Common problems and solutions

I don’t have a guarantor and/or a poor credit history
Private landlords normally don’t ask for a guarantor and will not always carry out a credit check so this may be a better option for you if you don’t have a guarantor or you have a poor credit history. Private landlords usually advertise through word of mouth, the small ads section of the newspaper or notice boards in shops. If you have found a property through a letting agent, the council’s Housing Advice Team may be able to arrange to pay a letting agent a bigger deposit instead of a guarantor through the Homelessness Prevention Fund. To see if you are eligible please email homelessness.prevention@stroud.gov.uk.

I don’t have any furniture
There are a number of places you can either buy low cost furniture and/or organisations you can apply to for financial assistance to buy furniture.

• Emmaus have shops all around Gloucestershire selling good quality second hand furniture items
• The British Heart Foundation sell a range of items in their furniture and electrical shop in Gloucester
• Stroud and Cirencester Furniture Bank has a range of good quality second hand furniture

Will letting agents or landlords will accept housing benefit?
Whether housing benefit is accepted will come down to individual landlords. The standard approach on many adverts for properties is “no DSS” but many landlords will decide on an individual basis who they will take on as a tenant. We would recommend visiting letting agents and arranging viewings in person rather than just searching for properties online.

If you are applying to the Homelessness Prevention Fund (HPF), landlords can request direct payment of your housing benefit to them.