How we can help
Download our Housing Options Guide September 2024
Visiting us in person
If you attend one of our offices and are not homeless or threatened with homelessness, or we cannot see you at that time, we may arrange for you to return for a scheduled appointment to discuss your circumstances in more detail.
If you require assistance with homelessness and the offices are closed, there is a free phone in the foyer which will enable you to speak with a Housing Options Officer. Alternatively you can phone the council on 01884 255255 out of normal office hours to be put through to the Out of Hours Team.
Preventing your homelessness
We'll try to prevent you becoming homeless if possible and may be able to negotiate extra time for you so you can find somewhere else to live. If we can't help you to remain where you are, or you have nowhere to stay, then we will look to help you with a variety of other housing options. This could be help in accessing private rented accommodation, a move to supported accommodation or help in getting priority on the Devon Home Choice housing register.
If you become homeless
If you're already homeless or become homeless after approaching our service, we may then have a duty to relieve your homelessness.
We can do this by helping you find suitable accommodation to include:
- Accessing a tenancy in the private rented sector
- Accessing social housing
- Accessing an alternative housing option
The right outcome for you will depend on your own personal circumstances and the housing options available at that time.
If you have nowhere to stay tonight and if you or a member of your household are particularly vulnerable (for example vulnerable due to age, disability or health reasons), then we could have a duty to secure emergency accommodation for you.
However, even if you don't fall in to one of these categories, we'll still do our best to help you find alternative accommodation.
If you are rough sleeping
No one in Devon and Cornwall should need to sleep rough. There are services to support you. Devon & Cornwall Rough Sleepers Partnership can offer help, which may include:
- Giving you practical advice
- Supporting you to get back on their feet
- Help to get you back to friends and family
- Access to a range of emergency accommodation
If you are sleeping rough and would like our help, please contact us.
If you see someone sleeping and living outside, please contact us so we can help them. You can also contact Streetlink by phoning 0300 500 0914.
Cold weather provision
We provide help for rough sleepers during persistent cold weather. As soon as temperatures reading 0ºC or lower for three consecutive days, cold weather provision is activated and those who require accommodation under this provision need to contact us.
Emergency accommodation
If you are homeless we may provide temporary accommodation for you and your household until you are able find alternative accommodation. This could be bed and breakfast accommodation, or it could be supported housing reserved for use by homeless families. The type depends on demand at the time of homelessness and where there is a vacancy.
Temporary accommodation is generally only provided for emergency cases where the applicant is in priority need. Temporary accommodation is not guaranteed to be in your area of choice.
If we do provide temporary accommodation, an investigation will be carried out into the reasons for your homelessness. If we determine that you lost your previous home through your own fault, you could be found to be intentionally homeless. This means we will not have a duty to provide you with long term accommodation, but you may be given a period of time (usually 28 days) allowing you to find somewhere else to live. We may have a duty to inform Social Services if you have dependant children and are intentionally homeless.