Housing Association Properties (where to find them)
It’s interesting that in Finland, the main ‘national landlord’ is non-profit. And this is the first country to achieve almost zero homelessness. There is obviously a link.
Housing associations are non-profit landlords, to offer decent affordable homes to people who need them most, bridging the gap between council housing and private rental. They work with councils but stay separate.
This Finnish non-profit landlord as an example offers nice flats with spacious interiors and outdoor green space, near good public transport links. Why are we not doing the same here?
There are several types of housing associations in England. The main one is LSVT (large scale voluntary transfer) where councils hand their stock over to an independent organisation, to then invest in repairs and upgrades.
Others specialise in helping groups like older people or those with disabilities. Often you have to be over 60 to rent. Housing associations can choose between offering properties at social rent (50% below market rate) or affordable (80% below market rent).
Struggling to buy outright? Shared ownership lets you buy a part of your home and pay rent on the rest. Over time, you can buy more shares if your finances improve. Share to Buy is the main website to find out more, and view available homes.
Some are not fans, others say you’re basically still renting, but taking on the added cost of being responsible for repairs.
The benefits are lower rents and long-term security, and support for vulnerable and low-income groups. You also can get repairs and safety checks done, but due to funding cuts, there may be backlogs for repairs, and years to find the right property.
Homes are usually on a 12-month tenancy, then a fixed-term tenancy of at least 5 years, then later on you can opt to buy your home.
Homefinder UK is the main place to look for affordable housing association properties nationwide. You can request homes outside your area, but must be registered with a council or housing association, in order to apply.
You can also apply for council housing and sheltered housing (these have wardens and alarms, for older, disabled or vulnerable people).
Peabody is England’s oldest non-profit housing association. If you find a property (London or home counties), you can also request a repair online. This site has a useful page for anyone on safety considerations, so you know what to check, to ensure your home is safe. This covers:
- Fire safety and cladding
- Damp, mould and condensation
- Gas and electric safety
- Asbestos
- Water safety
Places for People lets you search for affordable homes in England and Scotland. We entered ‘Sutton’ (in Essex) within 50 miles and it brought up one property in Bedfordshire. A small flat near shops with a communal launderette, for £575 per month.
Finding pet-friendly rental accommodation
Many people struggle to find rental accommodation in England, because so many landlords and landladies won’t accept pets.
- Lets with Pets (run by Dogs Trust) offers a free Good Practice Handbook for landlords (Endsleigh Insurance provides landlords with pet cover).
- Start searching for suitable property weeks beforehand, ensuring it’s somewhere near to work, if you can’t afford to hire a dog walker.
- Write a pet CV including references from friends, vets and previous landlords. Also introduce to prospective landlords.
- PetsLets (London) educates landlords and estate agents, to inspire them to allow pets. DogLaw has useful info.
- On arrival, take dogs for a nice walk, and keep familiar smells nearby (pet beds, clothes – not socks as these are choking hazards).
- If moving by car, Driving with Dogs lists walks near motorway exits, in case you get stuck in a traffic jam.
- Read up on train travel with pets (animals must be kept on leads or in carriers, and bring water and treats – pets are not allowed on escalators (they must be carried) and never allow animals near trains.
- If moving in or out, ensure pets are safe for pets (includes indoor plants to avoid). Also avoid facing indoor foliage to gardens, to help stop bird strike.
Social Bite offers free food at their coffee shops in London (plus Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen in Scotland) as takeaway and sit-in services). People can pay-it-forward by purchasing a meal for a homeless person with their own meal, so the homeless person can come in and enjoy free food. This idea funds around 3000 food and drink items each week.
The menu includes nutritious smoothies, and you can also donate online one-off or monthly, and this goes to create vouchers that local charities then give to homeless people to order a smoothie at the cafe.
Social Bite villages are beautiful communities with people on-site to help. These are rapidly-build communities set in attractive landscaping, each village has around 15 modern sustainable homes and a vibrant hub for communal activities, for a blueprint that local councils and organisations can adapt.
The idea is to go beyond the normal ‘stick people in hostels or small hotels’. Many are of poor standard and rules hinder people’s journey to independence, many are cold and damp without locks on doors or cooking facilities and often don’t allow pets.
These are different. Run with social partners, residents can come and go as they please, pets are welcome and you get to run your own home, with 24/7 hour support. There are also skills workshops from baking to yoga.
using factory-made pre-fab buildings means homes are cheap and quick to build. Each ‘nest house’ includes a bedroom, shower room, kitchen and living space, built on unused land.
Residents live here for 12 to 18 months before becoming independent, and the homes are then free to help someone else. The proposed ‘ recovery village’ is being built in honour of a Dundee businessman who helped local people who struggled with addiction.
