Housing advice from Breckland Council

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Housing Advice

Breckland Council’s Housing Advisory Officers can offer advice on a wide range of housing issues. If you would like to speak to an Advisory Officer, please call 01362 656870 between 9am and 5pm Monday – Thursday and 9am – 4:30pm Friday.

You can also download our leaflet 'Breckland's Housing Advice Service' by clicking this link. This leaflet briefly details the many ways we might be able to help, as well as giving details of other sources of advice and information.

If an adviser is not immediately available to take your call, please leave a message giving brief details of your situation and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

If we cannot resolve your situation over the telephone,we will either arrange to visit you at home, or make an appointment for you to speak to one of our Advisory officers at our Dereham offices on a Tuesday or Friday, or our Thetford offices on a Monday or Thursday.

Or you can email us at housing.advice@breckland.gov.uk

You can also download a short form below, fill in some details about your housing issue(s) and post it to us.This will allow us to look at some options for you before we contact you.

Housing Advice Customer Information Form

If you are on a low income and are having difficulty paying your rent you may qualify for Housing Benefit.

For further information please use the links below:

Other sections of interest:

Please find below some general advice about some of the most common housing problems. You can also download our leaflets 'Housing Options', 'Housing Options for Young People' and 'Housing Options for Older People' here

My landlord has given me notice

If you are a private tenant, you will usually have a tenancy agreement called an ‘Assured Shorthold Tenancy’, a copy of which your landlord should provide you. These agreements normally have a ‘fixed term’ of 6 or 12 months. Even if you do not have a written agreement, if you are renting a self-contained property or room(s) and your landlord is not resident in the same property you will normally have the same rights as someone with a written agreement. Please note, however, that if you have signed an assured shorthold tennancy, but originally moved in before 15th January 1989, you may have a different sort of tenancy, which gives you greater protection than you would otherwise have. Our Housing Advisory Officers can advise you further on this subject.

Your landlord can seek possession (ie ask you to leave) for a number of reasons, including rent arrears, deliberate neglect or disrepair of the property or other breach of your tenancy agreement. Your landlord may also just wish to have the property back for his or her own reasons.

Where you have an Assured Shorthold tenancy or similar rights, your landlord must serve you with a valid notice and then seek possession through the County Court. If your landlord is seeking possession for breach of tenancy they can serve notice on you at any time, but if they just want the property back, they must serve you with at least 2 months’ or 8 weeks’ notice which cannot expire until after the end of the fixed term of your tenancy.

If your landlord is resident in the same property as you, your rights will normally be quite limited. Your landlord will normally only have to give you ‘reasonable’ notice, and does not need a court order to evict you.

If you are served with notice by your landlord contact a Housing Advisory Officer immediately. We will check the notice is valid, and speak to your landlord to try and prevent you becoming homeless. We will also try to help you secure alternative accommodation before you have to leave.

There are other types of tenancy, such as older tenancies which give you more rights to remain in your home, licences, tied accommodation and agricultural tenancies. Our Housing Advisory Officers can advise you further if you have one of these.

You can also download our leaflet 'Renting from a Private Landlord' for more information about private tenancies.

My relationship has broken down and my partner has asked me to leave

You may have rights to stay in the property, even if it is not owned or rented in your name, especially if you are married or have children together.

You should seek legal advice as soon as possible. Our Housing Advisers can provide you with contacts for solicitors who offer subsidised legal assistance for people on a low income, or you can see our 'Useful Contacts' section for details of some of the solicitors providing services in Breckland

Our advice would be not to leave unless you or your children are at risk until you have taken advice.

My parents or relatives have asked me to leave

If you are living with your parents or relatives your rights to remain in their home are limited. However, they still have a duty to give you ‘reasonable’ notice to leave, and if you have been living there for a long time this could be at least one month.

You can download our leaflet 'Housing Options for Young People' by clicking this link.

Many parents ask their children to leave because of family arguments or disagreements, often coming from a lack of understanding of each other’s lives and behaviour. Breckland Council offers a mediation service which gives you and your householder (the person who has asked you to leave) the chance to discuss your issues with each other with the help of an independent person. This person does not tell the Council what you have discussed, and can help you improve the situation at home so you can plan to move out in a less urgent way.

For more information about our mediation service, please download this leaflet, or ask a Housing Advisory Officer.

Leaflet – ‘a guide to mediation service’

I have mortgage/rent arrears or I cannot afford my home

Borrowing money is commonplace in modern life and most people could not survive without it. When it is well-managed, it is a convenient way of paying for goods and services and can allow people to “smooth out” temporary fluctuations in their income. However, the consequence of failing to manage your debt or of failing to take action when you have a problem can be the loss of your home.

Don’t despair! Many landlords and lenders will only take action to repossess your home as a very last resort. One of the most important things to do is keep in contact with your landlord or lender. Explain your situation and that you are seeking help.

