Housing Coaches will discuss resettlement with you within the first 4-8 weeks of you arriving. This doesn’t mean that you’ll be expected to start looking for somewhere else to live straightaway! It’s just that some people are ready for independent living immediately whereas other people benefit from the support that YMCA Crewe offer over a longer period.
Are you ready for resettlement?
You need to be:
- paying rent
- keeping your room clean
- working towards and achieving the goals on your support plan
- keeping to the rules
- showing independent living skills
- being a good neighbour to the other residents
Cheshire Homechoice
Most residents move out into social housing. The houses are owned by organisations such as the Guinness Partnership and Your Housing Group, but you bid for properties through the local council. The website is called Cheshire Homechoice and your key-worker will help you apply. Any new properties will be added online each day so it’s important that you keep checking and making sure you bid regularly!
You’ll also have a better chance depending on what band you are placed in. The bands go from A to E, with A being the highest priority and E being the lowest. The most common bands for residents to be placed in are:
- E – residents are put on this band if they have unspent convictions, convictions within the past 12 months, serious rent arrears or have made themselves deliberately homeless by getting evicted for breaking rules. You can ask for the decision to be reviewed every 12 months.
- C – residents are put on this band as they are living in supported accommodation. It’s not unheard of to be offered properties in this band but you can maximise your chances of resettlement by getting on to band B…
- B – band B is only awarded when your Housing Coach completes and signs a form that says you’re ready to move on from supported accommodation and will be reviewed by the team at the council. Ask your Housing Coach for more information.
Remember that there are 20,000 people on the waiting list for housing in Cheshire East! Show housing associations (and private landlords) you’d be a better tenant than the other applicants by:
- Being in credit with your rent account
- Engaging with support
- Taking part in activities
- Keeping your room clean
- Completing KIT sessions
- Abiding by the House Rules
- Being a good neighbour to the other residents
You can also move into private accommodation, but be aware that you aren’t entitled to much housing benefit when you’re under 25 so it might not be affordable for you. Some landlords are also unwilling to accept tenants in receipt of benefits so you may find it more difficult than social housing.
What next?
Once you’ve been offered a property, there are several more stages…
- References from landlords
- Applying for furniture from the council (single bed, cooker, fridge). You may also need to apply for a deposit if you’re moving into private accommodation.
- Getting together rent-in-advance. This will be a week’s worth if you’re moving into social housing (about £100) but could be a month’s worth if you’re moving into private accommodation!
- Being referred for floating tenancy support provided by the Independent Living Team.
