Finding a new home

You may be able to stay with family or friends for a while, but will also need to find long-term accommodation that you can afford. Your options may include:
•    buying another property (you may find it difficult to get another mortgage if your home was repossessed or you had significant arrears)
•    asking the Housing Executive for help because you are homeless
•    renting from a private landlord
•    applying for a Housing Executive or a housing association house
•    moving into supported housing.

If you are on a low income and you move into rented accommodation, you may be eligible for housing benefit.

You may find it more difficut to get another mortgage because your credit rating will have been adversely affected by the repossession.

In many cases you will have to provide a larger than normal deposit, and may be charged higher than normal interest rates which can make the arrangement less affordable for you. You may also be able to get a smaller mortgage and/or buy a home through co-ownership.

The Housing Executive has a legal duty to help some people who are homeless or about to lose their homes. You may be able to get:
•    advice
•    emergency accommodation, and
•    longer term housing.

The rules on what sort of help the Housing Executive has to give you are complicated. Your rights will depends on your personal circumstances, but at the very least, the Housing Executive has to look into your situation and give you advice to help you find a home. You are more likely to get help from the Housing Executive if you can prove that you are not intentionally homeless. For example, you couldn’t pay the mortgage because you lost your job, split up with your partner or became ill. Some people can get help from social services, even if the Housing Executive won't help them. An adviser can check whether this applies to you.

The quality of privately rented accommodation varies widely. In some areas it may be possible to find a cheap place to move into quite quickly. In other areas it can be difficult to find anywhere, and your choices may be in poor condition.

Rents can be expensive. In the majority of cases, there is no legal limit to how much landlords can charge to begin with, but there are rules about how often they can increase the rent. When you find a place, you will probably have to pay rent in advance and a deposit. If you are on benefits or have a low income, you may be able to get help to pay your deposit from schemes such as SmartMove or by applying for a loan through the Social Fund.

Many private landlords run credit checks on prospective tenants. It is usually more difficult to find a landlord who will rent to you if your home was repossessed because of mortgage arrears.

You must apply for a Housing Executive or housing association house using the selection scheme. Some people, including most people from abroad, are not eligible to apply. To get onto the waiting list you need to fill in the General Housing Application Form.

Waiting lists are often very long. Your chances of getting a house will depend on:
•    your points total
•    your position on the waiting list
•    when the type of accommodation you need becomes available in your chosen areas.

In some areas there is a lot of accommodation available, but in other areas you may have little realistic hope of being offered a place at all. You will probably need to look at other options, such as renting from a private landlord, especially if you need to move quickly.

You may want to consider other accommodation options such as supported housing. A local advice agency can tell you what may be available in your area and how to apply.

If you have a history of debt problems you will often find it difficult to get a tenancy or mortgage. Landlords will usually check your credit history with credit reference agencies such as Experian and Equifax. Most mortgage lenders will also check the 'possessions register' operated by the Council for Mortgage Lenders, which gives information about repossessions by any its members during the last six years.

You can write to the credit reference agency asking for a copy of the information they hold on you. You normally have to pay a £2 fee. Within seven days the agency should:
•    send you a copy of the information they hold on you, and
•    information about how you can change the information if it is not correct.

If the agency refuses to change information that is incorrect, get advice. You may be able to complain to the Office of Information Commissioners.