CHESS housing schemes in Chelmsford

CHESS runs many different programmes that are aimed at helping people that are homeless or families that are threatened by an eviction. They will assist people by moving them into private accommodations and then support them with ongoing support for several months as part of Sustaining Private Tenancies.

Not only does the charity operate houses that have scores of beds for the vulnerable, but the staff at the organisation will also help people locate new accommodations in the private sector and apply for rent deposit schemes. If there are no other options, then CHESS can signpost clients into shelters in Chelmsford. So a variety of housing services are run.

Private rented accommodation services

Many landlords in Chelmsford as well as Essex are not as willing to rent to families on benefits or those with a history of evictions. CHESS can help break this cycle. They offer many services to try to overcome this barrier, such as advice in applying for deposit schemes or bonds, mediation, and ongoing advice to the tenant for as long as six months. This may help the family keep their private accommodation over many months.

CHESS has created a list of homes in the city that are available for families on a low income. The charity has worked with the council and landlords to collect this data. As a result, there are flats, shared homes, studio apartments, and other accommodation in Chelmsford for the vulnerable. Many landlords are comforted by the support provided as part of their Sustaining Private Tenancies advice. Residents can call the charity for these referrals.

Housing schemes available directly from CHESS

Emergency shelter is also provided in Essex. All clients need to partner with a social worker or volunteer from CHESS in order to address the difficulties that led to them being homeless. The beds available for the homeless are limited, so the shelter does fill up quickly.

During the winter, there are additional beds available at the shelter. These will normally be available at CHESS from November to March as part of the Winter Project. All accommodations are first come and served.

The moving on scheme is used to help the client find a home in the social or private sector. This is the aim of most people, and assistance is available for this in partnership with the local authorities. The charity will usually place people into a shared house, such as a hostel. There will be shared cooking and washing facilities too. This is where their beds are at.

Anyone staying at the accommodations will need to pay weekly rent charges. They also may need to pay a portion of electric bills. This will show the organisation that the tenant has the ability to provide for themselves. Also, the Support Worker will help the person open a savings account at the credit union in Chelmsford, and they will require the person to save a portion of their income for future costs.

The next step of moving on is to assess the person’s skills and barriers. This will help people achieve the best outcome for their needs. Resettlement Officers from CHESS will help people work towards independent living and housing. When the client is ready, they will be able to register with the Chelmsford Council’s Choice Based Letting Scheme and also apply for rent deposit help.

There may be rare instances in which CHESS itself has money they will loan out for paying deposit costs. This is not common though and the applicant will need to be found eligible. The person will normally need a job and show the ability to save and budget. In most cases they will also need to repay the money to the charity.

All housing in the area is very limited, and there are no guarantees. But CHESS is a resource available. The main office is at 133 New London Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0QZ. The telephone number of the charity is 01245 281104.