housing advice

Many people, at some time in their life experience housing problems, or are involved in providing housing as a developer or landlord. We are here to provide advice and practical help to home owners, landlords, developers, private tenants, council and housing association tenants and people who are homeless.

Who makes decisions about housing?

Elected councillors make decisions. There is currently a vacancy for the Councillor responsible for housing.

The Head of Housing is Ms Frances Turner, supported by 6 managers.

Where can you find us?

We are based in the main Truro office. We can visit you in your home, or make an appointment to see you at the Council's Falmouth office. We have an emergency out of hours service for people who are homeless.

Our goal

Our goal is to continue to be a first class housing service delivering the quality of services and housing solutions that local people want and can afford for the social and economic benefit of all residents.

Our vision

• Access and choice. To have enough homes in all tenures to meet future housing demand and to increase access and choice.
• Care and support. To ensure that people across all tenures have access to care and support so that they can live independently.
• Decent housing. To ensure homes across all tenures are maintained and managed to a good standard.
• Sustainable communities.To work with communities and others to improve their social and economic well being and create safe and healthy towns and villages.

This vision was developed as part of our three year Housing Strategy 2000/01 - 2003/04. The Housing Strategy is based on an understanding of local housing problems and issues. It sets out targets and actions to be achieved by us and those we work with, and the funding needed to carry them out. See below for our top priorities. For more information contact Louise Dwelly, Housing Strategy and Enabling Manager.

• Preventing homelessness

• Achieving a two or three star inspection rating from the Government

• Modernising council housing so that all homes will meet the government's decent homes standard by 2010

• Maximising the supply of affordable housing to meet local need

• Taking a long term approach to improving the condition of privately owned housing

• Developing more supported housing accommodation and provide high quality services

• Increasing customer choice in the letting of council and housing association property

• Achieving a government award, called fit for purpose, for producing a high quality housing strategy and Council housing business plan

• Working with communities and others to improve their social and economic well being

• Launched a new arms length management company Carrick Housing Ltd to manage the council housing service to tenants and leaseholders. Carrick Housing Ltd hope to unlock an extra £19.6 million to modernise the housing

• Published new planning policies which will increase the number of affordable homes

• Brought about the demolition of the Porthvale former holiday complex for redevelopment of market and low cost housing

• Invested over £2 million in new affordable homes in partnership with the Housing Corporation

• Developed a new homelessness strategy

• Secured funding for a learning disabilities housing scheme

• Set up a new incentive scheme for landlords to let properties to people on low incomes

• Developed over 200 affordable homes in the last five years.

• Introduced new loans and health and safety grants for home owners on low incomes to repair their home

• Improved our customer information with a new house-style for all literature

We try to involve the community and other organisations in developing our housing strategy and action plan. If you would like to be involved in setting housing priorities or give your views on the housing services we already provide please contact Anna Brooks, Housing Services Project Officer.

Some of those we work with are:

Council tenant representatives
Focus groups of customers
Parish councils
Developers
Housing associations and other housing providers such as St. Petrocs
Landlord associations
The Police
Other agencies such as Social Services, Connexions, Shelter

You may a have a legal right to an appeal, or you can make a formal complaint. Contact the relevant service to find out how your complaint will be dealt with.

Head Office
Carrick House
Pydar Street
Truro
Cornwall
TR1 1EB
Tel: 01872 224400
e-mail: comment@carrick.gov.uk

For further information on housing and other services offered by the Cornwall District Councils click on the icons below to visit their individual Websites.