- Advice Services in Denbighshire
- Guide A - Housing Advice - Where to get help
- Guide B - Housing Options - What is best for you
- Guide C - Affordable Housing - How can it help me
- Guide D - Finding a private sector home - what are your options
- Guide E - Council & Housing Association properties
- Guide F - Young people - What help can you get with housing?
GUIDE A
Housing Advice – where to get help
Housing advice is available to anyone having problems with their current home or if they need to look for somewhere else to live. Housing advice covers a range of housing topics from options for housing to repairs. The advice provided is normally by telephone, face-to-face interview or internet service. You may need advice if you are renting privately or as a tenant of the council or a housing association or if you own your own home. Sometimes legal advice is needed and advisors can assist you to find it.
There are various ways to get the information you need to make informed choices about your housing:
1. Internet (free access in libraries throughout Denbighshire)
Denbighshire Housing Options website – six short guides have been developed to assist you on a range of housing issues (www.denbighshire.gov.uk/housingoptions):
A. Housing Advice – where to get help
B. Housing Options – what is best for you?
C. Affordable Housing
D. Privately Rented Housing
E. Council and Housing Association Housing
F. Housing for Young People
Other guides are in the process of being developed (subject to change):
• Homeless People – what help is available?
• Housing for Older People – what options do you have?
• Specialised Housing – those needing purpose built or specially adapted housing
National websites for housing advice:
2. Housing Options Officer
Denbighshire County Council, Housing Services have two Housing Options Officers based in Rhyl and Ruthin providing free advice to assist you:
• Housing Services, 64 Brighton Road, Rhyl, LL18 3HN . Telephone advice is available on 01824 712930 or drop-in sessions are held on:
o Monday – 10am – 12pm
o Tuesday – 10am – 12pm
o Thursday – 2pm – 4pm
• Housing Services, County Hall, Wynnstay Road, Ruthin, LL15 1YN – please ring for an appointment on 01824 706064.
3. Independent advice
• Shelter provide free advice on repairs, tenancies, insecurity, notices to quit, possession proceedings, arrears and much more.
o They run a drop-in session (please ring for an appointment – 01824 712930) every Thursday between 2pm and 5pm at 64, Brighton Road, Rhyl.
o Alternatively you can ring their helpline (Monday to Friday between 9.30am – 4.30pm) on 01745 361444 (North Denbighshire) or 01978 317911 (South Denbighshire) .
o A national free helpline is available 24 hours a day - 0800 800 444.
• Citizens Advice Bureau have a number of offices within Denbighshire and provide a wide range of housing advice. Please ring to arrange an appointment:
o 11 Water Street, Rhyl – 01745 334568
o 23 High Street, Denbigh – 01745 814336
o The Old Fire Station, Market Street, Ruthin – 01824 703483
o 37 Hall Street, Llangollen – 01978 860983
Other advice
1. Benefits
• Welfare Rights provide free, independent advice on a range of benefits and can be contacted by telephone free of charge on 0800 169 6625 (10 am – 1 pm, Monday – Friday)
o Social security benefits, pensions and tax credits
o Housing rights
o Employment rights
o Personal debt
o Saving energy
o Contacting relevant community services such as home help
• Housing and Council Tax benefit advice through drop-in sessions at Russell House, Churton Road, Rhyl, LL18 3DP:
o Monday – 9am to 4.30pm
o Tuesday – 9am to 4.30pm
o Wednesday – 11am to 4.30pm
o Thursday – 9am to 4.30pm
o Friday – 9am to 4pm
The public can call at any of the above times for general advice or to make a specific appointment on any of the following four main telephone lines:
o 01824 706316 or 01824 706400 - generally deal with Rhyl based applications
o 01824 706312 or 01824 706302 – all other areas of the county.
2. Care and Support
• Denbighshire County Council – Social Services provide help and advice in child, family and social matters – 01824 712900.
• See Welfare Rights contact details above.
3. Debt
• Shelter - see page 1 for details.
• Citizens Advice offices - see page 1 for details.
• Money advice unit – 01745 814338.
4. Domestic Abuse
• Glyndŵr Women’s Aid – 01745 814494 (24 hr) – South Denbighshire
• Rhyl Women’s Aid – 01745 337104 – North Denbighshire.
5. Drugs & Alcohol
CAIS – Assessments are available for anyone aged 18 or over concerned with their own or someone else’s drink or drug taking - 0845 06 121 12.
6. Family, neighbour and relationship issues
The Wallich is an impartial homelessness charity to help you by offering various types of mediation or conflict resolution for family and neighbour issues. You can ask a Housing Options Officer, Denbighshire County Council if you can access this service (see page 1 for contact details).
Relate offers help to those having relationship difficulties – www.relate.org.uk or 0300 100 1234.
7. Furniture
• Rhyl Community Furniture Recycling – Unit 15/16, Fforddlas Industrial Estate, Rhyl – open 10 am to 3 pm – 01745 362353.
• St. Vincent de Paul - 1A Abbey St, Rhyl - 01745 355555.
8. Home improvements and repairs
• Denbighshire County Council – Housing and Area Renewal Team administer home improvement and renewal area assistance. They can be contacted via 01824 708307, e-mail: housingrenewal@denbighshire.gov.uk or by writing to Russell House, Churton Road, Rhyl, LL18 3DP.
• Houseproud scheme run by the Housing and Area Renewal Team. It can assist homeowners (60 or over) or disabled to access loans/manage repairs/adaptations – please refer to contact details above
• Denbighshire Care and Repair offer practical advice and assistance to older people (over 60) and vulnerable disabled people– 01745 814484 or www.taiclwyd.com.
9. Housing waiting lists
Please refer to the “Council and Housing Association Housing Guide E” for more information.
10. Mental Health
• Vale of Clwyd Mind – Unit 16, Glan Aber Industrial Estate, Vale Road, Rhyl, LL18 2PL – tel: 01745 336787, e-mail: info@vocm.draignet.co.uk, website: www.valeofclwydmind.org.uk.
• MIND national helpline – Monday to Friday (9am to 5pm) – 0845 766 0163.
11. Older People
• Age Concern, 12-14 Hall Square, Denbigh, LL16 3NU – 01745 816947, e-mail: bryn.williams@acnwc.org.
• Age Concern national free helpline – 0800 00 99 66, www.ageconcern.org.uk.
12. Young People
• Housing Options Officer – Rhyl and Ruthin (see page 2)
• Shelter Cymru – website has some good advice for young people – www.sheltercymru.org.uk – see other contact details on Pages 1 and 2.
• West Rhyl Young People’s Project and VIVA for advice and support – 17 Bedford Street, Rhyl – 01745 351293. Drop-in sessions – Monday (1pm to 3pm), Tuesday and Thursday (1pm to 4pm) and Friday (1pm to 5pm).
• Pop-in centre, 28-30 Meliden Road, Prestatyn (near ALDI) – Tuesday (7pm-9pm), Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (12pm–9 pm) and Saturday (10am-8pm).
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