Whether you're choosing to leave home or been asked to leave there are a number of options available to you including:
- sofa surfing or staying with friends or family
- supported accommodation
- shared accommodation
- private rented accommodation
- social housing.
Sofa surfing or staying with friends or family
Find out what you can do if you're sofa surfing or staying with friends or family
Supported accommodation
Supported accommodation helps you to practice living on your own with added help and support. Accommodation can be a single flat or a shared house.
Accommodation may include:
- a key worker on site 24 hours a day or available during office hours
- having to pay a service charge and some of your bills.
You'll be expected to follow the rules in place, and if you do not, you may risk losing your home.
Referrals are made through the housing options team.
Find out more about supported accommodation.
Shared accommodation
Shared accommodation can be a room in a shared house or flat. You may be sharing with people you know, or you do not know.
This could be a good option if you have friends who want to live together and share the costs.
Most rooms include bills such as:
- gas
- electricity
- Council Tax.
Find out what help is available to you.
Private accommodation
Private accommodation is a property owned by a private landlord, often advertised through letting agents. There can be more of a choice of properties in the private sector.
If you're under 18
Until you're 18, you're not able to privately rent on your own. Your tenancy would need to be held in trust for you until you reach 18. This means:
- you have a right to live in the property
- you have a beneficial interest in the property
- the trustee holds the legal title to the tenancy
- you would need to be able to afford all the rent and bills on your own.
Trustees can be:
- an adult relative
- a friend
- a social worker.
Trustees are responsible for making sure the rent is paid. However, they are not liable to pay the rent out of their own money unless they give a personal guarantee to do so.
More about private renting
Most private landlords will charge a deposit and at least a month's rent in advance.
Most private accommodation is unfurnished, so you'll need to furnish your home. Get support finding furniture.
Your tenancy agreement will include rules you need to follow. If you do not follow these rules, you may be evicted.
Find out more about the Private Rented Sector Scheme (PRS).
View how to rent information on GOV.UK.
Social housing
Social housing is accommodation owned by us at the council or Housing Associations. The demand in Medway is high, so we have a policy that sets out who can bid on social housing.
Download our housing allocations policy.
Social housing can be a cheaper alternative to private accommodation but getting a social housing property can take a long time and there is no guarantee.
You can register for social housing from the age of 17.
When you register for social housing, you'll be:
- assessed by priority of need
- added to the register (waiting list)
- given a banding depending on your circumstances.