Housing, Housing Register and Homelessness
Housing
Housing information can be found on the Dorset Council website.
- Changes to our housing services in response to COVID-19
- Housing Allocations Policy Consultation
- Apply to be on the housing register, Dorset Home Choice
If you have applied to the housing register, the creation of the new Dorset Council won’t affect your application.
This process will remain in place until Dorset Council develops one policy covering its entire area. This is likely to be in 2021.
Have a look at the ‘Dorset Home choice’ Housing Register.
- Empty properties
- Housing swap
- Park homes
- Advice for tenants
- Financial help
- Advice for landlords
- Rent deposit and bond scheme
- Homelessness
At risk of becoming homeless
If you are at risk of losing your home please contact us for free advice and assistance as soon as possible.
Acting early gives us more time to help you. The most common reasons we are asked to help are:
- being asked to leave by friends or parents
- landlords giving the notice to quit
- domestic violence and abuse or other harassment
- relationship breakdown
- difficulties maintaining rent or mortgage payment
Where possible we aim to make sure you remain in your current home by providing assistance at an early stage to help resolve your situation. Our Housing Advice Services have a duty to prevent homelessness and will seek to understand your current situation and identify what steps we and you can do which could help you stay in your current home.
Notify us if you or someone you are working with is at risk of homelessness
If you are threatened with homelessness or are working with a household that may require assistance from the council's homelessness prevention team, please complete our online referral form. To provide the most relevant link for this service we will need the postcode of those at risk.
Concerned about someone sleeping rough?
If you are concerned about someone over the age of 18 that you have seen sleeping rough in England or Wales, you can use this website to send an alert to StreetLink. The details you provide are sent to the local authority or outreach service for the area in which you have seen the person, to help them find the individual and connect them to support. It is important to note that if you think the person you are concerned about is under 18 please do not contact StreetLink but instead call the police.
Finding housing that suits you
If you are finding it hard to manage in your current house or flat you may want to consider altering it to suit your needs. Have a look at our Equipment House or Technology House for ideas.
If you would like information and advice on housing options for older people, Elderly Accommodation Counsel offers a self-help tool called HOOP (Housing Options for Older People). This has been designed to help older people access information on a range of housing-related matters. Alternatively, contact them on 0800 377 7070.
Contact Housing
Housing Advice - East Dorset
Email: housing@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Tel: 01202 228947
Full contact details for Housing Advice - East Dorset
Housing Advice - North Dorset
Email: housingoptionsteamb@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Tel: 01305 251010
Full contact details for Housing Advice - North Dorset
Housing Advice - Purbeck
Email: homechoiceteame@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Tel: 01929 557370
Full contact details for Housing Advice - Purbeck
Housing advice - West Dorset
Email: housingoptionsteamb@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Tel: 01305 251010
Full contact details for Housing advice - West Dorset
Housing Advice - Weymouth and Portland
Email: housingoptionsteamb@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Tel: 01305 251010
Full contact details for Housing Advice - Weymouth and Portland
Further information
Citizens Advice offers information and advice about housing issues, your rights and responsibilities, renting or buying a home or finding somewhere to live, landlords, eviction and mortgage payments and help to avoid losing your home.
Independent Age A range of free information leaflets are available and they also offer a friendship service where older people can receive visits or telephone calls. Subjects include:
- housing options
- money
- health
- personal life
- support & care
- future planning
Homeless? Useful contacts and information
The Salvation Army Tel: 020 7367 4800
Crisis Tel: 0300 636 1967
GOV.UK Emergency Housing information
Samaritans are available to listen to you 24 / 7 on 116 123
Shelter Tel: 0808 800 4444