Housing

Since being elected, Housing is one of the most common issues that people come to me with.

For specialist assistance with Housing, the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) or the homelessness charity Shelter, may be better placed to advise you. You can get in touch with them via their websites here: http://www.suttoncabx.org.uk/housing-advice.htm and here: http://england.shelter.org.uk/.

If you are looking to apply for social housing, either because you’re being evicted, or your change in personal circumstances mean you cannot afford your privately rented property for example, then you first need to complete an online housing options form here: http://www.suttonhomechoice.org.uk/.

By completing this, you will be given a personal, straightforward, action plan which will tell you what steps you should then take or who you should contact, to make sure you get the right level of help for your particular housing problems.

Starting the process is easy and you can save your progress, coming back to it when you have more time or you have got the relevant information asked for in the assessment form.

If your action plan recommends that you apply for social housing, you will be directed to apply on the Sutton Home Choice website.

If you consider your case to be urgent, either because you are currently homeless or are about to be, then you will still have to complete an online housing options form, but you will be directed on how to get the help you need. If you think your situation is an emergency, contact the Council on 020 8770 4442 and press option ‘3’, then ‘3’ again.

If you have already applied for social housing or have discussed housing with the Council already, but you disagree with a decision they’ve made, you’ve been in temporary or emergency accommodation longer than expected, they have not responded to you or you have some other complaint regarding the Council’s housing service, then you can raise a complaint here: https://www.sutton.gov.uk/info/200436/customer_services/1058/feedback_complaints_and_compliments/6/. If you are not satisfied with their response, then you may ask for it to be escalated to a Stage Two complaint. If you are still unsatisfied, then you can ask the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) to consider this for you.

If your complaint is about the state of repair of your current Council property, then you can ask Sutton Housing Partnership (SHP) to look into it by calling 020 8915 2000 or emailing customercare@suttonhousingpartnership.org.uk. If you are not satisfied with the service they have delivered or want to complain for any reason, then email complaints@suttonhousingpartnership.org.uk, call them on 020 8915 2000 or write to Customer Resolutions Team, Sutton Housing Partnership, Sutton Gate, 1 Carshalton Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 4LE.

If you are in a housing association property and want to complain then check their website for details of their complaints procedure or get in touch and I can provide these details.

If you are privately renting from an agency or private landlord and have a complaint, they will also have their own complaints procedure, but you may be better placed getting in touch with the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) for specialist housing advice here: http://www.suttoncabx.org.uk/housing-advice.htm.