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Temporary accommodation

If you are homeless as defined by legislation, have nowhere to stay and you have been accepted as being in priority need or the council thinks you may have priority need, it may provide you with temporary accommodation.

Medway Council's Temporary Accommodation Strategy aims to:

  • reduce the number of households and length of stay in temporary accommodation by preventing homelessness or providing alternative accommodation that is more secure and
  • minimise the negative impact on households by providing good quality accommodation and accompanying support to reduce the risk of repeat homelessness.

The council is available to assess people for temporary accommodation and provide it 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

You can access this service through Riverside One. Out of hours, an officer is always available on 01634 304400 to help with arranging temporary accommodation if you are eligible for assistance, homeless and have a priority need.

This may happen if the council has:

  • not yet made a decision on your homeless application;
  • accepted a duty to re-house you but does not have any suitable accommodation to offer immediately;
  • decided that you became homeless intentionally, in which case temporary accommodation will be provided for a reasonable period;
  • decided that you do not have a local connection with Medway and is waiting for the outcome of a referral to another council.

Your case will be allocated to a Temporary Accommodation Officer who will support you while you are in temporary accommodation, while either the Homelessness or Options Officer investigates your application or housing options to either return to your home or move into more settled accommodation.

Location of temporary accommodation

Due to the high demand for temporary accommodation, it may be anywhere in Medway but you will have the opportunity to say what type of accommodation you need and tell the council about any relevant circumstances, such as the location of schools or your need for disabled access. This will be taken into account when the temporary accommodation is allocated. If the council is unable to meet your needs, then it will support you to meet your needs, for example by arranging transport to school.

In some circumstances, if you are heavily pregnant, disabled or vulnerable in some other way, the council can provide transport to your allocated temporary accommodation. If you fall outside of these criteria, however, you will be expected to make your own travel arrangements.

In some circumstances, the council will provide you with a rail warrant. These are available from Chatham Contact Point, are issued at the discretion of the temporary accommodation team and can be used to help you and your family travel to your accommodation or to attend your homeless interview.


Types of temporary accommodation

In an emergency, the council may have no alternative but to accommodate you in bed and breakfast (B&B) accommodation temporarily until it can find alternative accommodation but it will try to avoid this where possible, specially for young people and families.

The council's temporary accommodation comprises:

  • B&B (emergency accommodation);
  • B&B houses (emergency accommodation);
  • unfurnished bed-sits;
  • studio flats;
  • one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom properties;
  • furnished, self-contained one-bedroom flats.

In some circumstances, the council can provide new furniture. For further information, please visit Chatham Contact Point.


Refusal of temporary accommodation

If you refuse the temporary accommodation without a valid reason, the council will not provide any other accommodation and you will have to make your own arrangements. It will continue to process your homeless application, however, until it has discharged our duty to you.

If you make your own arrangements for temporary accommodation, you must provide your contact details to your Homeless Officer. If you do not and as result you do not receive information of an offer, the council will have discharged its duty to you.


Protection of property

If you have furniture and other such items and you are unable to store them, the council will arrange storage of your furniture for you but there is a charge for this service. Arrangements can be made for you to pay the storage charges weekly. Find out more about storing and protecting your property.

Leaflets

Visit the Housing leaflets page to download:

AmicusHorizon

Looking to let your property with an experienced lettings company? Find out more about what AmicusHorizon Ltd (trading as Avenue) can offer you.

If you are looking to rent in the private sector AmicusHorizon can help you find a suitable property. It is an expert in property management and can provide you with a quality service, whatever your needs. It is unique in that it works with both the private and public sectors in order to meet local housing demands. Through its work with private landlords it is able to help its Local Authority partners to reduce homelessness.

For its landlords it offers full management services and a guaranteed monthly rent under its guaranteed leasing scheme. It can take the hassle away from letting by offering a 24 hour repairs service.  It also has a direct agreement with tenants so they can deal with it on all tenancy matters.

In addition it can offer::

  • fixed term lease of one to three years;
  • rent guaranteed and  paid directly to you monthly;
  • guarantee against tenant damage;
  • professional management service at no  fees;
  • buildings insurance at a reduced premium;
  • guaranteed vacant possession at the end of the lease;
  • free Inventory and Property Condition Report;
  • regular property inspections;
  • a hassle free lettings service for you.

To arrange a free, no obligation property visit, please contact the Business Development team from AmicusHorizon Ltd.

Phone: 0845 064 4000
Fax: 01795 439 235
Email: info@avenuelettings.co.uk 
Website: www.avenuelettings.co.uk/

For more information contact Housing Services by telephone: 01634 333600 or by email: housing@medway.gov.uk

Write to: Housing Services, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

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