Our statement of intent
The council is committed to providing quality housing advice and assistance to those people faced with homelessness in the area. We will follow homeless legislation and ensure that all customers receive an equal service, receive regular correspondence and ensure that customers are empowered to make decisions in relation to their housing situation.
How we aim to do this
We will:
- Ensure that associated information about the housing options in the district is publicised and readily available.
- Provide you with appropriate tailored information on the housing options in the district to enable you to make informed choices on the housing opportunities available to you and your household.
- Discuss your housing problem with you the same day or arrange an appointment with you within five days.
- Assess your housing problem and develop an agreed personal housing plan, working with landlords, family members, agencies and other organisations to help prevent your homelessness and provide appropriate advice specific to your assessed need.
- Do everything we can to prevent you losing your home if you think that you may become homeless.
- Provide you with advice and assistance to help you find your own accommodation.
- Provide you with temporary accommodation until such time as a housing solution can be found for you, where a homelessness duty has been accepted.
- If we are unable to prevent your homelessness, we will work with you to relieve your homelessness, keep you fully informed and agree a personal housing plan with you, providing practical advice on the housing options available throughout the district.
- Advise you about your rights to review if you are unhappy about the way that we deal with your application.
How performance is monitored
Performance on our housing options services are reported in detail on a quarterly basis to the neighbourhood services and housing needs (tenant involvement) panel.
Contact us
If you would like to discuss any aspect of this standard, please contact us.