When a move-on flat is offered by a landlord whose heart is for our vision to empower people out of homelessness, we grab the opportunity on behalf of a ready tenant.

Having said that, our Empowerment Workers (EWs) do proceed with caution, as they don't want to put tenants in a position where they are financially worse off and having to struggle. But feeling hopeful of this tenant's financial skills, this EW set up a viewing. Here he tells the story:

“N had been using all his money for the month within 2 weeks before he was housed with Hope into Action.  His motivation shifted, he wanted to make a change for himself and those around him. He stopped spending on drugs and was firmer about allowing “borrowing” ie to his ex-partner. Within a couple of months, he was budgeting wisely for the whole month. And he even started to save and bought himself parts for a computer which he built himself!

When we went for the viewing together, the landlord met us and briefly went through the documentation side of things and showed us around the flat, which I have to say was very nice. As we prepared to travel back to his Hope into Action home, I asked the question, "Well what do you think?". N replied smiling, "Yeah I like it". So over the weekend, N did his budget and I met him on the following Monday to sit down and go over the figures together.

He had done a good job, the figures seemed to be in the black. He would have had the full deposit for his new place if he'd known that something like this was going to happen as soon as it did!

A deposit was negotiated and agreed on and move on day came round. It went well (apart from the sofa not fitting through the doorway - why does that always seem to be the case?) and now N was in his own place. On leaving he said to me, "Thank you for today and for what you've done to help, and can you thank everyone at Hope into Action?"