Housing Advice Service

Housing Advice and Homelessness Prevention Team

Housing advisers provide advice and assistance to people in public or private sector accommodation concerned with tenancy related issues or where they are or may become homeless.

The primary focus of the service is to prevent homelessness wherever possible and to assess whether a client is homeless, eligible and in priority need or vulnerable.

Should the referral criteria be met, the client is referred to the homeless persons team to investigate the case and provide temporary accommodation as appropriate. If a client does not meet the referral criteria, a housing needs assessment is undertaken.

The Housing Advice service is located at John Smith House, Bevan Avenue, Barking and you can make an appointment to see a housing adviser to discuss any of the following issues:

Landlord/Private Rented Sector Problems
Possession Proceedings
Relationship Breakdown/Tenancy Implications
Your rights to stay in your home
Homelessness Prevention and Housing options
Homeless Persons Assessment

Housing Advice Surgeries|

Current initiatives

The service maintains the service user forum that includes local voluntary organisations involved with homelessness, young people and landlord/tenant issues.

There are various outreach sessions held at the Gascoigne Aid and Advice Service, and Thames Side Community Support Services and we attend facilitate housing and advice meetings with black and minority ethnic groups within Barking and Dagenham.

Develop move on accommodation links with the Accommodation Services Team for non-priority need single young homeless people and facilitates referrals to the family mediation scheme.

The service maintains various information packs to assist homeless people find alternative accommodation if we cannot accommodate them. These advice and assistance packs are available from the address shown during office hours or can be sent by post if requested.

Working with Housing Strategy on:

Development of foyer scheme
Move On accommodation for specific need groups e.g. Community Mental Health Team and learning disabilities
Homelessness Strategy

Standards of service you can expect from us

You will be entitled to a service, which is prompt, courteous and confidential
Private and confidential interview rooms are available
Name badges will be worn and officers will introduce themselves

If you telephone us we will:

Answer courteously
Give our name and section
Answer the telephone within 5 rings
Redirect you to the right person if your enquiry needs to be dealt with by someone else in the council

If you write to us we will:

Acknowledge within 2 working days of receipt
Full response within 8 working days of receipt
If we are unable to provide a full response within 8 working days, we will explain why and when we will write to you again
Our letter will be written in plain English. The use of legal phrases will be kept to an absolute minimum

If you visit us we will ensure that:

If you do not have an appointment your details will be taken within 15 minutes
If we are unable to deal with your enquiry, you will be offered an appointment within 6 working days
If you have an appointment you will be seen within 10 minutes of the allocated time
You will be notified in advance of changes to your appointment time
We would ask that you let us know in good time, if you are unable to keep an appointment
If you elect to see a female or male officer we will endeavour to meet your request

Contact

Housing Advice and Homelessness Prevention Team

John Smith House

Bevan Avenue

Barking

IG11 9LL

Tel: 020 8215 3002

Fax: 020 8227 5080

Email: housingadviceservice@lbbd.gov.uk|

Written enquiries:

PO Box 48

Dagenham

RM10 7DE