Bridge Housing Solutions
Housing Solutions was established in 1995 and is now a leading provider of affordable homes in the South East. We own, manage and maintain more than 7,500 homes. We offer affordable homes to rent, shared ownership schemes, market rent properties, key worker housing and specialist accommodation for older people and people who need support and care to live within the community. All our homes are backed up by a range of housing services, including our own professional team of trades staff who provide a comprehensive repairs and maintenance service.
Our work as a social housing provider is supported by profits from our growing commercial activities. We have recently launched a new six year strategic plan. This focuses on two objectives – achieving happy customers and building more homes. Our first objective is to take steps to ensure that our customers are happy with their homes and the services we provide. Over the next six years we will focus on delivering the services that are the top priorities for our customers. Our 2020 Vision is to deliver 2020 new homes by the year 2020.
We see ourselves as more than just a landlord. We are active members of the local community, and we aim to make a real difference to the lives of our customers.
We have developed a series of initiatives dedicated to that goal. These include our award-winning Strive Business Start-up programme which is helping our customers and local people get back into work; Our investment in improving the energy efficiency of our homes, which is helping customers cut their fuel bills; And the work of our Financial Inclusion Team which is helping to improve living standards for hundreds of customers who are struggling financially.
Housing Solutions has a small number of properties that are available for open market rent. Renting on the open market means you will be renting a property from us at the same price level that you would from a private landlord or estate agent.
As a not-for-profit organisation, the income we receive from our market rent properties is ploughed back into our organisation to help us provide more affordable homes for people in need.
Although your landlord may be a housing association the tenancy is a renewable Assured Short Hold Tenancy and is not a social housing tenancy: you will have no automatic Right to Buy or Right to Acquire the property, mutual exchange or transfer to another property.
The properties are usually 1 or 2 bedroom flats although houses are occasionally available. They are unfurnished, but some will include floor coverings and some white goods.
If you accept a Market Rent tenancy, you will be expected to pay your first months rent in advance, together with a month and a half's rent as a deposit, and a £200 (non-refundable) admin fee. This deposit will be held in the Deposit Protection Scheme (DPS) and will be refundable at the end of your tenancy. However, prior to your tenancy termination, your landlord will undertake a property inspection and any costs involved in returning the property back to a fully lettable condition (if applicable) will be deducted from the tenancy deposit before it is returned to you. Examples could be cleaning the property, breakages, outstanding rent etc. op page.
Please click here for example properties.