Homelessness and looking for accomoddation
Housing Associations
Housing Associations are independent non-profit making
organisations providing affordable accommodation for people on low
income.
The vast majority of the property that they develop is for renting.
However, they do also have some schemes to assist people to buy
[see Shared
Ownership].
Unfortunately, due to the chronic shortage of accommodation in
areas such as Kensington & Chelsea, local Housing Associations
usually only accept people who are nominated to them by the local
authority.
However, on rare occasions some housing associations do open their
lists for direct applications. Getting housed this way is a very
long shot but you may wish to try your luck and approach them
directly. HASKC or the council can provide a list of local housing
associations.
In conjunction with Government's initiative Keep London
Working, Housing Associations are looking to provide
subsidised homes for rent in the capital for key workers. The
Peabody Trust runs schemes across London, including in Kensington
& Chelsea. The scheme is aimed at workers such as bus drivers,
NHS staff and teachers with rents below market level. Information
on the scheme can be obtained from the Peabody marketing department
on Tel: 020 7021 449, or at their website:
www.peabody.org.uk
Some housing associations use Housing
Co-operatives to let accommodation on a short-life basis,
usually while a property is awaiting major renovation. However, due
to the general shortage of accommodation in London, co-operatives
are generally getting less and less short-life accommodation.
A list of housing co-operatives can be found on the website:
www.susx.ac.uk/Users/iane/coops/coopsdirectory.html
A list of local housing associations can be obtained from either
from HASKC or the Town Hall [Tel: 020 7937 5464].
If you are fortunate enough to be accepted onto a housing
association waiting list then it can be helpful if you are already
on the council's common housing register [see
Council
housing waiting list].