Weather disruption
Winter weather is causing disruption to services in some parts of the county. Find out what services may be affected in your area.
Find housing advice:
You can use Google Translate to translate this page into a different language.
Hosting or sponsorship
Guests that came to Dorset through the Homes for Ukraine scheme stay with hosts for at least 6 months. Some have been happy to continue after this with many arrangements now in their 2nd year.
There is no action required to continue hosting beyond 6 months. Unless we hear from you, we will assume these arrangements will continue. Thank you payments will be increased automatically from month 7.
Ending hosting arrangements
We understand that in some cases things may need to change.
If other living arrangements are made, the host should email us at: ukraineresponse@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
The host should include:
- the date of the move
- the type of accommodation the guests are moving to. For example, a new host, private rented accommodation
- whether this is within Dorset or elsewhere
If an arrangement cannot continue and a host is asking their guests to leave, hosts should:
- talk about this with the guests
- give them at least 2 months' notice
- tell us by emailing: ukraineresponse@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
- let us know the preferred date when your guests need to leave your property if there is a date in mind
We will then work with the guests to find suitable alternative accommodation.
This could be:
- a new host. We call this 'rematching'. Read more about rematching in Ukrainian
- private rented accommodation
- social housing
Housing options
Find out what options and support you can get if:
- your hosting arrangement is ending
- you want to move into your own accommodation
You can also watch our webinar on housing options:
Any person living in their own property is liable to pay council tax.
Homes for Ukraine Scheme
Any person who holds permission to enter or to stay in the United Kingdom, granted under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme route, can apply for a discount of 50%.
All other Ukraine schemes are liable to pay council tax at the full rate unless there are any disregarded people who may be entitled to a discount. See further information and apply.
There are flats and houses that you can rent privately in Dorset.
Find private rented accommodation
Information about finding private rented accommodation in Ukrainian.
There are flats and houses that you can rent privately in Dorset. When looking for a flat or house to rent, think about:
- if the property is suitable for you. For example can you manage the stairs
- what area you want to live in
- how much rent you can afford
- how much the start-up costs could be, such as the deposit or rent in advance
- how you will pay for things like furniture, kitchen appliances and insurance
Where to look for private rented properties
We cannot help you to find private rented accommodation. There are several places you can search:
- local papers and magazines such as the Dorset Echo and Bournemouth Echo
- noticeboards in shop windows, supermarkets and community noticeboards
- websites such as Zoopla and Rightmove advertise available properties
- house sharing websites such as Spare Rooms . These let you search for other people who are looking to share a property, which can help cut costs
Letting and management agents
Agents manage properties on behalf of private landlords. Agents should not charge you for a property search.
If you rent a property through an agent, they usually charge a fee of one third of a month's rent plus VAT. This fee may be non-refundable.
They will also need a deposit and up to 2 months’ rent in advance. We cannot recommend individual letting and management agents.
Viewing a property
When viewing a property, check:
- that the property is secure
- the heating, lighting and plumbing are working
- the property is in a good state of repair
It is important you read the tenancy agreement before you sign it.
Get advice on renting a property
Citizens Advice has information on renting privately and renting a home including:
- checks your landlord or letting agent will make
- other costs of renting such as rent in advance, tenancy and holding deposits
- things to know before, during and at the end of your tenancy
- your rights and responsibilities as a tenant and tenancy agreements
Contact Citizens Advice Dorset for more help and support.
Download the UK Government’s How To Rent checklist for renting.
Benefits
You may be able to make a claim for housing costs through Universal Credit if you are:
- renting privately
- not working
Find out more about benefits you may be entitled to.
If you are working and on a low income, you may also be entitled to some help. Use an benefits checker, such as Turn2us Benefits Calculator, to see if you can claim anything.
The Local Housing Allowance limits the amount you can claim in housing costs. It applies to claims for the housing part of Universal Credit. The allowance takes account of where you live and the number of bedrooms you can claim for.
You can claim a bedroom for each of the following:
- a couple who live together
- someone else in the household who is 16 or over
- 2 children of the same sex (a child is someone under 16)
- 2 children of any sex who are younger than 10
Check the Local Housing Allowance Rates to see the most you can claim. It will change depending on the area you are looking to move into.
