are:
Your landlord must carry out repairs within a reasonable period of time, depending on how serious the problem is.
Landlords have specific health and safety responsibilities regarding the condition of your home, which include addressing issues like damp and mould. To prevent damp and mould in your property, both you and your landlord can take certain measures. Unless this issue significantly affects you or your family, it is unlikely that your home will be considered unsuitable for occupation. A visit from the housing team may be necessary to evaluate the severity of the situation.
Occasionally, a property may need major renovations to remain habitable. This could involve repairing the building’s structure or updating the heating system. During such renovations, you may need to temporarily vacate your home. In those cases, it is reasonable to expect your landlord to assist you in finding alternative housing for the duration of the work. Please discuss this option with your landlord beforehand. If you are a social housing tenant, you may be offered an alternative property, often referred to as a “decant,” to move into until the renovations on your home are finished.
If you are a private tenant, it is illegal for your landlord to issue a notice to end a tenancy agreement if you have directly complained to them about the lack of repairs and you have sought advice from an Environmental Health team. If the council issues the landlord an improvement notice or an emergency works notice, the landlord cannot serve you with a Section 21 notice for 6 months. You will receive a copy of these notices from the council if they are issued. These specify the actions the landlord must take to improve the property and provide a time frame for the necessary work. If you receive a notice, from your landlord following involvement from Environmental Health Team, it is referred to as a “revenge notice,” and it may not be valid. If you suspect you have received a “revenge notice,” please contact the Homelessness Prevention Team for further guidance.
If you believe your home is no longer suitable for you to occupy as a result of disrepair, you should:
The local authority will be able to assist you in the following ways:
If you believe that your accommodation is no longer suitable for you to occupy please contact the Homelessness Prevention Team.
You may find yourself in a situation where, as a result of a newly diagnosed medical condition or a deterioration in a medical condition, your home is no longer suitable for you. If this is the case, the local authority will first consider ways to make your home more suitable, regardless if you are a private tenant, owner occupier, or social housing tenant.
The first step would be to make a self referral for an Occupational Therapist assessment. An assessment will be carried out to determine what support and/or adaptations you may require and if your property would accommodate the adaptations required to support you to access essential parts of your home. There are several grants available to fund adaptations required and these can be considered accordingly.
6 min read
When a relationship breaks down it can be hard to decide the best way forward. There are lots of things to consider, including what happens with finances, property, and belongings. This is more difficult if there are children in the relationship. There are things you can do to make the transition from the relationship easier. Not all relationship breakdowns will result in homelessness – the ideal situation is that you continue to live together until one of the individuals can secure alternative accommodation.
If you are considering approaching the local authority as homeless, we will likely expect you to first determine your rights in the matrimonial home. It is important that you remain in the home, unless there is a risk to you if you remain.
If you share ownership or tenancy of a property with your partner, you both have an equal right to live there based on your shared interest. You are both also liable for the financial obligations, such as paying the mortgage or rent. In the event of a relationship breakdown, if you jointly own or rent a property, you will have accommodation available for you to occupy. If you cannot continue living together or fail to agree on who should leave, you can apply to the court to transfer the property’s ownership or tenancy to you, making you the sole owner or tenant.
Seeking legal advice is essential to understand your options, and you might be eligible for Legal Aid to assist with the costs. Check here to see if you qualify. If you are unsure about who owns your home, you can check at the Land Registry for a small fee. Sometimes tenancy agreements may include a clause stating that you need the landlord’s consent for the transfer of the tenancy to another party.
If you are married or in a civil partnership, the ownership or tenancy of the property does not matter. The law recognises that both partners have an equal right to live there. This right remains in effect until death or the dissolution of the marriage/partnership. Therefore, if your spouse owns or rents the property and asks you to leave, you are under no obligation to do so. You can request a court order to have the ownership or tenancy of the property transferred to you.
If your partner leaves and you continue to live in the property, you have the right to pay the mortgage or rent on their behalf. If you have a low income or receive benefits, you can claim help with housing costs to help you meet the financial obligations on the property. If you want to get a court order to have the property rights transferred to you, you will need to seek legal advice. You can check if you are eligible for legal cost assistance.
If you are not married to your partner, your rights to the property depend on your interest in it. If you are a joint owner or tenant, both of you have the right to remain in the property in case of a relationship breakdown. However, if you are not married and your partner is the sole owner or tenant, you do not have the same rights as someone who is married. If you are asked to leave, it is reasonable for them to provide you with a typical notice of 28 days.
