At
16 you can leave home
without your parent's
permission.
It can be really difficult
to find somewhere in an
area you want and it can
be hard to keep that place
going. Many young people
leaving home end up in
difficulty, or even homeless.
You might be leaving to
go to college, to a job,
to get married or to move
in with a partner. Living
at home may have become
crowded or tense or you
may just need your freedom.
Whatever the reason, make
sure you are ready to
leave home. If you feel
you have to leave because
of arguments, read on
for advice on how to cope
with this.
Many
young people feel they
have to get away from
arguments at home and
must move out. After moving
away, they realise how
hard it is to be on their
own and wish that they
had stayed. Here are some
ideas for coping with
arguments at home:
Talk to a friend, relative, teacher, counsellor
or doctor.
Call a helpline like ChildLine on 0800 1111 (for under 18s) or The Samaritans on 08457 909090 (any age).
If
you are serious about
moving out there are various
options open to you. Think
carefully about where
it is you want to live
- near family, friends
or work? If you have a
disability what are your
specific requirements?
Moving
out is a big decision
and it is really vital
that you move somewhere
that meets your needs.
Take your time, plan it
carefully and only move
when you
really feel ready.
Students
- you could
move into halls of residence.
You pay rent to the college
or university's accommodation
office. Sometimes this
includes bills. You will
usually share with others.
You can also rent a flat
from a private landlord.
Private
Rented - you
can rent from a private
landlord. The rent is
normally quite high and
you will need to pay a
deposit and bills.
Flat-share
- you can look
for a room with others
sharing the living space
and bills. Usually these
houses will be rented
from private landlords
but sometimes the owner
might live in the house.
Voluntary
Work -
if you do voluntary
work with organisations
like Community
Service Volunteers
(CSV)
- 0131 622 7766 -
you may get
accommodation provided.
This can be a good way
to see how you cope with
being away from home.
Councils
-
they let housing at affordable
rents. Apply to your Council
Housing Department .
You can put your name
down at 16 but there is
normally a waiting list.
No deposit but you have
to pay the bills.
Housing Associations -
these
are organisations with
housing to let at affordable
rents. You can apply either directly to a housing association or through your council .
There is normally a waiting
list. No deposit but you
have to pay the bills.
Registered Social Landlords
(RSLs) - Councils
and housing associations
are RSLs which means they
are registered with the
Government and provide
affordable housing. You
may come across other
RSLs such as housing trusts.
Supported
Accommodation -
means housing with the
support of workers to
help you cope with living
on your own, with little
or no family support.
Sometimes it can be a
few young people sharing
a house with workers living
in, or a hostel, or perhaps
a private house where
the owners offer support.
The rent is higher for
this accommodation. Be
aware that it can be hard
to adjust to living alone
when you move on.
Common
Housing Register - this
is when all the RSLs in
an area are on one list
and you only have apply
once to be on all their
waiting lists. Ask your
Council Housing Departmentif
there is one in your area.
Buying
- you
normally need to have
a deposit and get a mortgage
to buy a house. The size
of mortgage you will get
depends on your salary.
One
big worry when you move
out is how to afford it.
There is a lot to pay
for so you have to learn
to budget. This can be
hard. You may get money
from the following:
Working
- your weekly or monthly
wage will be taxed before
you get it. What you
receive is called your
net income. That's what
you will have to live
on.
Studying
- at college or university
you will usually have
your tuition fees paid
by the Government. To
help with your rent
and living costs you
can apply for grants
and bursaries. You may
be eligible for a student
loan which must be paid
back.
Benefits
- if you are unemployed,
unable to work or on
a low income you can
get financial help from
the Government. This
is normally processed
through Social Security
Offices or by Jobcentres
Once
you have moved into a place
there are a lot of things
that you will need to get
used to doing by yourself.
Things like washing, cleaning,
shopping and cooking. You
may feel isolated and bored
to start with while you
get used to being by yourself.
Don't worry, this is quite
normal and will usually
pass once you get into living
there.
When
planning your move you
will come across some
terms that you may not
have heard before –
here is what they mean.
Tenant
-
a
person who rents a property.
Tenancy
-
your
time as the tenant in
a rented property.
Tenancy
Agreement/Lease/Contract
-
the legal agreement between
you and your landlord
setting out the terms
of your tenancy.
Housing
Benefit -help
with your rent, paid by
the Council .
Council Tax -
what you pay to
the Council for their
public services and water.
If you are a student or
under 18 you do not pay
Council Tax.
Rent
Deposit Schemes -
these give help
when you need to pay a
deposit on a flat but
can't afford it. They
guarantee the deposit
to your landlord so that
you can move in. You then
pay the deposit to the
scheme in instalments.
Inventory
-
a
list signed by you and
the landlord when you
move in. It describes the
furniture, equipment and
its condition.
Eviction
-as
a tenant, you can only
be legally evicted if
your landlord has got
a court order. Otherwise,
they could be committing
a criminal offence.