Look for somewhere at a similar rent or lower to avoid a shortfall. If there is a shortfall and you choose to go ahead, make sure you can afford to make up the difference.
Other things to consider
Fees
A landlord should not charge you for setting up a tenancy.
Credit checks
A landlord may wish to run a credit check on you and should not charge for this.
References
Some landlords ask for a reference and your host may be able to help with this.
Guarantors
Some landlords ask for a guarantor to give them greater security. A guarantor is someone who will pay your rent and any other costs if you are, for whatever reason, unable to. Most guarantors have to be in a good financial position to be able to do this. Checks will be carried out on their own creditworthiness as part of the process in most cases. We cannot act as a guarantor for potential landlords.
Right to rent
The most common way to show you have the right to rent is by your visa documents. If your documents are with the Home Office the landlord can check them through an online portal.
Most landlords are going to want a deposit ahead of you moving in. This is money that you pay as a safeguard against damage or other costs.
Deposits and rent in advance
If you wish to rent private accommodation, we can offer advice and support. This includes help with upfront costs to secure a new home where you do not have the necessary resources. We have recently reviewed and enhanced our offers to private landlords. This could help a guest to secure a private rented property in an area of their choosing.
We can, for example, help with:
- up to 5 weeks’ rent in advance to secure the property
- up to 12 weeks’ rent in the form of a Deposit Bond
- up to 8 weeks’ rent in the form of a cash deposit
- ongoing tenancy support and a point of contact to help both sides with any issues
- a pet bond if the family has a pet to encourage a landlord to consider one of up to £400
- a Landlord Welcome if they offer a 12 month tenancy which is paid at the end of the first 12 months
What we can offer will depend on each case so you should contact us. We will put you in touch with the housing team for:
- a full housing assessment
- information on how they can look for accommodation tailored to their individual needs
Contact Customer Services to find out more:
- phone: 01305 221000
- email: ukraineresponse@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness we may help with the upfront costs. We can provide a deposit bond and rent in advance but will want to carry out some checks. This could include checking:
- that the property is affordable to you
- that the property is suitable for all household members
- your bank statements to confirm that you are able to afford these costs yourself
We would pay this money as a loan so you will be expected to repay it in instalments.
Local housing allowance
If you are renting in the private sector and not working, you will need to make a claim for housing costs. This is called a Universal Credit claim and you make the claim to the Department for Work & Pensions.
Find out more about benefits you may be entitled to. If you are working and on a low income, you also may be entitled to some help. It is worth using an online benefit checker to see if there is anything you can claim. A useful online checker is Turn2us Benefits Calculator.
The Local Housing Allowance applies to claims for the housing part of Universal Credit. It limits the amount you can claim in housing costs. It looks at where you live and the number of bedrooms you can claim for.
Find out more about Local Housing Allowance.
Check the Local Housing Allowance Rates to see the maximum you can claim. It will change depending on the area you are looking to move into.
Look for somewhere at a similar rent or lower to avoid a shortfall. If there is a shortfall and you choose to proceed, make sure you can afford to make up the difference.
We can try to find another host family for you to stay with in Dorset if you can't rent privately or get social housing. We call this rematching.
Email us at ukraineresponse@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk if you would like to be rematched.
Find out more about matching with a host family outside of Dorset. find more information about government recognised providers.
Social housing is for people who would struggle to rent or buy a house.
Social housing is for people who would struggle to rent or buy a house.
Dorset Council Homechoice is Dorset's housing register. Visit the Homechoice website for qualifying conditions and how to join the register. If you qualify, you can bid to rent:
- homes from housing associations
- low-cost home ownership properties
There is a high demand for social housing across the whole of England and in Dorset.
There is a long wait, so we cannot provide housing immediately.
Properties include:
Social and affordable rented housing
This type of housing could be low-cost rented flats and houses for single people and families. Some of these are adapted to meet the needs of people with limited mobility.
Sheltered housing for older people
It offers self-contained accommodation, usually in a scheme, with some shared facilities. This could include shared gardens or a TV lounge. Some sheltered housing includes low-level support to help maintain independence.
We will work with you if you are faced with homelessness and will support you so it can be avoided.
If you are faced with homelessness, the sooner you get in touch with us the better. Get help if you are homeless or could lose your home.
If you need to speak to someone, please contact the Ukraine Response team.
Download our to do list for moving house.