Registering For Different types of Accommodation

If you have a family, we may be able to offer you a house, flat or maisonette with two, three or four bedrooms, with or without a garden. We cannot guarantee which type of property you could be offered. We may be able to offer a property with five bedrooms but this is rare.

Singles

If you are on your own and are under 60, we may be able to offer you a flat or bedsit, although this type of accommodation is limited.

Sheltered housing

If you are over 60, you would be eligible for a flat or studio flat in a sheltered scheme. Each sheltered scheme is purpose-built with a well-equipped laundry, kitchen and communal lounge. Every flat or studio flat has its own facilities including a separate bathroom and kitchen and alarm cord for emergencies. There is no resident warden but a Supported Housing Officer visits the scheme daily to make a quick call to each resident on the two-way speech unit fitted in each flat. The Supported Housing Office will check on the day-to-day management of the scheme.

Younger people who are registered disabled may also qualify for sheltered housing. A leaflet is available giving more information about sheltered and semi-sheltered housing in Shepway, please contact us for further information.

Semi-sheltered housing

These are groups of bungalows or flats usually built for people over 50 years. Supported Housing Officers visit semi-sheltered schemes every two or three weeks. Each flat is fitted with its own two-way alarm system that is connected to a team of Central Control Operators, fully trained to deal reassuringly with emergencies, 24 hours-a-day.

Special needs accommodation

If you or a member of your household have a disability, you may need accommodation adapted for special needs for example, wheelchair use.

We can give advice about accommodation for other special needs, for example people with mental disabilities or learning difficulties.

Shared ownership

Shared ownership means that you buy a share of a property and pay rent on the rest. You can usually buy more shares at a later date reducing the rent you need to pay but you need to check that there are no restrictions about this.

We will tell you about any schemes that are available. You can also check with estate agents that may be selling shared ownership properties on the open market.

Housing co-operatives

A Housing Co-operative is similar to a Registered Social Landlords (formerly Housing Association) except that you become a shareholding member of the Co-operative at the start of your tenancy. The Housing Co-operative owns the property in which you live and you will pay rent in the same way as for Registered Social Landlords (formerly Housing Association) or Council housing, but you are given a unique opportunity to control your home. As a member you will have the right to vote on important decisions about how your home is managed. You will also have the right to be elected onto yourtenants' committee involved in the day-to-day management of your estate for example, dealing with allocations and repairs.

Professional management support is provided by CDS Co-Operatives, a Registered Social Landlords (formerly Housing Association) that specialises in helping co-operatives manage their homes.

Other Types of Accommodation

Because there is a shortage of secure, affordable accommodation for rent or to part-buy in Shepway, you may need to consider other types of accommodation as well.

Private renting

All types of accommodation, including houses, flats, bedsits, either self-contained or with shared facilities, can be rented from private landlords. The rent is agreed between the landlord and the tenant before the tenant moves in. If the landlord wants to increase the rent he must follow the steps set out in the 1988 Housing Act. You can get the 'Assured Tenancies' booklet and a leaflet about getting help with the rent from the Shepway Housing Centre. These will give you useful information.

Bed and breakfast

As the name shows, the landlord provides breakfast as well as a room to sleep in. The landlord may ask you to be out of the building during the day for example between 10 am and 5 pm; and you will have to provide your own lunch and evening meal.

Bed and breakfast is usually quite expensive and the landlord can ask you to leave when he wants you to. You can find addresses of bed and breakfast accommodation in newspapers and the Yellow Pages.

Owner occupation

This will depend on how much income your have or whether you can afford to sell to move into more suitable accommodation if you already own your home. When thinking about buying your own home you need to remember that you will have to pay Surveyor's and Solicitor's fees and you will also be responsible for repairs and the general upkeep of your home.

For more advice you should get in touch with an independent financial adviser, a Building Society, a Bank or an Insurance Company.