Tell me more about
GETTING ACCOMMODATION
WITH RENÉ HOUSE
René House provides a short term solution for people who need accommodation and extra support in order to maintain the accommodation and get back onto their feet.
We house and support people with the end goal of helping them to develop the tools to be able to live more independently.
"The property was of a very high standard, decorated and furnished throughout..."
Housing Navigator (DNLR Probation Service)
"The support René House provide is professional and honest. As a team they go above and beyond..."
René House Resident
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The René House
RESIDENT JOURNEY
Not everyone learns and understands information the same way and we get that. This is why we came up with our Resident Journey.
This is a visual representation of how we envision our service supporting people. It isn't a complete or exhaustive list of what we do but it gives a good overview of our service.
We also understand that people work at different speeds and are starting from different positions. For some, this process may only take a number of weeks; for other this may take a couple of years. The occasional backwards step may also form part of the journey which is okay, but as long as residents show determination to try again - so will we.
WE GET LOTS OF QUESTIONS...
...from people looking for accommodation with us and we totally understand that trying to find suitable housing can be stressful. That's why we've got important information and some of our most common enquiries below so that you can quickly see if we're the right service for you.
We currently have properties for single adult (18+) males and families. To be considered for accommodation with us, you must:
- Be classed as "homeless". This includes those facing homelessness (eg. facing eviction) and those living in unsuitable accommodation (eg. sofa surfing, sleeping in a car etc.)
- Have some level of support need that makes it difficult for you to live unsupported
- Have someone willing to give a reference like a previous landlord or support service worker (Housing Options, a Support Charity, Job Centre, Housing/Support Provider etc.)
- Be eligible to access benefits
- We will use this information to understand your needs and if we have the resources to be able to help you (even though we'd love to, we can't help everyone)
- If we believe we may be able to help you then you will be invited for an informal chat to understand more about our service and will be given a chance to have your questions answered.
- If all is well then we will offer you a bed space and agree a move-in date.
PLEASE NOTE
- Our bed spaces are almost always over-subscribed and we sometimes unfortunately have to turn people down. This may not necessarily be because you did or said anything wrong.
- If we do not have any vacancies at the time of receiving your referral, you will be put onto our waiting list to be contacted when a bed space becomes available.
- Please bring as much ID with you when invited for a chat, it makes moving in much smoother. This could include:
- Passport
- Driving Licence
- Proof of Income (Letter from DWP, a recent Universal Credit payment statement, etc.)
- Birth Certificate
- Bank/Building Society Statement
- Home Office Documents
Q.
"How do I get accommodation with René House?"
If you would like to be considered for accommodation then we will need to receive a completed referral form completed by a support worker or someone from an organisation you are being supported by. We will arrange to meet you to make sure that we are the right fit for each other and if so, accommodation will be offered as soon as possible.
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"Who will I live with?"
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With all of our shared properties, one of our key focuses is matching house-mates together. Of course, we don't always get things right, but rest assured we will endeavour to only house people together who do not pose an obvious threat to one another's progress.
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"What are the houses like?"
Our most common type of properties are shared 2-bed houses for two single sharers. Each person will have their own lockable bedroom with shared kitchen, bathroom and living areas. We have some slightly bigger houses as well as properties for families, but we don't have any high capacity hostel accommodation. We put lots of our efforts into making our properties homely, welcoming and above all, safe.
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"What support do I get?"
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Whilst in our accommodation, you will have access to a support worker who will be in contact with you regularly each week with a mix of face-to-face and over the phone communication.
Your support will be based around key areas for development which we will assess based on information we receive from you and your support network as well as our own assessment. The emphasis may change during your time with us but our support package is built to be led by you.
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"How much does it cost?"
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The rent for each property will differ but the bulk of your rent will be covered by housing benefit as long as you are eligible to claim Government Benefits. However, you will be personally responsible for a small service charge which contribute towards the cost of utilities at the property and the support you receive. Again, this may differ between properties but all costs will be explained to you clearly before you sign any documents.
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"Are there any house rules?"
In order for residents to get the most out of our service, we have to set some rules. They aren't that much more restricting than what you would expect to find in any other property. They will be fully explained to you before you sign any documents. The main thing we insist on is that we run DRY HOUSES. This means no drugs or alcohol are to be consumed, stored, bought or sold at the property.
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DID WE
ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS?
If we haven't covered something or you have a specific question you want to be answered then send us a message below and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!