Housing Advice

What we do

We provide free, confidential, impartial advice and support to anyone with housing or benefits problems or who has questions regarding these issues. We can help you in person or over the phone. We can advise you, contact other agencies for you, help you write letters or fill in forms and negotiate on your behalf.

Who can use the service?

Anyone living in the Daventry district. The service is free and open to the public for phone and face to face advice, regardless of what type of accommodation you are currently in; tenants, homeowners, people sharing accommodation, homeless people. If you would like to see an advisor, it is always best to make an appointment. You can also ring for advice over the telephone.

Where are we?

Our offices are located at Daventry District Council, Lodge Road, Daventry NN11 4FP. Please ask at reception to see an advisor from the Housing Advice Service.

What times are we open?

To speak to us face to face, we are open to visitors for booked appointments Monday to Friday (10am to 3pm). We can offer telephone advice on 01327 302218, from 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday (there is an answer-phone if no one is available to take your call). If you have a disability or are not able to come out to us for some other reason, we may be able to arrange for an advisor to visit you in your home.

What kinds of things can we help you with?

• Help if you face eviction from your home.
• Help filling in housing register and homelessness application forms.
• Advice about housing options available and how to apply for them.
• Information about home swaps and transfers.
• Advice about moving to sheltered or supported accommodation and help applying for these
• Help to get you a solicitor to represent you in court eviction proceedings.
• Advice if you have problems with your landlord (rent, repairs, threats).
• Advice if you have problems with your neighbours.
• Help writing letters and with appeals / reviews of decisions by the Housing Department, courts, Department for Work and Pensions.

Housing Problems?

• Homeless
• Landlord problems
• Need settled accommodation
• Facing eviction
• Rent arrears
• Repair problems
• Housing benefit problems
• Mortgage arrears

Daventry Housing Advice offers an independent advice service for any resident of the district. We are open from 10am to 3pm for appointments, or you can contact us by telephone on 01327 302218 between 9.00am and 5.00pm.

Contact us now - We are here to help.

FAQ's

1. My landlord says I have not paid my rent, but I receive Housing Benefit and the payments are late. Will I be evicted?
2. I am on the Council waiting list for housing; how many points will it take for me to get a Council property?
3. How long will I be waiting on the housing register?
4. I have just received an eviction notice from the landlord, what do I do?
5. I have just received a possession order or warrant of execution against me from the county court, what do I do?
6. What can I do if I am not accepted as homeless or judged as intentionally homeless by the Council housing department?

Answers

My landlord says I have not paid my rent, but I receive Housing Benefit and the payments are late. Will I be evicted?

If you receive housing benefit and your landlord seeks a possession order because your rent payments are late, but the payments are due from the housing benefit department, it is probable that you will not be evicted. This is because your landlord must show not only that there are rent arrears, but also that it is reasonable to evict you.

If your rent will be paid eventually and it is only because the housing benefit payments are late, the court will usually take the view it is not reasonable to evict you.

Ask the housing advice service to help if you have problems getting you housing benefit paid.

How many points will it take for me to get a Council property?

It is impossible to say how many points will put you to the top of the waiting list on the housing register. There is not any specific number of points which guarantees being housed quickly on a permanent basis. People are awarded points according to the criteria of the allocations policy, mainly according to whether they are homeless, have children, support needs and are living in overcrowded or unsafe conditions.

How long will I be waiting on the housing register?

It is almost impossible to say how long you might wait on the housing register. Even if you are relatively high up in the list (top 5) you may still have to wait several months before a property becomes available. You may move down the list, as new applicants with higher points and more needy situations may leapfrog over and above you on the list. There is a severe lack of social housing in the Daventry area, which is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future. It can help if you broaden out your choices of desired areas, or perhaps try private rented accommodation in the meantime, if you can afford it.

I have just received an eviction notice from the landlord, what do I do?

If you have received a notice of seeking possession: don't panic; you may not have to move out right away or at all. Contact the Housing Advice Service in you area, Daventry's is on 01327 302218. We can help you appeal, negotiate with your landlord and, if necessary, get representation for you if you have to go to court. Make sure you attend court on the specified date, to put your side and buy yourself some time.

I have just received a possession order or warrant of execution against me from the county court, what do I do?

You need to deal with this immediately. Contact the Housing Advice Service in you area, Daventry's is on 01327 302218. We can help you appeal, negotiate with your landlord and, if necessary, get representation for you if you have to go to court. You will need to fill in a form and take it to the county court and may have to pay a fee to lodge it (unless you are on benefit). The Housing Advice service can provide you with this form and help you fill it in. If you do nothing and ignore these court letters your home will be taken back by the landlord very quickly through the coutt, using court bailiffs.

What can I do if I am not accepted as homeless or judged as intentionally homeless by the Council housing department?

You can appeal their decision, and Housing Advice 01327 302218 can help you do this. If that is unsuccessful you may need to try contacting hostels in the area or try renting privately. If you need a deposit for a private rental and you are on income based Job Seekers Allowance or income support you can apply at the Jobcentre Plus for a budgetting loan from the social fund. Most private landlords will require a deposit and rent in advance and references from your last landlord, a credit check and a work reference. If you are on benefit or very low income, you may need to check if the private landlord will accept being paid by Housing Benefit; most will not.

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