Housing Solutions
Housing in and around West London is one of the biggest problems facing our users. Housing available to most of our users is cramped, expensive and in a bad state of repair.
We are experience in helping people with a wide range of tenancies including council or housing association , assured shorthold and protected tenancies.
Finding accommodation and moving is very expensive, yet most of our poorest residents face having to move every 6 months. This affects everything from putting down roots and schooling to building up records for access to affordable credit.
We provide housing advice on: homelessness, housing options (both private and council), deposits, security of tenure, challenging possession and rent increases. We also have an in-depth knowledge of the housing benefit system.
We take on cases work up to County Court level.
As members of the Kensington & Chelsea Legal Services Consortium we are able to arrange Legal Help appointments with our partners, Alen Edwards, either at their or our offices. Ask the front desk or a caseworker.
Nucleus is the HASKC housing advice providers for the South, which helps us to deliver a service in Earl’s Court and an outreach in the World’s End estate.
Case Studies
Case Study 1 : Mr Herman
Herman is 20 years old and is full-time carer for his younger sister, 12. His JSA stopped leading to housing benefit stopping, overpayment and rent arrears. His Housing association threatening to evict him from his home.
Nucleus helped Herman with a review of housing benefit overpayment and backdated claim. We were able to leading to arrears of over £2000 to be cancelled or paid off . If we had not have helped Herman, and his sister would have been evicted. RBKC emergency housing would have had to provide housing and support of over £300 pw.
Case Study 2 : Ms Eve
A protected tenant, Eve received notice to lay carpets in the property following the complaints from the leaseholder living in the property below. The landlord’s solicitor threaten client with possession of the property if she refused to lay carpets.
Eve told us that she was hardly making any noise , doesn’t have a TV , only wears rubber sole shoes. She felt angry about being asked to change the original flooring in the property. We checked the tenancy agreement and there is not requirement to lay carpets. We wrote to the landlord’s solicitor regarding the terms of the tenancy and their demands.
The solicitors stopped the legal action and their threats to sue her for costs. Eve feels pleased to be left alone to live her quiet life in her home.
Resources
AdviceNow KC HubDetails on local advice services in Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea providing housing advice services.
HASKCBorough wide independent housing advice service (consists of Staying put, Nucleus and Oliver Fisher solicitors).
ShelterA national homelessness and housing charity.