Dean SpruceWorking with Complexity: Social Care and Housing
By Tom Pollard, Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust
As a newly qualified Social Worker supporting adults with mental health problems, I see how often the issues that people are experiencing, often thought of as primarily about their health, are almost invariably tied up in their social situations. Many people with mental health problems also have issues with money, housing, relationships and employment, as well as challenges such as drug and alcohol misuse, and contact with the criminal justice system. These issues can be both a cause and a consequence of their mental health problems.
Having a safe and secure place to live is a basic human necessity, but it can be really hard as a Social Worker to navigate the relevant systems and processes to help someone with these kinds of experiences get access to housing. This is especially true when you’re newly qualified and new to a team and an area. I was therefore excited to attend some recent training put on by Research in Practice for Adults about ‘complexity and housing’.
At this training, we heard from Expert Citizens C.I.C. and VOICES about the great work they are doing to ensure that people with complex needs get the support they need… Continue Reading
There are few guarantors in life
By Geoff Davies, Specialist Housing Advisor, Citizens Advice Staffordshire North and Stoke on Trent
Increasingly, landlords in the private sector are asking prospective tenants to provide a guarantor before agreeing to let a property to them.
A “Guarantor” is the person that chooses to accept the liability on behalf the tenant in the event of the tenant being unable to meet their obligations under the tenancy agreement, whether it is for rent arrears or damage to the property.
The guarantor will normally be asked to sign a guarantor agreement. This provides the landlord with increased security at no extra cost.
For some prospective tenants it can be difficult to find a guarantor. They may have no family, be estranged from family or have family and friends who are unwilling or lack the means to act as a guarantor.
A guarantor is all about providing the landlord with a sense of financial security should things go wrong. So if a tenant can provide the landlord with a substitute form of security then the landlord may be willing to compromise.
This article looks at what other options a prospective tenant may have if they cannot provide a guarantor.
Good rental History
If a prospective tenant has a rental history of… Continue Reading
‘Fees Fees, tell me more’ – New Tenant Fees Act
By Geoff Davies, Housing Advice Specialist, Citizens Advice Staffordshire North and Stoke on Trent
The new Tenant Fees Act comes into force on the 1st June capping the amount that renters can be charged for a deposit and banning letting fees altogether as part of the Government’s bid to reduce hidden costs for tenants.
The Government expects to save tenants across England at least £240 million a year through the changes.
The new act applies to new tenancies, including replacement tenancies entered into on or after the 1st June 2019. It will then apply to other existing tenancies from the 1st June 2020.
If a tenant entered into a tenancy before 1 June 2019, a landlord or agent will still be able to charge fees up until 31 May 2020, but only where these are required under an existing tenancy agreement. This might include, for example, fees to renew a fixed-term agreement where a tenant had already agreed to pay these.
The ban applies to all assured shorthold tenancies, tenancies of student accommodation and licences to occupy housing in the private rented sector in England. Most tenancies in the private rented sector are assured shorthold tenancies
Under the new legislation the only payments in connection with… Continue Reading
Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
By Geoff Davies, Specialist Housing Advisor, SNSCAB
Introduction
Last month saw the introduction of the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018’) which aims to strengthen the rights of renters in England and enshrine a legal minimum standard of the condition of their rented home. It will also give renters a legal mechanism to take their landlord to court for breach of contract if they do not comply with their obligations.
Why was the Act Introduced?
According to the 2015/2016 English Housing Survey over a million tenants in the private and social rented sector live in accommodation with at least one category 1 hazard, which is defined as a serious and immediate risk to a person’s health and safety’. The tragedy at Grenfell highlighted the lack of redress for social tenants.
Social tenancies currently have no effective means of redress over poor conditions.
Private tenants have to rely on overstretched local authority Environmental Health Teams to investigate and evidence poor conditions.
The main disrepair provision that tenants use (s.11 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985) is not concerned with whether a home is fit or safe – rather to keep in repair the structure or exterior of the property or certain installations in the property.… Continue Reading
Supported housing and hospital admission
*Names have been changed to protect identity.
There were two main bodies involved during the time Adam was noticeably exposed to complex exclusion barriers. These were the local authority and the last hostel that Adam’s bed was closed at whilst he was in hospital. Adam has been homeless or residing within hostels for many years, suffering from substance misuse and mental illness.
Recently Adam was admitted to hospital following serious health concerns. During his inpatient stay and subsequent operation his bed space at the hostel was closed leaving Adam homeless when fit for discharge from the hospital. The hostels reasoning was that Housing Benefit will not pay for more than 7 nights whilst absent from the hostel and therefore the bed was closed. This presented a major problem for Adam to get another form of housing in place to prevent homelessness. The barriers Adam faced were in line with the findings of Public Health England’s health profile of Stoke on Trent’, published in June 2015, which concluded that the health of people in the city is generally poor and stating People facing homelessness, who are often already struggling financially, have far less choice and frequently end up in poor quality accommodation.
Bruno Ornelas… Continue Reading
Is out of the area accommodation a reasonable offer?
Homelessness in Stoke-On-Trent is on the rise. Even when you take into account homeless shelters, hostels, supported housing, council housing, social housing, and private rented properties, there is not enough accommodation available for everyone who presents as homeless. People who have been entrenched rough sleepers for many years, who have had regular, short stints in accommodation, but have lost this accommodation for some reason. Often the reasons can be traced back to poor mental health, inability to maintain a tenancy, lack of support, or offending and re-offending. One solution being offered by Local Authorities that I have experienced when providing support to people presenting as homeless is an offer of accommodation out of the area. This is usually offered when there is no space at local hostels or night shelters or the customer is being refused access to these.
Service Co-ordinator Rachael Quarmby discusses a typical example and questions whether this is sometimes merely the least worst option.
A woman presented as homeless after being evicted from her property. She was assessed as not being vulnerable compared to an ‘ordinary person’. This was despite a history of substance use and mental health difficulties. She was offered out of area accommodation and advised… Continue Reading
