Domestic and sexual violence support (DSV)
If you are a council tenant experiencing domestic and sexual violence, your Housing Compliance Officer can help you understand your rights.
Your Housing Compliance Officer can:
- Advise you on additional home security the council can provide
- Advise you on your tenancy status and how you can protect your rights
- Advise you on your options to secure alternative permanent accommodation
- Advise you on taking enforcement action against the person causing the abuse.
You must inform your Housing Compliance Officer if you hold a tenancy but because of your circumstances you:
- Move to temporary accommodation
- Are placed in a refuge
- Decide to apply as homeless.
Do not give up your tenancy without advice from your Housing Compliance Officer. If you do, you could end up with no home and no right to a further tenancy.
If you have been forced to leave your property and the abuser is:
- A sole or joint tenant with you
- Has committed an offence against you, or
- Has a Court Order to leave the property,
- This will be considered a breach of their tenancy and they could lose their home.
Your Housing Compliance Officer will be able to discuss this further with you.