Housing advice service

• Housing advice for private sector landlords
• Housing advice for private sector tenants
• Housing advice for all residents about rehousing options
• Making an appointment with the housing advice service

Housing advice for private sector landlords

We can give help and advice to landlords about their responsibilities to tenants, and we are also able to refer them to other agencies for further assistance.

Housing advice for private sector tenants

We offer a free, confidential and independent housing advice service to people who live in the private sector in Tower Hamlets. This includes you if you are a:

• tenant of a private landlord
• tenant of a housing association (also known as a registered social landlord), or
• homeowner (but not council leaseholder).

Typical types of problems we can help you with are:

• My landlord has asked me to leave
• My landlord lets himself into my property without my permission
• My landlord has threatened to throw me out
• My landlord is refusing to do repairs
• My home has gas appliances which may be dangerous
• I cannot get housing benefit or other benefits
• Housing benefit does not pay the full rent
• I have a problem paying the rent or mortgage, or service charges
• My landlord will not give me my deposit back
• I need help to find somewhere to live
• I don’t have the money for a rent deposit
• I have debts that might make me lose my home.

If you are a council tenant with a housing problem that needs attention from the council in its capacity as a landlord, you should contact your local housing office, or the relevant service area of the council.

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Housing advice for all residents

If your housing problem is of a more serious nature – such as being threatened with homelessness - we can give advice to all residents about possible alternative housing options that might be available to them. In some circumstances we can help you with paying rent deposits or rent in advance.

We also provide housing advice to any resident of Tower Hamlets if:

• you are a member of the Somali community (we have a specialist Somali officer); or
• you need advice about debt.

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Making an appointment with housing advice service

One of our main roles is to prevent homelessness. Our ability to do this is improved if we are given the opportunity to intervene sooner rather than later. Please do not wait until you are actually homeless before contacting us.

If you would like to make an appointment to meet with housing advice service staff to discuss your situation, you can either:

• see how to contact us, or
• make a quick online request for an appointment, and we will be in touch with you to confirm your appointment time.

Pid No: 108, 652