Eastbourne Specialist Housing Advice
BHT Sussex provides housing advice to people who are homeless, threatened with homelessness, or living in rented accommodation which has serious disrepair.
We have a contract with the Legal Aid Agency and can provide specialist legal advice to people who qualify for Legal Aid.
Anyone who is threatened with homelessness will automatically qualify for legal help under Legal Aid. This includes:
- Tenants who received a notice from their landlord to end their tenancy
- Lodgers who have received notice from their landlord
- People who are living with family or friends and have been told they must leave
- Mortgage holders who are at risk of their home being repossessed.
If you are homeless or there is significant disrepair in your rented property which affects your health, you will be eligible for legal help under Legal Aid provided you meet a financial means test. Anyone who is either in receipt of Universal Credit or Pension Credit and has less than £8,000 in savings will be eligible for advice. Other people on a low income may also be eligible for legal help under Legal Aid, but we would need to check your eligibility.
We refer relevant cases to our housing solicitors for work under a full Legal Aid Certificate. There are slightly different rules regarding eligibility for full Legal Aid, and we would discuss this with you if your case needed to be referred to a solicitor.
We also receive funding from Eastbourne Borough Council and Lewes District Council and can offer some specialist housing advice that would not be funded under the Legal Aid Scheme for residents of those councils.