If you have a child from the relationship, you can request the court to transfer the property’s interest to you for the benefit of the child. If you wish to do this, you will need to seek legal advice. You can check if you are eligible for legal cost assistance.
No matter what type of property you live in, you should start by discussing with your ex-partner what you both want and try to come to an agreement. You should agree a reasonable time for either party to move out of the property. It is really important that you both understand what needs to be discussed and resolved as a result of the relationship ending. You can find online resources and companies that can assist with negotiations and mediation after a breakup. If you cannot agree on a plan, consider seeking assistance from a professional, such as:
If remaining in your home is not an option and you have explored your legal position regarding your rights, you may need to take the following steps:
You should contact us as soon as possible so that we can help you navigate your way around the rights you have in the home. The local authority will be able to provide the following support:
We may also assist you with the Rent Guarantee Scheme. This matches people who need homes with landlords who have private rented properties to let. We pay the rent directly to the landlord, in advance, and guarantee to pay up to six weeks’ rent as a tenancy deposit. Read more about the Rent Guarantee Scheme and find out if you qualify to apply. Keep in mind there are more tenants on the scheme than properties available, so you will probably have to find your own accommodation.
You can also apply for social housing by joining Homechoice at Reading or consider using Homefinder UK to find social housing in more affordable areas.
5 min read
Reading Borough Council are committed to the safety of those experiencing domestic abuse in a relationship. The recent Domestic Abuse Act 2021 defines domestic abuse as anyone aged 16 and over who are “personally connected” to another who may be experiencing behaviours inclusive of:
Our main focus is to ensure your safety, both now and in the future. We will assess what kind of support you might need to make sure of this. We acknowledge that leaving your home may not be the solution. We will also take into account the needs of everyone in your household.
There are things that you could do to safeguard yourself and your family. The following actions will differ depending on your circumstances and level of risk so we recommend that you only take actions that would not result in further abuse. You can contact:
Contact them on their helpline for information, advice, and support with your situation. You can call 0808 801 0882 or visit their website.
You can report any incident of domestic abuse and use 999 in an emergency.
There are a number of other resources and support that you can access to work out the best option for you and to gain the advice you need.
Additionally, you can also take the following steps:
You should seek advice from the local authority as soon as you are able and ready to. We will not ask you to prove that abuse has taken place, but we will ask you questions about your experiences, the impact this has had, and the outcomes you wish to achieve. This is so that we can tailor our advice to your individual needs. You can be supported by a friend or relative during the assessment, and if needed, you can request to see only female or male Officers. We will assess the level of risk by using a DASH Risk Checklist to better shape the support we are able to provide.
Support that we can provide could be:
4 min read
Experiencing problems with your neighbours can be upsetting and impact the enjoyment of your home. However, these are more likely to be arguments and disagreements rather than severe harassment or anti-social behaviour. The most common neighbour disputes are regarding noise, parking, and garden fencing.
To prevent a simple dispute from escalating into harassment or anti-social behaviour, it is important to address the problem early on. It is also crucial to consider that some external factors, like poor building design, lack of insulation, or insufficient parking, can contribute to the nuisances you experience from your neighbours. These factors may be beyond anyone’s control, and it is important to recognise and understand this. It is unlikely that a dispute with a neighbour will result in your home being unreasonable to continue to occupy, unless there has been reported violence.
Anti-social behaviour does not have a single, precise definition, but it is typically described as behaviour as persistent in nature and likely to cause harassment, alarm, or distress to someone. Harassment, as defined by the Harassment Act of 1997, must not pursue a course of conduct which amounts to the harassment of another person, the conduct has taken place on at least two occasions and must be shown to have a degree of intentionality.
You should take action at the earliest opportunity to prevent the problem from escalating. Some of the steps you can take are:
If you feel that the issues with your neighbours put you at risk or make your current home unreasonable for you to continue to occupy, please contact us as soon as possible. We will only be able to assist if we have assessed that you are homeless as a result of the issues with your neighbours, and will provide the following:
We may also assist you with the Rent Guarantee Scheme. This matches people who need homes with landlords who have private rented properties to let. We pay the rent directly to the landlord, in advance, and guarantee to pay up to six weeks’ rent as a tenancy deposit. Read more about the Rent Guarantee Scheme and find out if you qualify to apply. Keep in mind there are more tenants on the scheme than properties available, so you will probably have to find your own accommodation.
You can also apply for social housing by joining Homechoice at Reading or consider using Homefinder UK to find social housing in more affordable areas.
