Newspapers and magazines

•  TNT magazine. Free out every Monday and can be found outside many rail and tube stations in London.

•  LOOT newspaper. Comes out three times a week and has many adverts for flats and houseshares. You might find a copy in your local library.

•  Evening Standard newspaper on a Wednesday

•  Guardian newspaper. Has a ‘Capital Flatshare’ list in its ‘Guide’ supplement every Saturday.

The internet

•  Hbaccepted.co.uk – a website which has collected details of some letting agencies who will accept people who are on Housing Benefit

•  Gumtree.com - lists flats and houses to rent, including ones to share. In the "Keyword" box, you might type "DSS accepted", "DSS welcome", "housing benefit accepted" or "housing benefit considered".

•  tntmagazine.com – same information as in the magazine (see above)

•  loot.com/property – same information as in the newspaper (see above). In the "Keyword" box, you might type "DSS accepted", "DSS welcome", "housing benefit accepted" or "housing benefit considered".

Local Council Private Rented Sector schemes

•  Some local councils run schemes to get people into private rented accommodation, even if you don’t have the right to be housed by the council because you are not in ‘Priority need’

•  These schemes are usually run through the council’s Homeless Persons Unit or their Housing Advice Unit.

•  These schemes sometimes have links with local landlords and often help with deposits and rent in advance.

•  You can make a search for schemes which operate in your local authority area here

•  However, these schemes usually require you to have a local connection with the Council area you are applying to

•  Also, only some of these schemes allow you to apply directly yourself (‘self-refer’)

Council Private Rented Sector Schemes For all the council schemes below you have to have a local connection with the council which is running the scheme. Click on the name of the scheme for more details: Barnet – Threshold Housing Advice Barnet Smartmove – can provide a guarantee in place of a deposit and 4 weeks rent in advance. You can apply directly yourself. Brent – Brent Private Housing Information Unit – you have to find a property yourself but the scheme can then provide a guarantee in place of 4 weeks’ rent. You can apply directly yourself to this scheme. Haringey – Haringey Urban Environment, Housing Services, Prevention – can provide a deposit of 4 weeks’ rent plus 4 weeks’ rent in advance. You have to go through Haringey’s homelessness services department to be referred onto the scheme Kensington & Chelsea – Kensington & Chelsea Housing Initiative Team – can provide a deposit of 4 weeks’ rent plus 4 weeks’ rent in advance. You have to go through Kensington & Chelsea’s homelessness services department to be referred onto the scheme Southwark – Southwark Housing Options Services – Rent Deposit Scheme – the scheme has contact with some local landlords. It can provide a rent guarantee in place of a deposit to the value of one month’s rent. You can apply directly yourself to the scheme

Private rented sector schemes run by charities

•  There are a number of schemes run by charities which help homeless people into private rented accommodation, even if you don’t have the right to be housed by the council because you are not in’ Priority need’

•  These schemes sometimes have links with local landlords and often help with deposits and rent in advance.

•  Some of these schemes require you to have a local connection with certain council areas but some don’t.

•  Most of these schemes require you to be referred by other organizations or by the local council – you cannot usually apply directly yourself. But it might just be a matter of making contact with one of those other organizations which can then refer you. You might want to ring the charity running the scheme and check which organizations can refer you.

Private rented sector schemes run by Charities Click on the name of any scheme below if you want more details: Broadway Real Lettings – You will need a local connection with Islington, Hammersmith & Fulham, Lewisham or Westminster. You need to be already living in a hostel or supported accommodation and ready to live independently. You need to check with the scheme about how to get referred. Hope Worldwide - Two Step – you can apply directly yourself to this project from anywhere in London. You should be able to manage a tenancy yourself. The scheme has links with some landlords and negotiates deposits. It prefers you to pay at least part of the deposit yourself. OSW Transitional Spaces Project – you need to be living in a hostel or other temporary supported accommodation. This can be anywhere in London. You do need to be referred onto the scheme by a hostel worker, employment advisor or a learning development worker. The scheme is aimed at people who are able to work in the UK and who are ready to move into permanent employment at the same time as moving into private rented accommodation. Quaker Social Action Network Homelink – You need to have a local connection with the boroughs of Hackney, Haringey or Tower Hamlets. You also need to be referred from the Local Housing Options Service of Tower Hamlets or Hackney. You are given a list of landlords on the scheme to find a property for yourself. Help is given with rent deposits. Threshold Smartmove London – You need to have a local connection with the borough of Wandsworth. You also need to be referred, either by Wandsworth’s homeless department or Threshold Housing Advice (same address as Threshold Smartmove). Links with landlords and help with rent deposits and rent in advance.

Shop windows and notice boards

Letting Agencies

•  Some just find tenants for landlords, others also manage properties for landlords

•  Many agencies won’t accept tenants on Housing Benefit but some will

•  Yellow pages is a good starting point for a list of letting agencies. Local housing advice centres and citizens advice bureaux might also have lists

•  You first need to register with a lettings agency. You can register with more than one

•  Some agencies don’t charge but others do. You shouldn’t have to pay any fees until a place has been found for you

•  Hbaccepted.co.uk – is a website which has collected details of some letting agencies who will accept people who are on Housing Benefit