Support after move-in to social housing
The social worker and housing officer will undertake a joint visit to the young person in their new accommodation within 6 weeks of them moving in.
The social worker will also, in consultation with the young person, update their pathway plan on commencement of tenancy to reflect any changes in the young person’s needs, goals and support required to settle into their new home and continue on their transition to adulthood.
Support after move-in to the private rented sector (PRS)
The PRS tenancy relations officer provides tenancy sustainment support to young people in the PRS.
Once the young person has moved in, the tenancy relations officer will reach out to the young person and their social worker to introduce themselves as a key point of contact and offer support with settling in, setting up benefits and any other tenancy-related needs.
If the landlord has serious concerns about the young person, such as accumulating rent arrears or anti-social behaviour, they will contact the procurement officer in the first instance, who in turn will raise this with the PRS tenancy relations officer and or the social worker for them to provide appropriate support and intervention to promote tenancy sustainment.
Repairs and maintenance in council tenancies
Hammersmith & Fulham is responsible for:
- undertaking major repairs
- keeping in repair and working order gas, water and electricity supplies
- managing hazards that may present a risk to health, such as damp and mould
- upkeep of communal areas.
The council has a responsibility to carry out repairs within a reasonable time, with set times for certain urgent or ‘qualifying’ repairs.
As a tenant, the young person is responsible for:
- upkeep of the property
- replacement of furnishings and appliances
- minor repairs and decorations
- and reporting any repairs that are the council’s responsibility.
They are also responsible for any damage or repairs they cause themselves.
Care leavers should contact the council’s repairs service to report any repairs or maintenance issues, with the assistance of their housing officer, social worker and or floating support worker where necessary.
Any issues with this should be escalated to the care leaver’s housing advisor.
Repairs and maintenance with registered housing associations
The housing association is responsible for undertaking any required repairs.
Care leavers should contact the housing association directly to report any repairs or maintenance issues, with the help of their social worker and or floating support worker where necessary. Any issues with this should be escalated to the care leaver’s housing advisor.
Repairs and maintenance in the PRS
The private landlord or estate agent is responsible for undertaking any required repairs.
Young people should contact the landlord directly, with the help of their social worker or floating support worker where necessary. Any issues with this should be escalated to the care leaver’s housing advisor who can provide additional support.
Support for rent arrears in council tenancies
All care leavers in council tenancies will be flagged on the council's housing system as care leavers at sign-up. The contact details of their social worker and or the leaving care duty service will also be included so that any concerns relating to tenancy sustainment can be escalated appropriately by the housing officer or rental income officer.
If a care leaver in a council tenancy is starting to accumulate arrears, the rental income support officer or housing officer should alert the young person’s social worker. The rental income support officer and or housing officer should work collaboratively with the social worker to understand why the care leaver is in arrears and support them to reduce this. A housing plan should then be drawn up between the social worker, rental income officer and or housing officer and the young person.
The housing officer, social worker or rental income support officer should refer the young person to the Welfare Benefits team by submitting a referral form or calling the welfare benefits advice line. The young person can also refer themselves.
The support offer includes:
- personal budgeting support
- assistance with claiming the correct benefits
- requesting reviews and appeals of benefit decisions
- awarding fuel vouchers and foodbank referrals
- small awards of financial support
- support through eviction proceedings
- negotiating with creditors
- and referrals to the specialist debt advice service.
The team also liaise directly with the Rental Income team to agree personalised re-payment plans and, in a very small number of cases, to seek agreement on writing off rent arrears altogether.
Support for rent arrears in tenancies with registered providers
If a care leaver in a tenancy with a registered provider is starting to accumulate arrears, the housing officer should alert the young person’s social worker. The housing officer or social worker should refer the young person to the Link and Support team for further support.
The young person can also refer themselves via email at hf.link@lbhf.gov.uk or calling 020 8753 1587.
This could include support with:
- escalating benefits-related issues
- referrals for further budgeting support
- access to fuel vouchers and other cost-of-living related financial support
- and advocacy on behalf of the young person.
Support for rent arrears in the PRS
The landlord should notify the procurement officer if the young person is accumulating rent arrears. The procurement officer should then raise this with the PRS tenancy relations officer and or social worker to provide support to the young person to resolve this.
The procurement officer or social worker should refer the young person to the H&F Link and Support team for further support.
The young person can also refer themselves via email at hf.link@lbhf.gov.uk or calling 020 8753 1587.
Floating support
Care leavers who are moving into or have already moved into their own tenancies may be eligible to be referred to the floating support service directly commissioned by Children’s Services.
This is a tenancy mentoring service aimed at supporting care experienced young people aged 18 to 25 years old moving into their first home, to increase tenancy success.
Young people are entitled to up to 6 months of support via weekly one-to-one sessions. The young person’s social worker should send referrals using the floating support referral form to referrals@wearesettle.org
Housing also offer a floating support service for those requiring general housing-related support in their own tenancies. The young person or their social worker should complete the referral form and send it to housing.support@lbhf.gov.uk