Helping people make the right move
HALTON Housing Trust has launched a new campaign to help people who want to move to a smaller home and release much needed family housing.
The initiative aims to help customers whose current homes are now too big to move to smaller accommodation and make the newly vacant homes available for families on the waiting list
Across the north west there are potentially 27,000 social homes under-occupied by at least two bedrooms, while 147,000 households are on the waiting list for accommodation, according to the National Housing Federation.
Nick Atkin, Chief Executive of Halton Housing Trust, said: “Many of our customers have lived in their homes all their adult lives, having brought their children up there, supported them to gain independence and obtain their own homes.
“It is only right that those people in later years, once their family circumstances have changed, should be helped and supported to live in accommodation which best suits their needs.
“Equally it makes sense that families needing more space should be able to make use of a bigger property currently being under-used.”
The Trust is now launching its ‘Right Time – Right Move’ campaign where customers will be sent letters about the option of downsizing, followed by a phone call and follow up personal visits from Trust staff.
This new service will assist customers who are finding their home too large to maintain easily or who wish to move closer to family or friends.
Halton Housing Trust customer Margaret Marsh, her husband Kevin, both 62 and their son, have just downsized from a four-bedroomed house to a three-bedroomed home in Clarke Gardens.
Margaret said: “We wanted to move because my husband is disabled and I have a fractured spine so it is better for us to be in a smaller house without stairs. The size of the house was also becoming difficult for us to manage now there are only three of us.
“The Trust has been so helpful and even hired a removal van for us to help the move run smoothly.”
For more information about the scheme contact Laurence Reardon, Senior Allocations Officer, on: 0151 510 5166.