You may have problems in managing your money if you are -

regularly extending your overdraft

paying only the minimum monthly amount on your credit cards or store cards
constantly being short at the end of the month; using high cost credit (eg door-to-door lenders)
ignoring demands for payment from your creditors
borrowing to pay off existing debts, particularly if it is a consolidated loan or a (second) loan secured against your home
actual court action against you by lenders indicates that you have a real problem and should seek immediate help

You can test yourself on how well you are managing your own debt by taking a test devised by the Financial Service Authority (FSA) at http://www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk/debt_test. The Money Made Clear website includes tips on how to avoid debt problems and how to manage your finances.

If you think you have a problem, the important thing is to take advice early and, if you require it, ask someone to give you practical help in managing your debt. There are some very helpful organisations who offer advice and assistance through their websites, over the telephone or face to face - see the list below.

The important thing is to take action now to deal with any problems, before they put your home at risk.

Useful contacts:

National Debtline

Website offering downloadable advice packs, budget forms and other materials. Free, confidential and independent telephone advice service.

Tel: 0808 808 4000 freephone

Website: www.nationaldebtline.co.uk

Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS)

Budgeting advice and step-by-step guide on how to manage your money

Tel: 0800 138 1111 freephone

Website: www.cccs.co.uk

Citizens Advice Bureau

Advice about debt and welfare benefits to help raise your income. Local CABx may have debt advisors who can help you manage your debts. For information about local bureaux, use the following link.

Website: www.adviceguide.org.uk

Debtline-Online

Specialist money advice agency based in East Anglia. Associated with Norwich & Citizens Advice Bureau. On-line budget calculator and other advice.

Tel: 01603 679678

Community Legal Service

CLS Advisors specialising in debt and welfare rights work at various locations in Norfolk. If your case is complex and free services at the CAB do not have the capacity to help you, AND you are eligible for Legal Help (formerly Legal Aid) you may be referred to a CLS advisor

Tel: 0845 345 4345

Website: www.clsdirect.org.uk

Credit Action

A national money education charity associated with the Consumer Credit Counselling Service. Website based service with downloadable advice packs etc.

Website: www.creditaction.org.uk

Fool.co.uk

Independent money saving website, with tips on how to save money across a variety of types of expenditure.

Website: http://www.fool.co.uk/

Money Made Clear

The Financial Services Authority’s website, with advice on all kinds of financial products, with budget calculators and similar, plus details of their role regulating the financial services industry.

Website: www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk

MoneyBasics

Independent information about money, aimed particularly at young people and students. Linked to Credit Action and the Consumer Credit Counselling Service.

Website: www.moneybasics.co.uk

Business Debtline

Free, confidential and independent advice for self-employed people and small businesses. Associated with National Debtline.

Tel: 0800 1976 026 freephone

Website: www.bdl.org.uk

Advice UK

All members provide free and confidential advice, but not all provide money advice. To find your nearest centre

Tel: 020 7407 4070

Website: www.adviceuk.org.uk

Our Housing Advisers can assess your financial situation and give you advice about maximising your income so you can afford to stay in your property. This can include advice about claiming benefits, getting help with your mortgage payments, and tackling other debts you may have. We may also be able to act on your behalf with your landlord or lender to reach an agreement regarding your arrears.

Many people will pay the debt that is most demanding, and if you have creditors constantly telephoning you and calling at your home it is understandable that you will give them something to make them go away. However, you need to think carefully about who you are paying and why, and keeping your home must be one of your top priorities.

Some Citizens Advice Bureaux can offer financial and debt advice, and will work with you and the people you owe money to to reach an agreement. If you have serious debt problems and are in danger of losing your home, a Housing Advisory Officer can refer you to our specialist Intensive Money Advice service, where you will be seen quickly and receive intensive advice and support around sorting out your problems so you can remain in your home.

It is important that you seek help as soon as possible, as failure to do so may limit the help the Council can give you.

See our ‘Useful Contacts’ section for details of Citizens Advice Bureaux in your area.

I am leaving prison/care/hospital

If you have been living away from home for some time, you may not be able to return to the accommodation you had before. This may be because it is no longer available to you, or it may no longer be suitable for your needs.

It is important that you, or someone on your behalf, contacts us as soon as you know there is a problem. Most residential institutions have support workers such as Social Workers, Resettlement Officers, Probation Officers or Key Workers who can help you make contacts and work with you and the Council to resolve your problems. You can also contact us yourself if you prefer.

If your home is no longer suitable for your needs, for example you have mobility problems and you live in a house with an bath and you need a shower, our Private Sector Housing team may be able to provide a grant or loan so your house can be adapted. Click here to go to our section on 'Housing improvement & repairs'

I am being harassed at or around my home

Receiving harassment , whether it is from your landlord or people you do or don’t know, can make living somewhere very uncomfortable. There are a range of solutions available to you to avoid you having to leave your home.

