Temporary accommodation - Print version

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When temporary accommodation is provided

When do you provide temporary accommodation? 

If you are homeless and have nowhere to stay, we may be able to help you with temporary accommodation.  

  • If you have not yet contacted the council about your homelessness, and you have nowhere to stay tonight, call 024 7683 4025 
  • If you are aged 16-24 and do not have children living with you, please contact the Coventry Youth Hub for tailored advice for young people, on 0121 269 1940  
  • If you already have a homeless application, please contact your Housing Options Officer as soon as you know you will have to leave the place you are staying now.   

Before you call, make sure you have tried all options such as staying with friends or family, or alternative accommodation such as privately renting. You will have more choice about where you stay if you can do this. 

Try to call during office hours, but if it is an emergency and the office is closed, you can call the Emergency Duty Team on 024 7683 2222.  

Temporary accommodation may be provided if: 

  • You are homeless and have nowhere safe to stay 
  • You are eligible for housing help from the council 
  • We have reason to believe that you have a priority need (such as children living with you, or particular vulnerabilities). 

If you have somewhere you can stay for now but are at risk of being homeless in the next 56 days (8 weeks), you can apply for help using our online form [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/homelessness-advice/risk-becoming-homeless].

Types of temporary accommodation

What is temporary accommodation like?

If we have no other accommodation immediately available, you may be given a room in a hotel/B&B. This may be outside of Coventry.

If you are placed in a hotel/B&B, you will be moved to other temporary accommodation when it becomes available.

If you are a single person, it is likely you will be placed into a shared house (single sex). You will have your own bedroom but will share a bathroom and kitchen with others.

To help ensure that it is safe and secure, there are often limits on visitors. We will regularly check who is staying in the accommodation, or if you have left. 

All temporary accommodation will be furnished and include essential white goods (such as a fridge). You can bring the belongings you need, but not large items like furniture.

You will get one offer of temporary accommodation, and if you refuse this offer, you will need to make your own arrangements and find somewhere else to stay.  

You may be asked to move to other temporary accommodation during your stay, this could be at short notice. If you refuse to move to other accommodation if we ask you to, this can end the council’s duty to house you.

If you refuse the accommodation offered

What happens if I refuse the temporary accommodation I am offered?

You will get one offer of temporary accommodation, and if you refuse this offer, you will need to make your own arrangements and find somewhere to stay.  

Temporary accommodation should be suitable for your household’s needs (in line with the legislation), we strongly advise you accept the accommodation.

If you refuse the accommodation, this will end the council’s duty to house you, and you will have to find your own place to stay.

You may be asked to move to other temporary accommodation during your stay. If you refuse to move to other accommodation if we ask you to, this can also end the council’s duty to house you.

If you do not stay in the accommodation we provide, this can end the council’s duty to house you.

Temporary accommodation charges

Do I have to pay for temporary accommodation?

Yes. While you’re living in temporary accommodation, you must pay for it. If you are in a self-contained property, you will be responsible for utility bills (gas, electricity, water and Council tax), and if in shared accommodation there could be service charges.

If you are on a low income, you could get housing benefit and Council Tax support [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/benefits-1/housing-benefit-council-tax-support], but it is your responsibility to make a claim.

If you are struggling to pay any of the charges, please contact the Accommodation Team as soon as possible by emailing TAFinance@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:TAFinance@coventry.gov.uk].

Read our temporary accommodation charging policy. [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/temporaryaccommodationcharges]

Pets in temporary accommodation

Can I bring my pet?

The providers we use for temporary accommodation do not allow pets in their properties. Guide dogs and trained assistance animals are the only exception.

We suggest asking family or friends to house your pets if they can. If this is not possible, there are charities which run fostering schemes for pets, for example, the Dogs Trust Freedom Programme [https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/get-help/freedom] or the Cats Protection Lifeline Service [https://www.cats.org.uk/what-we-do/cp-lifeline] (both specialist services for those fleeing domestic abuse).

The Dogs Trust also has advice about finding pet-friendly accommodation from Lets with Pets [https://www.letswithpets.org.uk/]

Your furniture and belongings

Can I bring my belongings and furniture?

Your temporary accommodation will be furnished and include essential white goods (such as a fridge). You can bring the belongings you need, but not large items like furniture.

We recommend that you make your own arrangements for storing any furniture and belongings whilst you are in temporary accommodation. We can arrange storage if you are not able to, but there will be a cost for the removals and storage.  

If you receive housing benefit, you may be able to apply for help to pay the storage costs through the Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/benefits-1/discretionary-housing-payments] scheme 

For more information on storage costs, read our storage charging leaflet [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/file/32778/storage_charging_flyer].

Length of stay in temporary accommodation

How long will I stay in temporary housing? What other housing options are there?

As part of your homelessness application, your Housing Options Officer will work with you to complete a personal housing plan, setting out what the Council can do and what you must do to find long-term accommodation.

We strongly encourage everyone to consider all housing options.

Although there is no set time you could spend in temporary accommodation in Coventry, it is likely you could be on the housing register for many years as Coventry has a high demand for social housing and a shortage of properties.

