DO YOU WANT YOUR OWN HOME?
At 16, you have the right to leave home if you really want to. However, nowadays many young people live with their parents longer for all sorts of reasons. Maybe you’re happy living with your parents or carers or perhaps you would like to leave but don’t know how to go about it. On the other hand, perhaps you’re worried about how you would cope living alone, afford to live alone or that leaving home may hurt your parents.
Fairway‘s help may include:
• Information and advice about your choices
• Supporting you to see different options available
• Helping you apply for housing benefit
• Looking at the kind of adaptations you may require for your home
• Finding out what grants are available to pay for adapting your home
• Making a list of what help you will require to live in your own home
You could choose to live with friends or other people you have something in common with. Sharing a place with other people can be hard work, but it can also be interesting and fun while helping you become more independent. You may also feel safer sharing with others than living on your own.
You have 3 options to rent. The first option is local council housing which is managed by the local authority housing department (please contact your local authority council housing department). In order to get a council house you need to be on the waiting list. You will also have to live or work in the area or be moving to the area because of work or family living in the area.
Before filling in the application form, ask to discuss your housing needs with someone in the housing department and ask them to explain how long it may take before getting your own house. Some areas operate a point system – which means there is a priority list for people waiting for a house. Depending on your need and circumstance, you may have to wait several months before getting a council house.
This is why you should look at all 3 options if you are looking to move out sooner rather than later.
The second option is housing associations. A housing association is not for profit making organisation committed to meeting specific housing needs in your area. If you search the internet for Housing Associations in Ayr a list of all the associations will be there and you will be required to contact each individually and register with them, and download application forms.
The third option is private housing places to rent. These are usually found in local newspapers and estate agents. If you find a rented place you like, you just phone up the landlord and ask to look around and check how much the rent is. If you like what you see you will need to make an agreement with the landlord. If you have an advocate, they could help you with this. There are two major problems with renting from a private landlord - they often don’t rent to people who are on benefits, and few places are adapted for disabled people.
Useful Links
Citizens Advice Scotland Guide for Housing
Fairway Project Young Adult in her own home
