Housing Advice For Armed Forces Clients
Our Housing Solutions Service provides high quality professional housing advice, and you will find Housing Solutions Officers here who can help you plan for life outside the military environment, where housing is a key need. We can provide assistance for those whose military service has resulted in a need for additional support or for a specific adaptation to your home.
Details on applying for housing in West Dunbartonshire Council can be found on the Tenancy and Allocations pages.
Our officers provide personalised housing options suited to your needs. Further detail is available on the housing options page. As well as looking at housing solutions, it also offers information and links to other services, which could impact on your housing options, such as the Welfare Rights Hub, employment and training, and support services etc.
To make a housing options appointment please contact the Team offices for appointments between 9.30am and 4.30pm. Current contact information is available on the Housing options and Homeless page.
There are also a number of Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) in West Dunbartonshire Council, who can provide housing opportunities. Each RSL has its own individual allocations policy and points system, although most are based on a needs assessment. They provide varying types of accommodation from mainstream housing to amenity and sheltered housing.
Some of the RSL also offer shared equity properties to purchase, further information is available on the low cost home ownership page.
Contact details and more information on how to apply to any of the RSL’s in West Dunbartonshire is available on the Housing Associations page.
Private rented accommodation is another option for housing, and properties can be found advertised in a variety of places including the internet, local letting agents and the local press. The Council has a number of initiatives designed to assist people to access accommodation in this sector. People on low incomes are usually entitled to receive Local Housing Allowance to help them pay the rent. It is important to note that the level of allowance may not pay the rent in full. You will normally have to pay an upfront deposit that is equivalent to a month’s rent. West Dunbartonshire Council operates a “Help to Rent” Scheme. The main role of Help to Rent West Dunbartonshire is to help a prospective private tenant with a deposit they may require. Private renting is a good option if you are looking for somewhere to stay quickly, in a particular area or property type or are looking for somewhere that is furnished.
Veterans Housing Scotland Partnership
West Dunbartonshire Council have a nomination agreement in place with Veterans Housing Scotland for up to two properties on a permanent basis each year for a veteran household.
Veterans Housing Scotland is an Edinburgh-based charity that provides homes for disabled veterans across Scotland. They are keen to work with local authorities and social landlords to secure more homes for the veteran tenants they support, typically those experiencing mental or physical challenges as a result of their service. The charity has 650 homes across Scotland including eight within West Dunbartonshire.
West Dunbartonshire Council will work with the Veterans Housing Scotland Support Team to identify locations for two properties per year. Thereafter, these properties will be advertised on the Veterans Housing Scotland website highlighting the partnership. Eligible households will be invited to make an initial application to Veterans Housing Scotland and complete a housing application to WDC. If they are approved following their application an offer of housing will be made.
These households will then be supported in that property by Veterans Housing Scotland Visiting Officers alongside our own Council staff. This new approach will increase housing options for veteran households who may otherwise be experiencing homelessness.
For more information and to make an initial application visit the Veterans Housing Scotland website
Housing supported by ex-Service charities
There are a number of charities across Scotland that provide housing for ex-Service personnel and their families.
All of the ex-Service charities are members of Veterans Scotland. More details are available on the Veterans Scotland website.
Scottish Veterans Residence provide accommodation in Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow.
Housing Options Scotland have a specialist unit for veterans to assist you to find suitable housing.
To get full details and the criteria required to apply for veteran houses please contact The Scottish Veterans Garden City Association (Inc), details are below;
The Scottish Veterans Garden City Association (Inc), New Haig House, Edinburgh, EH7 4HQ,
Telephone Number 0131 557 1188
Email Address: mail@vgca.org.uk