Housing Options
Affordable housing in Bedfordshire is in extremely high demand and it is simply not possible to offer everyone housing through the Choice Based Lettings Scheme. Unless you have an extremely high priority for housing, you are unlikely to be offered a property through the scheme in the near, or even distant, future.
To assist, the Bedfordshire Homefinder Partners have each developed a wide range of housing options and initiatives which you may find of interest. Please see below a list of the housing options available through each of the partners. If you would like more information on any of the topics listed, just click on the link at the bottom of each list. This will take you to the partner’s website where you will find more information and/or contact details.
bpha
Through its Keyhomes East service, bpha offers:
Intermediate rent properties for Keyworkers (mainly in Milton Keynes)
Rent to Homebuy – renting for a period with the intention to purchase in the future
Access to the Government’s mortgage rescue scheme
bpha also offers:
Incentive to move scheme - if you live in a Council or Housing Association which is too large for your needs, you might be eligible for some financial help towards moving costs
Mutual Exchange – if you are a Council or Housing Association tenant, you may be able to swap properties, inside and outside of Bedfordshire.
For more information about any of the above, please contact
Keyhomes East at: www.keyhomes-east.org.uk Telephone:
or bpha at: www.bpha.org.uk. Telephone 01234 791000
Bedford Borough Council
General advice
- How to claim Housing Benefit
- Welfare benefits
- Where to get help with furniture
- Money and debt advice
- Signposting to other agencies who give information and help
Helping you to remain in the home you currently live in
- Advising you of your property rights whether you are a tenant, a joint tenant or owner occupier.
- Advising you of your security of tenure if you are not married
- Advising you on domestic violence and the sanctuary scheme
- Maximising your benefit entitlement including discretionary housing payments
- Advising you on mortgage rescue and support products
- Mortgage and rent arrears advice
- Mediating with your family or friends
Assessing Your Housing Needs and how to access accommodation
- Finding your own accommodation in the private rented sector
- Advising if you qualify for the rent deposit scheme
- Choice Based Lettings
- Bedford Pilgrims housing register
- Housing Associations in Bedford
- Hostel accommodation
- Womens refuges
- Moving to other areas of the country
Advising and assisting you if you become homeless
- Advising about the Council’s legal duties to you
- Advising you about your eligibility for housing
- Advising you about your priority for housing
- Advising you about your local connections
- Advising you about emergency accommodation if you qualify for it
Visit: The Housing Options Service.
Town Hall
St Paul's Square
Bedford
MK401SJ
Telephone: 01234 221 785 / 221786 / 227274
E-mail: housingadvice@bedford.gov.uk
Website: www.bedford.gov.uk
Central Bedfordshire in Partnership with Aragon Housing Association
General Advice
- Housing Advice, including property rights, signposting to support services, illegal evictions/notices, accessing private sector, accessing benefits etc
Helping you to remain in the home you currently live in
- Home visits/mediation for all parental evictions
- Negotiating with private landlords
- Mortgage rescue/support
- Sanctuary Scheme – domestic abuse prevention
Assessing Your Housing Needs and how to access accommodation
- Referrals to supported living accommodation
- Shared ownership developments
- Market rent properties
- Intermediate rent
- Sub-market rent
- Mutual Exchange – if you are a Council or Housing Association tenant, you may be able to swap properties, inside and outside of Bedfordshire.
- Under occupancy incentive scheme – for Council or Housing Association tenants who wish to downsize.
Advising and assisting you if you become threatened homelessness
- Advising about the Council’s legal duties to you
For more information about any of the above, please visit:
Central Bedfordshire Housing Options Service on 0300 300 8000. Online: www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
or
Aragon Housing Associations on 01525 840505/01767 685800. Online:
www.aragon-housing.co.uk
Luton Borough Council
General Advice
How to claim Housing Benefit
Welfare benefits
Where to get help with furniture
Money and debt advice
Signposting to other agencies who give information and help
Helping you to remain in the home you currently live in
- Advising you of your property rights whether you are a tenant, a joint tenant or owner occupier
- Advising you of your security of tenure if you are not married and where there may be children
- Advising you on domestic abuse and the HOMESAFE scheme
- Maximising your benefit entitlement including discretionary housing payments
- Advising you on mortgage rescue and support products
- Mortgage and rent arrears advice
- Mediating with your family or friends
Assessing your Housing Needs and how to access accommodation
Finding your own accommodation in the private rented sector
Advising if you qualify for the rent deposit scheme
Choice Based Lettings
Hostel accommodation
Women's refuges
Moving to other areas of the country
Advising and assisting you if you become homeless
Advising about the Council's legal duties to you
Advising you about your eligibility for housing
Advising you about any priority for housing
Housing Options
Including help and advice on:
Finding accommodation
Understanding tenancy agreements
Dealing with harrassment and/or illegal eviction
relationship breakdown and the law
Help and advice on dealing with your landlord
Help and advice on disrepair
Help and advice on the Local Housing Allowance
Qualifying Offers
Luton Borough Council also offers a scheme of Qualifying Offers. This is for those households who have been accepted as homeless unintentionally and who are occuying temporary accommodation. This scheme allows for you to find accommodation from any landlord in any area and for any property type meeting your household's needs. Once you have located a property, we can consider how we can help you. This may be by way of help with a deposit or other associated fees. Provided the tenancy is for a minimum of 12 months, the Council will allow this to be a discharge of the duty towards you.
For further information, telephone 01582 547714
We can also.....
Offer advice and assistance on:
Incentive to Move Scheme - if you live in a Council or Housing Association property which is too large for your needs, you might be eligible for a cash grant to help you move
Mutual Exchange - if you are a Council or Housing Association tenant, you may be able to swap properties, inside or outside of Bedfordshire via our regional Zone Agents, Orbit Housing Association
For details of Luton Borough Council’s Housing Options service, please contact 01582 546000 or www.luton.gov.uk
You may also find the options offered through HomeBuy to be useful.
HomeBuy is a range of low cost home ownership and discounted market rent products developed to make home ownership more affordable and help you get a foot on the property ladder, Orbit HomeBuy Agents provide a one stop shop service to people interested in any of the HomeBuy products within Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Please click here for more information and details of how to apply www.orbithomebuyagents.co.uk