Temporary accommodation (TA)

In some circumstances it may be necessary for the survivor and their household to move into temporary accommodation while they are waiting for rehousing or taking action to exclude the perpetrator. The decision to place a tenant and their household into temporary accommodation is made by the Neighbourhood Housing Manager who will pay regard to the subject expertise and recommendations of core professionals such as IDSVAs and the police.

It is important that the survivor is provided with clear information about what support is available and is signposted the DVA survivor’s toolkit, so that they can make an informed decision. The survivor should be advised that they can approach any Local Authority if they would feel safer out-of-borough/county.

You should explain the type of accommodation that is likely to be provided as temporary accommodation and should ensure that the survivor is supported to apply for dual housing benefit/housing element and council tax support.

If the survivor wants to access TA through Camden, the process for requesting this is:

• TA authorised by Neighbourhood Housing Manager.
• TA request form emailed to the Temporary Accommodation Placements team, including details of danger/exclusion areas and accessibility needs:  [email protected] .
• The team will check available TA against the tenant’s requirements. A reservation is usually made within 24 hours of the form being received.
• The team will notify the requester (usually the NHO) when a reservation is made so that they can notify the survivor with the address.
• If the tenant accepts then they are provided with the address or contacted by the letting agent to arrange collection of the keys.
• If the tenant declines the offer the TA placements team will need to know the reasons for refusal before considering whether another offer can be made.
• Once the stay in TA has ended the NHO should notify the TA placements team so that the booking is closed.

Requests for temporary accommodation out of hours should be made by contacting the on-call team: 020 7974 4444.

Short stay void flats (EMTA)

There are a small number of fully furnished voids for use as temporary accommodation. These are intended as short stay accommodation while other housing options are pursued. It is expected that all other temporary accommodation options are explored first. If these have been exhausted, or would significantly affect the wellbeing of the survivor and their family, this option can be considered.

These properties may not always be available due to high demand. You should also actively manage the expectations of the survivor to ensure people move on from these flats quickly so they are available for other survivors when needed.

Please read these pages here for more information about finding and using one of these flats.  Cases need approval by a Landlord Service Manager.

Important:  Cases where tenants are in TA should be actively case managed to facilitate resettlement into a secure tenancy.

To support this:

• Ensure that resident and their household they have the right support and advice and have been awarded the maximum housing points they are eligible for.
• Ensure that they understand the bidding system.
• It may be that that a direct offer is considered if the person is unsuccessful in bidding especially if they have been in TA for some time.
• Try to encourage survivors to have realistic expectations of the homes that will be available to them. Social housing is a very scarce resource, especially in Camden.

Removals and storage

If required, we can fund removal and storage of the survivor’s belongings using Crown Removals. More information on making a request can be found here.