Russet Homes help young people get to grips with the true cost of setting up home

Published by Barbara H for Russet Homes in Housing and also in Communities, Education, Environment, Health, Local Government

Russet Homes helped young people get to grips with the responsibility of setting up home and the difficulties many face in finding their first place to live during a training session held at the Children’s Centre in East Malling.

Homestart - a charity which helps parents build better lives for their children - asked Russet Homes to organise the session to help young people understand the challenges and expectations of finding and renting their own accommodation.

Part of Circle Anglia – one of the UK’s leading providers of affordable housing - Russet Homes own and manage around 6,600 properties making it the largest social landlord in Tonbridge and Malling.

Marilyn Smith, Russet Homes Community Investment Manager, said: “Unfortunately many young people think they can just register for housing and walk straight into a property and it’s often a real shock to discover it’s not that simple. We want them to realise that renting accommodation brings huge responsibilities of tenure coupled with the high cost of household bills and it shouldn’t be a decision taken lightly.”

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council’s housing team explained how the housing waiting list and choice based letting scheme operates. Young mums, some who were in their teens, discovered having a child does not automatically entitle them to accommodation and sometimes they are better off staying at home living with parents until they are ready to handle the responsibility and costs involved.

The advantages of attending the Tenancy Training Programme at the YWCA and how it would put them in a better position to secure accommodation were also highlighted.

Marilyn continued: “As the borough’s leading landlord we feel a responsibility to raise awareness in young people and offer practical help and advice to help them tackle some of the potential issues and problems they could face setting up a new home. Giving people life chances is at the heart of our organisation and we hope this course will help equip local young people to get off to a better start in life.”