Housing Options Team

We can help you if you are homeless or at risk of losing your home, or even if you are just planning to move. If you would like to discuss your housing needs, please contact us as soon as possible. Don’t leave it until the last minute to get in touch. The service we give you is free of charge.

We can advise and assist you with these:

Housing options

• council housing
• housing associations
• private renting
• home ownership
• supported accommodation
• emergency/temporary accommodation
• assessment of your legal rights under homelessness law
• getting support to move or to stay in your home
• referrals to specialist services for further advice and help.

Visits and outreach

If you are unable to come to our council offices because of illness, disability or other reason we can arrange to visit you at home.

We can arrange to visit you in hospital or in prison if you need housing advice and help before discharge or release date.

Customer care

We will:

• offer information on our service in a number of ways and all of them will be easy to understand
• reply to all letters and e-mails within 10 working days
• answer all telephone calls within five rings and give you the name of the person you are speaking with
• send you a brochure or leaflet within five working days if requested
• wear identification badges and show them when we meet you
• carry out customer surveys to assess your satisfaction with our service
• reply to your complaint within 10 working days if we can’t sort it out on the spot.

Meeting with you

Please tell us if you have any special requirements, which could be:

• an interview by a staff member of the same sex
• interpretation and translation services
• help to fill in forms if necessary
• facilities for the hard of hearing or visually impaired
• bringing a friend or advisor to your appointment.

Your Privacy

We will:

• respect your privacy, customs, culture and beliefs
• provide a private interview room
• ensure the information you give is dealt with in a confidential way. If we need to share information we will get your permission before we do this
• comply with Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act.

How to contact us

Housing Options Team (HOT)
1 Cockburn Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1BJ
Tel: 0131 529 7368
Fax: 0131 529 7553

Opening Hours

• Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8.30am to 5.00pm
• Tuesday 10.00am to 5.00pm
• Friday 8.30am to 3.40pm

Appointments

To make an appointment please ring one of our Customer Advisors on 0131 529 7368.

Crisis and Emergencies

If you have nowhere to stay tonight we will arrange an emergency interview for you with a duty officer. Please note that at busy times you may have to wait to be interviewed.

If you become homeless after office hours, you can contact the Council’s Out of Hours Service on Freephone 0800 032 5968.

Complaints

If you are not happy with the service you have received, please follow our complaints procedure.