Help with rent and housing in Kent

Organisations across the Kent region offer financial assistance for help paying rent arrears or advice. There are both council offices that tenants can turn to as well as a few different charities that may provide support. Locations that offer rent help use a combination of volunteers or staff from their housing teams to coordinate services.

Generally, the council centres noted below can help families on a low income apply for discretionary housing payments. Depending on the circumstances, this may assist with any arrears on rent for the tenants housing or help pay the different between benefits and what the landlord is charging. Citizens Advice Bureaus in Kent also have staff on hand that can provide free advice, and the charities may offer support as well, including temporary accommodations.

Any advice for dealing with hardships on rent arrears is free. The organisations will also address the root cause of the crisis, whether that is lack of employment, excessive debt, or some other challenge. The main solutions for rental programmes are below.

Councils as well as Citizens Advice centres provide help with rent

Each council will have a housing team on site. This is where individuals with a local connection can stop by at for advice on overdue rental costs. Programmes range from discretionary housing payments (DHP) to help pay rent arrears as well as general support for other enquiries.

Centres will only assist people on a low income and that are local to the borough, and the main locations in Kent are as follows. Some sites will also have emergency phone numbers set up for those threatened by immediate homelessness. They also help families on benefits or the disabled apply for government Housing Benefits.

• Ashford Borough Council is located at Park Mall in Ashford. The phone number is 01233 330688, or in a crisis dial 01233 629911.
• Residents of the city of Canterbury that are in rent arrears can call the City Council Housing Options Team. The telephone number to ring is 01227 862 518.
• Dartford Borough Council address is Civic Centre, Home Gardens, Dartford, DA1 1DR, dial 01322 343434.
• Gravesham Housing Needs team address is 45 Windmill Street. Dial 01474 337759.
• Shepway District – Those in priority need of housing can call 01303 853300, or drop in at the Civic Centre on Castle Hill Avenue.
• Swale Borough Council Housing Team is at East Street, Sittingbourne, ME10 3HT, call 01795 417511.
• Thanet Council office is at Cecil Street, Margate, CT9 1XZ. Phone – 01843 577000.
• Tunbridge and the Wells Borough Council team is located at Gateway Office, 8 Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 2AB. The main number is 01892 526121.

There are also several Citizens Advice Centres (CAB). Staff will provide families on a low income or facing a crisis with support. This can include information on applying for local housing allowances, benefits or general advice in applying for rent relief. Specialists are available from each location.

The advice available will not only address any rent that is due, but a key service is to solve the root cause of the hardship. CAB is tasked with getting the client back on the patch to long term stability.

• Canterbury City is a leading CAB office, and the address is 3 Westgate Hall Road, CT1 2BT. Telephone – 0844 499 4128.
• Dover, Deal and District is at The Cedars, 26 Victoria Road, Deal, Kent, CT14 7BJ. Dial 01304 374128.
• Gravesham CAB is at 44 Windmill Street, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 1BA, call 01474 351255.
• Maidstone office is at 2 Bower Terrace on Tonbridge Road. Residents can dial 01622 752420 for information on rent programmes and related solutions.
• Sevenoaks and Swanley Citizens Advice can be reached by dialing 01322 473176.
• Tunbridge Wells District – CAN is at Vale House, Clarence Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1HE, dial 01892 533 880.

Housing assistance from charities in Kent

House of Mercy will prioritise the homeless. They offer emergency shelter as well as placement into a hostel. As the resident stabilizes, referrals are offered to emergency and longer term housing, or tenants in rent arrears can get advice on resettling. The phone number of the Gravesend organisation is at 01474 329514, or read more House of Mercy services.

The Kent Law Clinic uses both volunteers and volunteer lawyers. While they address a number of services and needs, one of them is legal aid for landlord/tenant issues. Or staff offer advice on benefits and other housing problems. The location is Eliot College at the University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NS, call 01227 823311.