Finding your own accommodation

Privately renting has many advantages such as:

• you choose where you live
• be near your support network, schools, employment, hospitals, your GP and other key services
• you can find the property of your choice.

You may be eligible for help towards your rent by claiming housing benefit or universal credit.

These are welfare benefits to assist residents to pay their rent. The amount you receive depends on your income, savings, capital and other factors.

Where to look for private rented accommodation

To look for your own property you can talk to friends and family about any opportunities/vacancies, sign up with estate agents or if you have access to the internet you can look for properties on the following property sites:

• Gumtree
• OpenRent
• Really Moving
• Rent Direct UK
• Right Move
• Spare Room
• Zoopla
• P3 Hillingdon supported accommodation

Find out the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates for the area you are looking at properties.

Paying for privately-rented accommodation

Depending on your financial situation, you may be able to claim the Housing Element of Universal Credit towards the cost of your rent. We can assist in negotiations with landlords and can offer advice on all areas of renting.

• Help with your council tax
  All councils now set their own local council tax reduction scheme.
• Discretionary housing payment
  If you receive housing benefit but have difficulty meeting any shortfall in your rent and your landlord refuses to reduce the rent, you can apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment.
• Changes to Disability Living Allowance
  Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
• Universal Credit (UC)
  UC replaced some benefits that are administered by the Department for Work and Pensions.
• Citizens Advice Hillingdon 
  Offers free, confidential, and impartial advice on money, debt, benefits, and housing.
• Step Change Debt Charity
  Provides expert advice and debt management plans. Available via phone and online. 

End of tenancy notice

If you are in rented accommodation and have a tenancy agreement, your landlord must serve you with notice to end the tenancy. The form of the notice will depend on the type of tenancy you have and the reason the landlord is asking you to leave. For example, the landlord is required to give different notice periods if they want you to leave due to rent arrears or if they want you to leave because they intend to redevelop the property.

Eviction notice

If you are living in privately-rented accommodation and your landlord has served you with a valid Section 21 notice, this is the beginning of a process for the landlord to recover the property. If you do not have alternative accommodation to move into once the Section 21 has expired, your landlord will then need to apply to the court for the possession order. This process can take several months, following the expiry of the original notice.

Unlawful eviction

Your landlord may be guilty of unlawful eviction if:

• you are not given the correct notice to leave the property
• the locks are changed without your knowledge
• you are evicted without a court order
• you are forced to leave the property with threats or violence.

Domestic abuse

Domestic abuse is a crime and should reported to the police. If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger call 999.

If you, or someone you know, is a victim of domestic violence and abuse, you can report this to the council.

• Hillingdon Women's Centre
  Offers confidential support for women facing domestic abuse and homelessness.
• Hestia 
  Provides specialist domestic abuse support services, including refuge accommodation.