8 ways to get a house

This page has technical information about the main ways to get a house.
8 is not the real number. There are lots of ways to get a house. But in the end there's only one way to get a house - the one you have chosen that seems to work.

There are hundreds of possible options. But hundreds of options is too confusing. So we will pretend there are 8.

We calculated that if you take a number of criteria:

• Tenure – whether you own or rent, part own, share and so on

• Type of Housing provider – Council, Housing Association, Private market, Charity, Family or Trust
• New or existing housing, acquisition and improvement or new build
• Built form – cluster flats, bedsits, bungalow, wheelchair accessible, shared housing
• Form of support – integral, on site, visiting, community or community network, adult placement, individual or team, paid and unpaid
• Service funding – residential care, supported housing, health funded, direct payment or individual budget
• Registration status – care home, domiciliary care, HMO, SP.

First of all we have to think what we want:

• Our plans
• Reasons for wanting to move
• How soon
• Ideal requirements – e.g. where, sharing or living alone, in town or somewhere quiet
• Being near jobs, college, or services, family and social networks
• Transport
• Safety security and freedom from harassment.

There are other important things to think about as well as just the housing:

• Support for living
• Eligibility for care and support services
• Income and benefits
• Family help with money
• Who can help with planning or finding houses.

Find out about what's available in the area – like planning a shopping trip – or get someone to help you with it:
 

• Find people who know about housing locally. Talk to people in the council housing department
• Ask about allocations schemes
• And local housing strategy priorities
• Which housing associations might be able to help
• Make a list of possible partners?
• Find out about money from the Homes and Communities Agency for new housing association buildings
• What could private landlords offer
• Get someone who knows about local rent levels and house prices
• Suitable areas and availability of housing to buy or let

With ideas on all these points begin with an open mind to think about a range of options.

Here are 8 ways to get a house:

• Existing care homes
• Applying for housing association or Council Housing
• New housing association development
• Private landlords and private sector leasing
• Shared ownership
• Home ownership - use of Trust
• Family investment or staying put
• Buy to let.

You may feel you don't know what some of these are, what they might be good for and what you can do with them. Standards of accommodation vary enormously, some better than others. Some offer more choice than others. Some may be expensive; others can be a bit complicated or not quite what you want. There are some that are much quicker and less effort than others. There are off the peg and tailor made solutions.

New buildings take time to produce but you may think it's worth waiting. Some are safe and secure and others carry an element of risk. Private renting for example may only offer short term tenancies. Residential care home providers can sell up and move abroad. Some work for sharing with others but ownership is usually ownership of your own flat or house. Some are subsidised by government money through grants or Housing Benefit others can be done with family money. It may be important to you that there is someone looking after repairs and maintenance for you. As an owner you usually have to do all this yourself. One of the options is to stay where you are but perhaps make improvements to the support you receive or to the accommodation you live in.

Housing and Support Alliance has information by phone or on our website. You may be able to find someone locally who could help. Moving house is an important step so it's worth thinking ideas through and getting expert help.


If you're stuck for an idea or need some help try enquiries@housingandsupport.org.uk
____________________________________________________________

Although we try to ensure that statements as to the law and other facts are accurate this report gives general guidance and does not aim to cater for individual cases. The Housing and Support Alliance and its sponsors cannot accept responsibility for any loss incurred as a result of relying on such statements, specific advice should always be obtained on individual cases.

 

 

Housing and Support Alliance

Registered Charity Number 1092587

© All rights reserved. No reproduction is permitted without written permission from the Housing and Support Alliance.