4 min read
Supported Accommodation in Reading is collectively known as Homelessness Support Services. There are various accommodation options with differing levels of support provided alongside accommodation. When you move into Homelessness Support Services accommodation a support plan will be drawn up with you and you will have regular meetings with your support worker to discuss your progress in working towards independent accommodation. Your move on options will be explained to you from the outset.
When moving into support accommodation, you will be provided with a licence agreement which sets out your responsibilities as a resident. You will be required to adhere to the your licence agreement as failure to do so could result in eviction.
Eviction, or the termination of your license agreement, may be required where a resident does not adhere to the terms of the licence agreement or where support offered is no longer required. You may be evicted if:
Where a termination of a licence occurs, the notice should give as much time as possible for you to secure alternative accommodation. The notice should set out the reason why it has been issued. In most cases, you will be provided with 28 days’ notice. In some circumstances, where there is a risk to another resident or to staff, an immediate eviction may be required.
If you receive notice that your licence is being termination you should contact the Homelessness Prevention Team as soon as possible.
To prevent yourself from becoming homeless, you must adhere to the conditions of the licence. However, if you are asked to leave, here are some things you can do to prevent yourself from becoming homeless:
If you feel that you will be unable to negotiate remaining where you are or secure an alternative home, contact us as soon as possible. The more time we have to support you, the more likely we can prevent your homelessness. We can assist you by:
We may also assist you with the Rent Guarantee Scheme. This matches people who need homes with landlords who have private rented properties to let. We pay the rent directly to the landlord, in advance, and guarantee to pay up to six weeks’ rent as a tenancy deposit. Read more about the Rent Guarantee Scheme and find out if you qualify to apply. Keep in mind there are more tenants on the scheme than properties available, so you will probably have to find your own accommodation.
You can also apply for social housing by joining Homechoice at Reading or consider using Homefinder UK to find social housing in more affordable areas.
6 min read
If you are about to live independently for the first time, being well-prepared is very important. Before leaving care, you should receive a Pathway Plan that outlines the support you will need to live independently. You should be allocated a Personal Adviser before leaving care. They will help you to:
This support will be tailored to your needs and recorded in your Pathway Plan. Your Personal Advisor will continue to support you until you reach 25, unless you no longer want this help.
If you are between 18 and 25 years old, the children’s service authority who looked after you may still have a responsibility to you and you may qualify for After Care Services. You will qualify for After Care Services if you are:
If you are in accommodation provided by children’s services that is expected to end when you turn 18, they are responsible for making a Duty to Refer to the local authority of your preference. They will need your consent to make this referral before you reach the age of 18. The local authority to which you are referred will verify if you have a local connection to that area. This is typically based on where you currently live, work, or have close relatives. Additionally, as a care leaver, you will also have a local connection to:
If it is decided that you do not have a local connection, you will be referred to a local authority where you do.
If you are 16 or 17 years old and you become homeless, you will be the responsibility of children’s services. They will assess whether they need to provide you with accommodation. The primary goal for everyone is to ensure your safety and keep you at home if it is a safe option. If you become homeless, you can reach out to either children’s services or housing services for help. Regardless of which option you choose, if accommodation is needed, you will receive the same offer of support and assistance.
If you are 16 or 17 years old and you feel like the situation at home is likely to break down, you can contact services early for advice and assistance. If you are living with friends or family, further advice can be found in the Your family or friends are asking you to leave section.
If you are under 18 years old and are living in accommodation provided by children’s services, they will already be discussing your situation with the Homelessness Prevention Team. However, you can contact the Homelessness Prevention Team to discuss your housing situation.
You must contact the Homelessness Prevention Services as soon as possible if you are under 25 years old, are a care leaver, and are worried about becoming homeless. You should also:
If you have followed all of the advice provided and you are still faced with homelessness, we will want to start working with you as soon as possible. We can offer the following support:
We may also assist you with the Rent Guarantee Scheme. This matches people who need homes with landlords who have private rented properties to let. We pay the rent directly to the landlord, in advance, and guarantee to pay up to six weeks’ rent as a tenancy deposit. Read more about the Rent Guarantee Scheme and find out if you qualify to apply. Keep in mind there are more tenants on the scheme than properties available, so you will probably have to find your own accommodation.
You can also apply for social housing by joining Homechoice at Reading or consider using Homefinder UK to find social housing in more affordable areas.
