Great Places supports new customers to sustain their tenancies in Stockport

Recently, our teams at Brooklands Close in Heaton Chapel, Stockport, worked together to support two new customers who were facing common challenges when dealing with temporary accommodations: the lack of essential items and the need of extra support to make a house feel like home.

One of the customers had been living in temporary accommodation following a breakdown in his personal circumstances. After experiencing a mental health crisis and a stay in hospital, he became homeless and was placed in temporary accommodation in Brinnington.

When he was nominated for a bedsit at Brooklands Close, he had very few possessions and no furniture or household essentials to move into his new home with. Recognising the support he would need to successfully start his tenancy, Great Places arranged for Tenancy Coach Donna Clegg to become involved before the tenancy sign-up took place.

Working closely with the customer, Donna helped source essential household items including a bed, cupboards, a cooker, fridge, washing machine and carpets. With pressure on temporary accommodation meaning the customer could only remain there for one more night, the team worked alongside Stockport Homes to explore emergency solutions and ensure that support was put in place as quickly as possible.

Although the customer was able to stay with friends for a few additional days, this extra time proved invaluable, allowing the team to secure the items he needed and help him move into his new home with confidence.

A similar situation arose with another customer who had been living in temporary hotel accommodation. Like the first customer, she had very few belongings and lacked the essential items needed to set up a home. To ensure she had the best possible start to her tenancy, the sign-up process was delayed while support was put in place through the Tenancy Coach service.

Over the following week, Great Places worked with the customer to source the furniture, appliances and household essentials she required. Once everything was in place, she was able to move into her new home fully equipped and ready to begin the next chapter of her life.

These experiences have highlighted the significant challenges many people face when moving from temporary accommodation into permanent housing. While support workers often encourage applicants to prepare for their move by purchasing essential items and saving towards their tenancy costs, many temporary accommodation settings simply do not have the secure storage space needed to keep these belongings until moving day.

The cases have also demonstrated the value of partnership working. Great Places has been working with Stockport Homes to explore potential storage solutions and identify ways to better support customers transitioning from temporary accommodation. Internally, discussions are also taking place around whether temporary storage could be made available within void properties where appropriate.

The success of both tenancies also reinforces the importance of early intervention. By having conversations with applicants as soon as nominations are received and referring accepted customers to the Tenancy Coach service at the earliest opportunity, Great Places can help identify support needs sooner and ensure customers are equipped to sustain their tenancies from day one.

Donna Large, Neighbourhood Services Manager at Great Places, commented:

“Moving into a new home can be overwhelming when you have very little to your name. By working together with our partners and providing practical support from day one, we can help customers settle in quickly and give them the best possible chance of sustaining their tenancy.”