It is very important that you do not give up any rights you have to live at a property, for example a tenancy, until you have taken and acted on professional advice. If you have to leave your home, contact your Council immediately.

Your first step in tackling harassment should be to contact the Police and your landlord if you have one. Many housing associations and councils have ways of dealing with harassment, and can also help you move if the situation cannot be resolved.

If you are being harassed by your landlord, the Council can take action to stop this. Under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 the law makes it an offence to:

Do acts likely to interfere with the peace and comfort of a tenant or anyone living with him or her, or
Persistently withdraw or withhold services for which the tenant has a reasonable need to live in the premises as a home.

A person who is convicted by magistrates of an offence under the Act may have to pay a fine of up to £5000, or be sent to prison for 6 months, or both.

Harassment can be one of the following things, although this is not a complete list:

Withholding keys
Withdrawal of services, such as electricity
Failure to carry out repairs
Threats or physical violence from the landlord or someone acting on their behalf
Ongoing unannounced visits to the property, or letting themselves into the property without your consent.
Illegal eviction without going through the proper legal procedure

If you feel you are suffering harassment contact a Housing Advisory Officer, we can contact your landlord and tell them to stop, and if they don’t we can advise you about further action.

I am suffering Domestic Violence

Domestic violence does not necessarily mean just physical attacks. It can also be emotional, sexual or mental abuse from someone you have (or have had) a close or intimate relationship with.

If you are experiencing, or have been threatened with, any of the above, there are several places you can turn to for help, including the Council.

The Housing Advice Service can advise and help you if you feel you cannot stay in your home, or you just want to know about your housing options. We can help you (and your children if you have any) find somewhere to stay at any time of the day or night if it is not safe for you to remain in your home.

We can also advise you about your legal rights, such as Court Orders to stop the other person approaching or abusing you, or to enable you to stay in your home.

We have recently set up a scheme in partnership with the Police, Fire Service and specialist support agencies to provide additional physical security measures in the homes of victims of domestic or other violence where they do not want to move but do not feel safe to stay. This scheme is called the Norfolk Sanctuary Scheme - click the link to find out more.

If you feel it is not safe for you to remain in your home, you can also make an application as homeless to us. See our section titled ‘Homelessness’ for more details. We will find you somewhere to stay if you need it, and will look to help you resolve your situation, whether by taking legal action or moving away to new accommodation. We will look into your circumstances, but we will not contact anyone without your permission, and all information is strictly confidential.

Refuges - There are several refuges in Norfolk, and many more across the country, which offer safe places to stay if you need to escape violence. Refuges provide a space where you can have a break and make decisions without fear. If you come to Breckland Council’s Housing Advice Team and need somewhere to stay we will try to find you a space at a refuge as they provide a safe and supportive environment, and their locations and phone numbers are kept secret. You can also approach the refuges direct, and a list of refuges and other organisations who can help are at the end of this section.

Police – If you are experiencing an emergency where you or someone you are with is under immediate threat you should call 999.

Norfolk Police also have a specialist Domestic Violence Unit who can offer professional and sympathetic advice and help. They can be contacted on 01842 222581. The line is manned 8am - 4pm and there is a 24 hour answerphone outside these hours.

The above information, and full list of contacts is available in the downloadable leaflet below

Leaflet – ‘A guide to dealing with Domestic Violence’

Refuges:

The Dove Project (refuge places in the eastern region)
01702 302333

National Domestic Violence Helpline
0808 2000 247
(refuge places and advice, telephone services for hearing impaired customers)

Bury St Edmunds Refuge
01284 753085
(24 hr cover, contact through the Police or the Samaritans outside office hours)

Leeway Refuge, Norwich
01603 623745
(Mon-Thurs 10am – 2pm, Fri 9am – 1pm – at other times contact through Social Services or Breckland Housing Advice Team)

West Norfolk Refuge
01760 720224
(West Norfolk, 24 hr contact via Breckland Housing Advice Team, the Police, Social Services or the Samaritans)

Haven Project
01379 642300
(South Norfolk)

Harbour Refuge
01493 855 894
(East Norfolk)

If you would like further information or advice on any of the above subjects, or we have not covered your situation in the above information, please contact our Housing Advice team.

DOWNLOADS

You will need the Adobe Reader software to view these documents, it is available by clicking this link that will open in a new browser window - you can close that window after the download and our website will still be available for you to browse.

Breckland's Housing Advice Service (PDF Document, 730Kb)

Housing Advice Customer Information Form (PDF file, 22.7Kb)

'Housing Options' (PDF document, 1.2Mb)

Housing Options for Young People (PDF Document, 1.1Mb)

Housing Options for Older People (PDF Document, 1.8Mb)

Mediation Service (PDF document, 1.2Mb)

A guide to dealing with Domestic Violence (PDF document, 1.5Mb)

Renting from a Private Landlord (PDF Document, 807Kb)