3 min read
If you are in accommodation provided by the Home Office, it is because you are waiting to be considered for immigration status in the UK. This can be a long process and during this waiting period, you will not have access to housing support. When you do receive a status decision, you will be required to vacate the accommodation provided to you, and this may happen with very little notice.
Before you are asked to leave the accommodation and while you are waiting for your status to be decided, there are steps you can take to improve your chances of securing employment and a new home once your current accommodation ends. It is a good idea to start preparing while you are awaiting a decision on your immigration status. You should have access to support with the following:
Places you can go to get further information, advice and support:
If you are made homeless from Home Office accommodation you should:
The local authority will work with you to try to resolve your housing situation, and will carry out the following:
We may also assist you with the Rent Guarantee Scheme. This matches people who need homes with landlords who have private rented properties to let. We pay the rent directly to the landlord, in advance, and guarantee to pay up to six weeks’ rent as a tenancy deposit. Read more about the Rent Guarantee Scheme and find out if you qualify to apply. Keep in mind there are more tenants on the scheme than properties available, so you will probably have to find your own accommodation.
You can also apply for social housing by joining Homechoice at Reading or consider using Homefinder UK to find social housing in more affordable areas.
6 min read
If you will be homeless when you leave prison, you must start exploring your housing options as soon as you know you are being released. If you are remanded in custody and already have accommodation that you have a rent liability for, there are steps that you should take to ensure that you do not lose this accommodation. It is really important that you understand that you are expected to take the required action to retain your home, or you may be found intentionally homeless. You may be able to get, or continue to get assistance with paying your rent while you are in custody.
If you are claiming Housing Benefit, you must tell the Housing Benefits Team if you are:
You will only get Housing Benefit to help towards your rent if you intend to return home when you are released from prison. How long you will get Housing Benefit for depends on your circumstances.
You can receive Housing Benefit for up to 52 weeks, however you will not get Housing Benefit if you sublet a property. Ask the prison to complete a “Notification of Remain in Custody Form” and send this to the Housing Benefit Team within 14 days.
You may be entitled to Housing Benefit to help pay the rent on your normal home until your court hearing or up to 52 weeks. Your normal home is the home that you cannot return to due to your bail conditions, but would be where you would otherwise normally reside.
You can continue to receive Housing Benefit as long as you aren’t likely to be in prison for more than 13 weeks (this includes time already spent on remand or awaiting sentence and any time you spend at home on temporary release). The prison service will tell you your earliest expected release date. Tell the Housing Benefits Team if your release date changes. The prison service should provide a change of status or custodial sentence form to confirm to the Housing Benefit Team that you have been sentenced or released.
You can claim Housing Benefit as normal. If you did not get Housing Benefit while you were in prison, you may need to claim Universal Credit. You will not need to reclaim Housing Benefit if you spend less than 13 weeks in prison as you will still have a live claim.
You must tell the Housing Benefits Team you have been released and provide a “Released from Custody Form” to confirm your release date within 14 days of your release (your prison should provide this).
While you are on remand, on bail or sentenced, you can continue to get the housing cost element of Universal Credit for up to 6 months.
You will not get Universal Credit if you are likely to be in prison for more than 6 months, including any time you have already spent on remand/awaiting sentencing. You will not get help with housing costs if they were not included in your Universal Credit claim before you were sentenced. If you are serving a prison sentence, and you have a partner living in the property, they can claim Housing Benefit or Universal Credit to pay the rent on the home.
If you are likely to need advice and assistance to find accommodation when you are released, you should contact the Homelessness Prevention Service as soon as possible and start exploring your options as soon as you know you are leaving prison. However here are some steps that you could take to prevent yourself from being homeless upon release.
We will work with you to try to prevent you from becoming homeless before leaving prison or relieve your homelessness if you are released from prison with no accommodation available to you. If you chose to be referred to this local authority, the work will commence once we receive a Duty To Refer from the prison or contact from you.
We can also help by:
We may also assist you with the Rent Guarantee Scheme. This matches people who need homes with landlords who have private rented properties to let. We pay the rent directly to the landlord, in advance, and guarantee to pay up to six weeks’ rent as a tenancy deposit. Read more about the Rent Guarantee Scheme and find out if you qualify to apply. Keep in mind there are more tenants on the scheme than properties available, so you will probably have to find your own accommodation.
You can also apply for social housing by joining Homechoice at Reading or consider using Homefinder UK to find social housing in more affordable areas.
