Moving into temporary accommodation

Everything you need to know about moving into temporary accommodation and the support we can give you.

When you move into temporary accommodation you will receive an offer letter and sign an agreement. 

Your agreement will tell you what type of accommodation you are in and what your responsibilities are, for example: 

  • pay your housing charges like rent, service charges, Council Tax or utility bills on time
  • have care and consideration for your neighbours and anyone sharing your home
  • look after the accommodation and not damage anything
  • report any repairs to the right person 

You must read and understand this agreement. If you need help to understand your agreement or responsibilities, speak to the Temporary Accommodation Team using the details provided in the letter. 

If you do not keep to the terms of the agreement, you might have to leave the accommodation you are in and our homelessness duty to you may be terminated. 

What to do when you first move in

In your first week in temporary accommodation you should:

Paying your rent

You are responsible for paying rent from when your placement is agreed. This date could be a few days before you move in. 

Rent is usually charged on a weekly basis and payments should be made in advance to avoid going into arrears. Full details of the rent you will need to pay are in the rent letter you will receive. 

We want to make it easy for you to pay your rent, so we offer a choice of payment methods. See the different ways you can pay your rent.

You will need your rent account reference number to make a payment. Your account reference number can be found at the top of your rent statement or any rent arrears letters. It begins with the number 6 or a 7. 

Housing Benefit to help pay your rent 

If you are on a low income, you may be eligible for Housing Benefit to pay your rent. Most people in temporary accommodation receive this support. 

You must apply for Housing Benefit as soon as you can. Not doing so can lead to delays in your claim starting. You will be responsible for covering all rent payments until your Housing Benefit payments start. 

The amount of Housing Benefit you may be entitled to depends on: 

  • your household income
  • where you will be living
  • the number of people in your household 

Find out if you are eligible and apply for Housing Benefit. 

To get help to apply for Housing Benefit, you can reach out to one of these local organisations who provide a benefits advice service.

When you receive Housing Benefit, it is your responsibility to tell us about any changes in your household circumstances, as it may change the amount you are entitled to. Failure to do so means you could be paid too much benefit and have to pay back the overpayment. Visit report a change in circumstances for Housing Benefit.

Remember that Universal Credit does not cover the rent for temporary accommodation, so if you receive this when you move into temporary accommodation, you must update your claim. Visit report a change in circumstances for Universal Credit.

To speak to someone about your rent, you can contact the Temporary Accommodation Rent Team by: 

Paying your Council Tax 

You will need to contact the council in which your accommodation is located to register for a Council Tax account. You will be able to do this on their website. Find out which local council you are in and register for Council Tax.

If your accommodation is in Lambeth, visit register for Council Tax.

Depending on your circumstances, you might be entitled to Council Tax support. You will usually be able to apply for this alongside setting up your Council Tax account. 

You may also want to check if you can pay less Council Tax on Citizens Advice.

Paying your utility bills

Utility bills include your gas, electricity and water bills. 

In most types of temporary accommodation you are responsible for all utility bills, unless you have been informed otherwise. If you are unsure about this, contact the Temporary Accommodation Team on 020 7926 1000 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday).

You will need to find out who supplies each of the utilities to your accommodation and contact the utility companies to have the accounts transferred into your name. 

When you move into or out of a property you should take meter readings to ensure you only pay for what you use. 

Get financial help

In some cases, you may be eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP). The DHP scheme is for people who need financial help with their housing costs in addition to Housing Benefit. 

Find out if you are eligibile and apply for a DHP. 

Get debt and money advice 

If you're having trouble paying your rent because of debt, our Temporary Accommodation Rent Team can make relevant referrals to support you. 

Contact the Temporary Accommodation Rent Team by:

You can also find out about organisations who provide support with debt and money advice on our get debt and money advice webpage. 

Get Cost of Living support

You can get support with the cost of living, including: 

  • saving on the cost of energy
  • food vouchers, free school meals and free childcare for parents and guardians
  • benefits and financial support, e.g., Council Tax Support and Household Support Fund
  • support if you’re over 60 

Find out about the support you could receive with the cost of living in Lambeth. 

Additional financial support 

If you're struggling financially and need help with money, you may be eligible to apply for support such as grants, benefits, help with bills and local schemes.  

Lightning Reach allows you to find and apply for support, quickly and easily, from multiple providers. 

Avoid being evicted

If you are struggling to keep up with payments in temporary accommodation, you should contact the Temporary Accommodation Rent Team on 020 7926 9070.

They can help you to access the right support and avoid being evicted. 

There are still some circumstances where you could be evicted from temporary accommodation. This includes if you: 

  • do not pay your rent or service charges
  • make a false claim as part of your homelessness application
  • do not stay at the property
  • break accommodation rules or the terms of your licence or tenancy agreement, for example, if you cause nuisance to neighbours
  • sublet your accommodation or allow other people to stay there
  • refuse a final offer of suitable temporary or long-term accommodation
  • are found to be intentionally homeless or no longer eligible for assistance, or any other negative decision on your homelessness case

If you are evicted it is unlikely that we will be able to find you another place to live. You will have to find somewhere yourself.   

If this makes you homeless, you can make a new homeless application, but we may decide that you are intentionally homeless and not eligible for further assistance. This could mean you are no longer able to access temporary accommodation or long-term housing like social housing.