Housing options

Finding a place to live

Building and design

Built form:• house• flat or maisonette• bungalowProperty can be:• purpose built• adapted • ordinary street

propertyRented or owned

Rented housing

Social renting from:• council• housing

association (RSL = Registered Social Landlord)

Ordinary property ORspecialist scheme(sometimes in

partnership with support provider)

Rented housing

Private renting from:• private landlord• charity (not RSL)• family members• family Trust• private sector

leasing (usually council or RSL)

Tenure: what sort of tenancy?Important because sets out legal rights:

• “security of tenure” - to stay in property• for re-housing if made homeless• to stay if relative dies (succession)• responsibility for repairs & maintenance • and lots more – but it’s not easyIf you need advice about tenancies,

contact a specialist advice agency or Shelter’s website or national Helpline.

3 ways to get social housing

• through local allocation schemes or Choice-based lettings – but have to be on Housing Register OR

• because a person is homeless, or threatened with homelessness OR

• succeeding to a tenancy after death of parent/other relative

HomelessnessNot just “roofless”Local housing authority has legal duties to:• work with partners to prevent

homelessness• provide housing advice• help secure housing if someone is legally

homeless, in ‘priority need’ and did not become homeless ‘intentionally’

If you need advice about homelessness, contact a specialist advice agency or Shelter’s website or national Helpline.

SuccessionLocal authority secure tenancy:• one succession only (e.g. couple, parent-child)• both parents are joint tenants: son/daughter can

succeed. • one parent was tenant, & widow(er) succeeded: no right.

Housing association (RSL) assured tenancy:• no right for children/other relatives to succeed• only partners (married, civil partnership, cohabiting). • RSL should create a new tenancy if meets housing need.

Secure and assured tenancies:• Parent and son/daughter can request a joint tenancy but

this is discretionary.

Most private tenancies: no right to succession

Home ownership

Home ownership with:

• mortgage &/or• family money• or no mortgage

(eg inheritance)BUT who will take

responsibility, organise and pay for repairs & maintenance?

Shared ownershipPart rent, part buy:• 25% (minimum) share is owned by shared

owner• rent paid to RSL on rented share (entitled to

Housing Benefit)• HOLD (Home Ownership for people with Long-

term Disabilities) through specialist RSLs• mortgages available (interest only, interest

paid by benefits if entitled to Income Support)• &/or with family money• RSL can deal with repairs & maintenance• no deposit, but need £3k for legal fees etc• paid work and sharing are difficult