A tenancy agreement is a contract you will sign which lays out the agreement between yourself and your landlord.  It will outline your responsibilities as a tenant and your landlords’ responsibilities. It will outline the notice period you must give your landlord if you choose to leave the property, but also how much notice they must give you. It is extremely important that you sign this to make sure your rights as a tenant are being upheld.

No, if you become homeless, you will have to go through the process of presenting as homeless.  You can apply for council housing or a housing association property from the age of 16, this can be done whilst still staying at home. You can find information on how to get a house here.

The sooner you begin to save money, the easier it will be for you to continue to do so throughout life and this could help prevent you getting into debt at a young age. You can begin saving by working out how much money you have, what you need to pay out and how much you have left over.  You can then allocate how much money you are willing and able to put to aside from this money for savings.  Even just a couple of pounds a week will get you into a good habit of saving that will continue throughout your life.  Saving accounts are also good things, most banks and credit unions have these.  If you struggle with overspending, keeping a spending diary may be a good idea for you.

Step 1- If you find yourself in the position where you are homeless or are going to become homeless, you must contact the North Ayrshire Council Homelessness Advice Team on 01294 314600 or drop into their offices at Galt House, 31 Bank Street, Irvine, KA12 0LL during office hours.  If you find yourself homeless outwith office hours and require accommodation, contact the standby team on 0800 0196 500.

Step 2- An appointment will be made with a homeless officer who will set out the housing options available to you and assist you to fill out a homelessness application form if this is your only option.

Step 3- You will be placed in temporary accommodation, most likely a hostel, whilst investigations take place and a decision is made on your situation.

Outcomes

If you are deemed homeless and not ‘intentionally’ homeless and have a local connection, then you will stay in temporary accommodation until an offer of housing is made (no set time period for this).

If you are deemed ‘intentionally’ homeless, you won’t be made an offer of housing.  You can appeal this decision, usually the deadline is within 3 weeks of the decision.  You must have good reasons for your appeal.  If your appeal is not successful, then the only option is to find your own accommodation as the local authority will no longer assist.

If you require any assistance with the homelessness process (including appealing a homeless decision), contact CHAP on 030 0002 0002.

• Fill in an application form which can be picked up from any Local housing office or completed online
• You will be then placed on North Ayrshire Housing Register (NAHR) and awarded points based on individual circumstances
• How many points you are awarded determines where you are placed on the waiting list
• Waiting time is dependent on where you are on list – you could be waiting weeks, months or even years
• Tenancy is offered
• If you accept the property, sign a tenancy agreement
• Move in and furnish it as there will be no furniture in it when you move in
• Council housing is usually the cheapest renting option

If you require assistance to complete a housing application form, contact CHAP on 030 0002 0002.

• Main housing associations in North Ayrshire are Cunninghame Housing Association, Irvine Housing Association and ANCHO
• The housing associations are part of the North Ayrshire Housing Register, so it is the same application and process as for Council housing
• Housing associations tend to be more slightly more expensive than Council housing
• Housing association properties are also unfurnished

If you require assistance to complete a housing application form, contact CHAP on 030 0002 0002.

• These are advertised in newspapers, estate agents, online etc…
• If you find a place you like, contact landlord/estate agent
• You will usually be asked for 2 references as part of your application
• You will also usually be asked for a months’ rent upfront as a well as a deposit
• Sign a tenancy agreement
• Move in – some properties may be furnished, part furnished or unfurnished
• Renting privately is usually the most expensive renting option

• You will need a mortgage – this is money you borrow from a bank or mortgage lender and pay back in monthly instalments over a set period of time (most commonly, 25 years)
• Before being offered a mortgage, the bank or mortgage lender will require details of your employment and income to ensure you have a steady income – they will also look at your outgoings and any debt you may have
• Usually a substantial deposit has to be put down when purchasing a property
• Once you have bought a house, it is your responsibility to carry out and pay for any repair issues in the property

How do people become homeless?  Is it simply because they have an addiction or have done something to make themselves homeless?  Or could it be:

• They have been made redundant
• Their house has been destroyed by fire/flood
• Their marriage/relationship has broken down
• They have been asked to leave by parents/guardians
• They are fleeing violence/abuse
• These are just some of the reasons why people may become homeless.

Anyone can be become homeless – friends, family, neighbours or even you.

Can you leave home?

You are legally allowed to leave home from age 16, but you must consider whether this is the right choice for you.

Should you leave home?

Advantages of staying at home-

• Chores/jobs may be done for you
• Meals may be prepared and cooked for you
• House may be cleaned for you
• Feeling of safety
• Being with family/company
• Don’t have to pay bills
• No responsibility

Disadvantages of staying at home-

• Lack of privacy
• Being told what to do
• Don’t get on with parents/siblings/family members
• Don’t like sharing a room
• Can’t do what you want
• Advantages of having your own place-

Own space/privacy

• Can invite friends over
• Freedom
• Space away from siblings
• No arguments with family members

Disadvantages of having your own place-

• Loneliness
• Lots of responsibility
• Have to cook meals
• Have to do all the chores
• Possible disputes with neighbours/feeling threatened
• Money issues/paying bills

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do you know how to find somewhere to live?
• Where would you like to live?
• Would you want to live alone or share?
• How much rent can you afford?
• Will you able to do your own washing and ironing?
• Do you know how to claim benefits if you need help to pay the rent?
• Do you know what furniture/appliances you will need?
• Do you know where to get help or support if you need it?

There is a lot to think about and the best thing to do would be talk to friends or family who have a house of their own and find out what it is really like.  Leaving home is a big decision and it is vital that you only do so when you feel ready.

One of the hardest things about having your own place is managing your money and paying your bills.  It can be very expensive when you have your own place and this can lead to problems as some young people underestimate the costs involved.

Some of the questions you need to ask yourself are:

• Do you know how much money it will cost to live alone?
• Do you have enough money to afford a place?
• Will you be able to budget your money properly?
• Will you be happy staying in when friends are going for nights out?

The answer to some of these questions will depend on the money you get in either wages or benefits, however if you are on a low-income, things could be very hard financially.