Advice on homelessness
Lambeth’s Housing Services unit provides advice and assistance to people with housing problems. Our aim is to prevent homelessness by giving advice and intervention. This includes advice to private sector tenants on issues such as rent arrears, disrepair and landlord/tenant disputes. We also advise owner-occupiers on issues such as mortgage arrears or service charge problems.
We work closely with private sector landlords and tenants to maintain successful tenancies by providing an early and rapid response to their housing problems. This includes liaising with the Housing Benefit department to resolve problems with claims, dealing with mortgage lenders and providing practical advice and assistance where required.
Who is eligible?
- Private sector tenants
- Housing association tenants
- Private sector leaseholders
- Freeholders
What can I expect from housing advice?
- Advice on a range of issues, including rent and mortgage arrears, disrepair and eviction proceedings
- Advice and information relevant to your circumstances that will help you to keep your home
- Liaison with benefit agencies, in particular assistance with communication between the Housing Benefit department and individual private sector landlords or managing agents to ensure prompt assessment and payment of claims
- Comprehensive advice to owner-occupiers and long leaseholders, especially those on low incomes, on all aspects of service charge problems, mortgage arrears, multiple debt and income maximisation
- Negotiation with banks, building societies and other lending institutions in order to prevent homelessness
- Representation of clients at formal hearings
How do I access the service?
You can access housing advice by approaching the Housing Services Unit at the address at the top of this page.