Moving on from your temporary accommodation

While you are in temporary accommodation we will encourage and support you with your housing options and choice.

There may be several reasons why you will be moving out of your current PSL home.

The owner wants the property back (handback)

In PSL temporary accommodation, as we do not own your home, the owner has the right to ask for their property back and will give us upto 6 months’ notice, we call this a ‘handback’.

If this happens, we will offer you one alternative offer of suitable accommodation.

Your Temporary Accommodation Management Officer will send you a letter and a notice to quit advising you of the notice served.

You do not have to do anything, the Move-on Team will make contact with you once a suitable alternative property is available and arrange a viewing.

If you have been served with a notice for a property handback and wish to discuss your alternative offer, please contact the move on team by email at moveon@havering.gov.uk or by calling our contact centre on 01708 434 000. 

Ending your tenancy

When you move on from your home and into another property you must tell us as it is your responsibility to make sure:

• the rent has been paid up to date
• the property and garden(s) are cleared of your belongings 
• any repairs identified on the pre-exit inspection are completed to avoid being recharged
• keys returned in the key safe provided

Remember you remain responsible for the cost of any damage, removal of belongings (including waste) and furniture left behind and not the Council. This includes all items identified within the boundary lines of the property.

If you are ending your tenancy you must inform the us 28 days prior to you leaving.

Please email us your notification to moveon@havering.gov.uk

You will be notified before you leave that a key safe will be fitted outside the property and given a key safe number with instructions on how to leave your keys inside the key safe when leaving.

Housing and move-on options

A PSL property is temporary accommodation and therefore it is important to remain open to all the alternative accommodation options available for you to move on to. 

The council will look to move you from your current PSL accommodation for the following reasons.

• Successful review of suitability
• Domestic abuse and violence or serious risk to life 
• The owner wants the property back ‘Handback’
• The property is no longer habitable (flood or fire for example) 
• The Council has exercised its right to discharge its duty towards you into the private sector

The Move-on Team will be informed and responsible to move you to an alternative property.

There may be a period of time to wait while we find you a suitable home that meet you and your family’s needs.

However, to avoid any additional pressure and stress we advise that you work closely with the team and accept an offer of accommodation that is made available to you.

There are 3 options that will be considered.

1. Move to another PSL property

Within our PSL stock we will look to move you to an alternative suitable PSL property, this may be at outside of the borough (most our PSL properties outside of the borough are in Essex and Thurrock).  

2. Move to a short life property

Short life properties are owned and managed by the Council located across the borough on various regeneration estates.

When the estate is ready to be developed we will look at your housing options and work with you to find alternative accommodation.

3. Private rented sector offer PRSO

You may be offered a property in the Private Rented Sector with a two year Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST).

As you will no longer have a housing need we will discharge your homeless duty with the council and you will be removed from the Housing Register.  

What can you do to move-on?

We encourage all PSL tenants to also look for their own accommodation.

Your options

Fixed Term Council Accommodation

In order to be able to be considered for Council housing or Housing Association accommodation you will need to apply to join the housing register.

Find your own

You may also want to look for your own accommodation in the private sector.

The benefits of this is that you can choose the type of property, area and have assurance that you have a tenancy for a fixed period.

We may be able to assist you with some funding towards securing the accommodation through our  Find Your Own scheme.

HomeFinder

Some households have been on the waiting list for up to 7 years in Havering.

Homefinder gives you the opportunity to move to a more permanent home and benefit from a housing association tenancy where as a Council property is for a fixed term period.

We are working with Homefinder UK to offer people the chance to secure accommodation in other areas of the country including, Newcastle, Sheffield and Liverpool.

If you would like to find out more please visit the HomeFinder website.

You can also call 01708 434066 or email homefinder@havering.gov.uk.