What is Temporary Accommodation?

Temporary Accommodation is made available to homeless applicants believed to have a priority need for housing. This accommodation is provided whilst the local authority is working to relieve homelessness and/or decide whether a full housing duty is owed.  If a full housing duty is owed, a household will remain in temporary accommodation until the housing duty is discharged by either securing a 12-month tenancy in the private rented sector or moving to social rented accommodation.  The average length of stay in Temporary Accommodation with Rother District Council is now five months but for some households it could be longer i.e. large households, those requiring adapted properties, as suitable properties are harder to find.

What is Temporary Accommodation like and where will it be?

Temporary Accommodation can be a B&B placement with shared facilities or a self-contained unit. It’s possible that during a households’ period in temporary accommodation the place where the household stays may have to change.  This could be due to the need to move from B&B to self-contained accommodation, a property that better suits the needs of the household becomes available, because of problems with the accommodation, or for safeguarding reasons.

Rother District Council does not own any of the temporary accommodation it uses. Only a very small number of the properties available are for Rother District Council’s exclusive use; the other placements are in accommodation that other Local Authorities also use to place homeless households.  A small number of Temporary Accommodation placements are available in Rother; the remainder are in areas such as Hastings, St Leonards, Eastbourne and parts of Kent.  Family sized accommodation and wheelchair or adapted properties are very difficult to find and placements will not always be in the district.

What is expected of me whilst living in Temporary Accommodation?

At the time a placement is made, each homeless household must sign an agreement to abide by the terms and conditions of staying in the accommodation. Any breach of these conditions may lead to the provision of temporary accommodation being terminated and the council ending its duty.

A guide to the terms and rules of temporary accommodation placements can be found below.