You can use our calculator [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/housing-1/coventry-homefinder-%E2%80%93-re-registration/3] to find out the average waiting times for different sizes of social homes on Coventry Homefinder.

Private rented housing may provide a quicker solution and gives you more options to choose the area and type of property you live in. You can find more advice on finding a privately rented property on our housing advice pages [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/homelessness-advice/useful-information/3] 

You can apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/benefits-1/discretionary-housing-payments] to help with upfront costs of a deposit and the first month’s rent.

We work with landlords to match people in temporary accommodation with properties they have available to let, under the Let’s Rent scheme.  Properties are inspected before being used and the council can provide a rent guarantee (up to the LHA rate) for 12 or 24 months. You can find out more details on the Let’s Rent webpage [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/lets-rent-coventry-1/lets-rent-coventry].

If you are a single person, a room in a shared house offers a cheaper alternative to renting a self-contained property and may give you a chance to save some money towards a deposit for your own place. 

If you would like to consider living in supported accommodation, you can discuss your options with your Housing Options Officer.

You can also consider living with family or friends.

When you may be asked to leave temporary accommodation

Can I be asked to leave the temporary accommodation?

You may be asked to leave if you break the rules while in temporary accommodation, for example:

  • Anti-social behaviour by you or your household members.
  • Violence or threats of violence towards other people living in the accommodation. 
  • Carrying out illegal activities at the property, or using illegal substances.
  • Not looking after the property, or deliberate or malicious damage.
  • Not paying your licence fee (rent) or service charges. 
  • Living somewhere else and not using the accommodation provided. 
  • Violence and aggression towards the housing provider or staff at Coventry City Council. 

If you breach the terms and conditions of your accommodation and have to leave your temporary accommodation as a result, this could end the council’s duty to house you. You will have to find your own place to live.

You will also have to leave your temporary accommodation if the council's duty to house you has ended in another way (such as you refusing a suitable offer of accommodation).

Contacts if you have a problem in temporary accommodation

I have a question or a problem in my temporary accommodation – who do I contact?

The accommodation provider (your landlord) is responsible for repairs to the property. If you have a problem with the condition of the property or any disrepair, please contact the provider first.

You are responsible for looking after the property and minor day-to-day issues (such as changing light bulbs, making sure the property is heated and ventilated to prevent condensation).

If your accommodation provider does not respond when repairs are needed, contact the Accommodation Team at AccommodationTeam@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:AccommodationTeam@coventry.gov.uk]

If you are struggling to pay any of the charges, contact the Accommodation Team as soon as possible by emailing TAFinance@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:TAFinance@coventry.gov.uk].

If there are changes to your circumstances or you have questions about your homelessness application, contact your Housing Options Officer.

When you leave temporary accommodation

What happens when I leave?

You must tell us if you leave your temporary accommodation.  If you leave without contacting us, the council may end its duty to house you and you will still be charged for the accommodation.

If you have found long-term accommodation in the Private Rented Sector or been offered a property through Coventry Homefinder, once you have the keys to your new home you will have to leave your temporary accommodation.

You must:

  • Leave the property in a clean and tidy condition and remove all rubbish.
  • Take all your belongings from the property
  • Return the keys to the accommodation provider
  • Take gas and electricity meter readings, and let your suppliers know you have moved, if bills are not included in your accommodation cost
  • Tell council tax so they can change your details to your new address. 

Help if you are experiencing domestic abuse

I am experiencing domestic abuse – where can I get help?

If you have experienced or are currently experiencing domestic abuse from a partner, ex-partner or family member, there may be support available to help you.

Domestic abuse is not just physical violence; it can include:

  • Coercive control (a pattern of intimidation, degradation, isolation and control)
  • Psychological and/or emotional abuse
  • Physical or sexual abuse
  • Financial or economic abuse
  • Harassment and stalking
  • Online or digital abuse

Safe to Talk [https://www.safetotalk.org.uk/]is the domestic abuse support service for Coventry.

You can access the website [https://www.safetotalk.org.uk/] for more information or call the helpline on 0800 111 4998.

The helpline is open 8.30am-5.30pm on Monday - Friday, and 10am-1pm on Saturday and Sunday.

If someone is in immediate danger and their life is threatened, you should call the Police on 999; if you are unable to talk, once connected to 999 press 55 and the police will attend. If it is not an emergency but you need help from the police, please call 101. For non-emergencies you can also report a crime online [https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Flinks-1.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps:%252F%252Fwww.police.uk%252Fpu%252Fcontact-the-police%252Freport-a-crime-incident%252F%2F1%2F01000192d291bc99-16cec994-549d-4c87-953e-afac91331ed6-000000%2FgXCGs0-cuSQkwauzVsHxmmE76HsY1QPLwSR7J5cDF8s=376/1/01000194dfbee51c-36e608dc-7bef-4dea-9ed4-9f7941f852f8-000000/U6pzAafn2BxDkbOTX8fmWEqsr1h6Wyyhp1AdQC71J00=391].

National helplines

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