Housing Needs Team
Prevention of Homelessness
The Council’s Housing Needs Team has a duty to provide advice,
assistance and support to individuals and families who believe they
are homeless or likely to become homeless. The Council’s priority
is to prevent homelessness wherever possible, thereby enabling you
and your family to remain in your present home. In order to prevent
you from becoming homeless, the Council need to be made aware at
the earliest opportunity that you are experiencing difficulties.
Therefore you should contact the Council’s Housing Needs Team
immediately if you are:
Experiencing difficulty in claiming housing benefit
Having problems with your Landlord
Experiencing financial difficulties and struggling to pay your
rent and mortgage payments
Finding it difficult to maintain your home and/or garden
Experiencing or at risk of Domestic Abuse, Violence, Harassment
and Threats
Suffering a relationship breakdown
Everyone has a right to approach the Council for assistance and
anyone doing so will be offered an appointment for a Housing Needs
Assessment in the first instance. The purpose of this interview is
for the Council to determine whether or not homelessness can be
prevented. At the interview you will be required to provide
information about your present housing situation and housing
history and may also be asked to provide written documentation such
as a Tenancy Agreement, Notice Seeking Possession, Rent Card
etc.
The Officer conducting the interview will endeavour to prevent
you from becoming homeless or threatened with homelessness using a
wide range of measures available which may involve contacting and
negotiating with your Landlord or mortgage provider, family or
friends. They may also direct you to organisations who can provide
specialist support services and check that you are registered on
the Council’s housing waiting list and provide appropriate advice
concerning your rehousing prospects.
Homelessness Application
If the Housing Needs Team are unable to prevent you from
becoming homeless, you will be offered a formal homeless interview.
Following the interview the Housing Needs Officer will carry out
investigations to establish the facts and determine what level of
assistance is owed to you, if any, in accordance with the Housing
Act 1996 (as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002). This may
involve contacting members of your family, your Landlord or
mortgage provider, your employer, the Police, Social Services or
other relevant organisation.
The Council will carry out its investigations as quickly as
possible and will notify you of their decision, in writing, at the
earliest opportunity. Should you be dissatisfied with the Council’s
decision, you may request that the decision be reviewed.
What Happens Next
On conclusion of its investigations, if the Council decide that
you are owed a full duty, you will meet all of the following
criteria:
Be eligible for assistance
Be homeless or threatened with homelessness within the next 28
days
Be in priority need
Be Unintentionally Homeless
Have a local connection to the Bassetlaw area
Applicants accepted as homeless will have their housing
applications awarded priority status and may have additional areas
and property types added to facilitate early rehousing. You may be
offered suitable accommodation from Bassetlaw District Council,
another Council, Housing Association (Registered Social Landlord)
or private landlord.
The Council will also provide emergency interim or temporary
accommodation where required and appropriate.
Applicants not meeting all of the above criteria will not be
owed a full duty but will be provided with appropriate advice and
assistance.
Contacting the Housing Needs Team
The Housing Needs Team are based at Queen’s Buildings, Worksop
and can be contacted between the hours of 8.40am – 12.30pm and
1.30pm – 5.00pm Monday – Friday. Enquiries can be made by personal
visit, letter, telephone, email or fax.
The Housing Needs Team also operate an Emergency Out of Hours
Homelessness Service. This service is available outside of the
above normal office hours, at weekends and bank holidays, 365 days
per year. Clients requiring the emergency service should telephone
01909 501999.
Bassetlaw District Council
Housing Needs Team
Queen’s Buildings
Potter Street
Worksop
Notts
S80 2AH
Telephone: 01909 533455/533401/533402/533712
Fax: 01909 535122
Email: housing.needs@bassetlaw.gov.uk
Helpful contacts and information
Bassetlaw District Council
Environmental Health Team - 01909 533219
A1 Housing Bassetlaw Limited
01909 533426/533215
01777 713205/713202/713206
Citizen’s Advice Bureau
01909 476049
01777 701829
Women’s Aid Helpline
0808 8000340
Nottinghamshire Women’s Aid
01909 533610
Nottinghamshire Police
01909 500999 (emergencies 999)
Emergency Out of Hours Call Out
01909 501999
County Court
Worksop 01909 472358
Lincoln 01522 883000
Shelter
0808 8004444
Framework Housing Association
01909 513830 (tenancy support)
01909 475999 (hostel 55/57 potter street, worksop)
Hope
01909 531294