5 min read
Reading Borough Council is committed to honouring the Armed Forces Community Covenant. The aim of the Covenant is to encourage all parties within a community to offer support to the local Armed Forces community (including veterans) and make it easier for services personnel, families, and veterans to access the help and support available.
You should start exploring your housing options as soon as you know you are leaving the armed forces, or you are no longer in the armed forces but are facing homelessness. If you are likely to need advice and assistance to find accommodation you should contact the Homelessness Prevention Team as soon as possible. However, there is a wealth of support available to help you prevent homelessness, tailored to your specific needs:
Other options available to you will be:
You should be able to find a solution to your housing situation by contacting the above appropriate support. However, if you are not able to, or they do not have a suitable option for you then as soon as you are aware that you will be leaving the forces, or when you have a Certificate of Cessation of Entitlement to Occupy Service Accommodation (which will be issued before your discharge), please contact us so that we can help you find a new home to move to in a planned way.
We will work with you to try to prevent you from becoming homeless before leaving the armed forces, or relief your homelessness if you have left the armed forces with no accommodation available to you.
We can also help by:
We may also assist you with the Rent Guarantee Scheme. This matches people who need homes with landlords who have private rented properties to let. We pay the rent directly to the landlord, in advance, and guarantee to pay up to six weeks’ rent as a tenancy deposit. Read more about the Rent Guarantee Scheme and find out if you qualify to apply. Keep in mind there are more tenants on the scheme than properties available, so you will probably have to find your own accommodation.
You can also apply for social housing by joining Homechoice at Reading or consider using Homefinder UK to find social housing in more affordable areas.
3 min read
Anyone could find themselves in an unavoidable homeless situation as a result of an emergency. If you are homeless as a result of an emergency, the local authority will provide you with temporary accommodation while the problem is being resolved. This is likely to be in the short term while your property is being repaired.
If you are worried about being made homeless in an emergency, there are things you can do to secure yourself for the future and potentially avoid this. Some of these are:
If you have been made homeless a a result of an emergency, you should:
If the property is not habitable as a result of the emergency and you are unable to secure other accommodation, we will provide you with accommodation in the short term. In the meantime, we can:
If it is established that you will not be able to return to the property, we can assist with the following:
We may also assist you with the Rent Guarantee Scheme. This matches people who need homes with landlords who have private rented properties to let. We pay the rent directly to the landlord, in advance, and guarantee to pay up to six weeks’ rent as a tenancy deposit. Read more about the Rent Guarantee Scheme and find out if you qualify to apply. Keep in mind there are more tenants on the scheme than properties available, so you will probably have to find your own accommodation.
You can also apply for social housing by joining Homechoice at Reading or consider using Homefinder UK to find social housing in more affordable areas.
3 min read
The majority of people leaving hospital will have a home to return to. However, there may be situations where this is not the case. This includes:
If you think that you will be homeless on discharge from hospital, it is important that you speak to the hospital staff and make them aware of this, and if possible, on admission. Health authorities have a Duty To Refer a person to the Homelessness Prevention Service if they think that someone is homeless or may be threatened with homelessness.
By the time you are discharged from hospital, it is really important that you have tried to resolve your housing situation. However, we do understand that this may not always be possible. Here are some things that you can do:
The local authority’s priority will be to support you to move back to any accommodation that is available to you. If you feel that you are not able to resolve your housing situation and will become homeless on discharge from hospital, the local authority will:
We may also assist you with the Rent Guarantee Scheme. This matches people who need homes with landlords who have private rented properties to let. We pay the rent directly to the landlord, in advance, and guarantee to pay up to six weeks’ rent as a tenancy deposit. Read more about the Rent Guarantee Scheme and find out if you qualify to apply. Keep in mind there are more tenants on the scheme than properties available, so you will probably have to find your own accommodation.
You can also apply for social housing by joining Homechoice at Reading or consider using Homefinder UK to find social housing in more affordable areas.
If you are already homeless, get some advice and support by visiting our homelessness page.
There are different ways you can contact the Homeless Prevention Service:
You can contact us online by filling in an online form.
Contact us by sending an email to housing.advice@reading.gov.uk.
Call us on 0118 937 2165. Please note our phone lines are very busy. If you leave a message, we will get back to you within 1 working day (unless it is an emergency).
If you don’t have access to a phone or email, or if you need a safe space, you can attend the Civic Offices from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, or from 10:30am on a Wednesday.
If you have an emergency out-of-hours, call us on 01344 351 999 (5pm to 9am on weekdays and over weekends).