Bromley housing frequently asked questions

Due to the ongoing housing crisis, most Temporary Accommodation placements are located outside of London, sometimes further afield. The offered property will be assessed for legal suitability, and we will consider any reasonable adjustments you may need to make, such as transferring schools or medical appointments. Given the shortage of temporary accommodation, you will need to make some compromises to your lifestyle.

You are always encouraged to accept your offer and move into the property. If you feel the property is unsuitable there are a couple of options depending on what housing duty you are owed. If you are owed the Main housing duty, you have the statutory right to request a review of the offer. You can do this by emailing housing.compliance@bromley.gov.uk within 21 days of your offer being made. If you are not owed the Main housing duty, you should speak to a solicitor about your options.

If you refuse your offer or don’t move into the property the council will likely consider its duty to house you discharged. This means that you will need to make your own housing arrangements. If your review is successful, an alternative offer will be made ASAP.

Your length of stay in Temporary Accommodation varies depending on whether the council accepts full housing duty or not. If you are placed under Section 193 of the Housing Act 1996, you will remain in Temporary Accommodation until a permanent offer is made or until you resolve your own housing situation. If you are bidding for social housing, this will likely take many years and some households will never secure social housing. The fastest route to secure a home in an area of your choice is to explore the private rented sector.

The council faces significant limitations on available Temporary Accommodation within Bromley, which is why most placements are made outside of the borough. We aim to offer the most suitable accommodation available on any given day, but this will probably be quite far from Bromley and you will need to make significant changes to your lifestyle.

The process for paying rent in Temporary Accommodation varies depending on the provider. If you are offered nightly paid TA, payment instructions will be provided during your sign-up appointment. For accommodation with providers such as Clarion, Pinnacle, or Mears, you should inquire directly with them for specific payment methods.

Bidding for social housing takes many years and many households will never secure social housing in Bromley. You might be made an offer to a property managed by a housing association that forms part of one of the council’s schemes. The fastest way to secure a property in an area of your choice will be the private rented sector. Help may be available for you to secure a home in the private rented sector. Please email landlords@bromley.gov.uk for details.

If you are staying in Temporary Accommodation, you may be eligible for Housing Benefit. If the Benefits Team does not automatically contact you, you can reach out to them at benefits.bromley@liberata.com or 0300 303 8670. You can also apply online via the Bromley website.

Council Tax for your Temporary Accommodation will be paid to the local council where you are residing, not Bromley. Contact the relevant council to set up your payments and inquire about any available support.

You remain responsible for rent until you return the keys to the provider and confirm the return by emailing housing.management@bromley.gov.uk and housingsolutions@bromley.gov.uk.