Derry House, Penfold Street, NW8 8HJ
Central London Advice Service is based off the Edgware Road in Westminster and offers free and confidential generalist advice in Welfare Benefits, Housing, Debts etc available by phone, drop-in and appointment.
For more information please visit the CLAS website.
Pimlico Citizens Advice Bureau
140 Tachbrook Street, SW1V 2NE
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Citizens Advice Bureau offers free, confidential and independent advice to residents on a wide range of issues. Anyone can visit the local centre however drop in times vary and it may be advisable to phone ahead in case you need an appointment for specialist advice.
Housing Benefit can help you meet the cost of your rent. You may qualify for benefit if you are on low income and your savings (joint savings if you have a partner) are £16,000.00 or less. Council Tax Benefit could help pay towards some, or all, of your Council Tax bill if you are on a low income, even if you own your own home. For more information and contact details please visit
Westminster City Council’s website.
Westminster City Council has expanded its home handyman service to SW1. If you’re over 60 or in receipt of a disability allowance, you’ll be able to benefit from the service and request to have a handyman carry out a range of small jobs in your home free of charge, including:
Individuals that qualify can use the service twice in a financial year. Up to £50 of materials will be free and anything more must be paid for by the householder. Each job is allowed up to 3 1⁄2 hours to complete but some work such as gardening or work to a gas appliance will not be eligible.
Phone 020 7641 8959 for more information or to book an appointment.
101, Orchardson Street, London, NW8 8EA
Westminster City Council’s Housing Options Service offers advice and assistance on applying for a council or housing association property, help for Westminster Council tenants who want to move home, sheltered and supported housing, homelessness and free housing advice.
Are you a private landlord looking for tenants?
Westminster’s Housing Options Service is also in touch with a number of people looking for a place to live. If you would like access to this source of potential tenants then there are a couple of options: They can offer a full management service through their partners Orchard & Shipman with LetFirst. Visit their website to find out more at www.let-first.com.
Email us at info@let-first.com or call us on 0844 844 0439
Free tenant introduction service
Alternatively if you are not looking for a management service but would still like Housing Options Service to try to introduce a tenant to you free of charge, contact them on 020 7641 1000 and speak to the Westminster Lettings team or email: westlets@cwh.org.uk For more information please visit Westminster City Council’s website.
Tel 020 7641 2000 (24 hours) to report a noise problem in your local area.
Email noiseteam2@westminster.gov.uk
For more information please visit Westminster City Council’s website.
Tel 020 7641 1522 (24 hour) pestcontrol@westminster.gov.uk
Westminster City Council gives advice to private tenants on how to deal with a pest problem. If you are a council tenant or leaseholder you can also book appointments with pest control officers.
Westminster City Council is responsible for development control across the City. Usually Development Control involves making an application, and the the main types are:
Westminster will consider any of these applications, in a way that is set out according to legislation. Each case will be approved or refused. In most cases, approvals will be subject to a number of conditions and the reasons for any refusal will be given.
The aim is to strike a fair balance between letting people make changes to their property and preventing changes that could be harmful to the area as a whole. For more information please visit Westminster City Council’s website.
Tel 020 7823 4567 (24 hours)
Westminster City Council has allocated specific parking spaces across the City in which only residents can park with a Resident Parking Permit. In addition, the City of Westminster operates a resident parking scheme for off-street parking in our MasterPark car parks. For more information please visit Westminster City Council’s website. You should contact your landlord in relation to parking on housing estates.
www.westminster.gov.uk/recycling
For advice on the location of your nearest recycling facilities for glass, paper, cans and other materials
ResCard offers Card holders significant savings at many great places, including:
To apply for a FREE ResCard you must be resident within the City of Westminster. For more information please visit Westminster City Council’s website.
246 Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1V 1AU
If you are on a low income you can get free legal advice here on Tuesday and Thursday evenings 6.30 - 8.00. Legal advice is provided by volunteer solicitors and barristers on areas such as housing, landlord and tenant issues, consumer problems, personal injuries, immigration and employment.
Storemates is an online service that links people with storage needs with people who have unused space in their homes. Many local residents have too much stuff cluttering up their homes, whilst others have additional space that they do not fully use, like a loft, spare room, basement, or even a cupboard. Individuals can earn income through renting out their extra space while helping out someone locally by charging much less than commercial self storage companies. Using the Storemates website, users can list or search for storage space locally and with the help of a special contract, can safely put in place their storage arrangements. Similar to ‘Time banking’, members can even exchange storage space for a regular service rather than money which may be more valuable to some people. The service is free to use and has strict safeguards built in to protect both sides. If you are interested in being part of the new community storage revolution, visit www.storemates.co.uk or email info@storemates.co.uk
Tenancy Agreement Service focuses on the obligations and rights of both landlords and tenants in assured short hold tenancies. For further information on assured short hold tenancies see the following site: www.tenancyagreementservice.co.uk
The Warm and Healthy Homes Advice Line by Westminster City Council has been set up to help residents get through cold weather comfortably and economically. It’s a free service which can advise you how to reduce the cost of your fuel bills, making sure that you are claiming all of the benefits that you are entitled to and help to make your home warmer and more energy efficient.
Call 0800 072 9005 to speak to an adviser for free guidance and support.
You can book a free Healthy Home Check if you rent from a private landlord or housing association (council housing tenants are not eligible for this particular scheme). A Well at Home Officer will visit your home at a time that suits you to check for hazards including overcrowding, damp and mould, excess cold, fire safety and security. Well at Home can give grants to improve heating or insulation or to replace old kitchens and bathrooms. They can also help to get essential repairs carried out to remove hazards in your home.
To arrange a visit by your local Well at Home Officer please call Sarah Ellison on 020 7641 8959 or email: sellison@westminster.gov.uk
The Well at Home project is funded by NHS Westminster in partnership with Westminster City Council and supported by the South Westminster Action Network.
Email: res@westminster.gov.uk
For practical advice and support through grants to help vulnerable owner occupiers and tenants to maintain their independence and live comfortably and safely in their own home