04. What if the council offers me something unsuitable?

If you meet all the conditions listed in the other sections, the council must give you accommodation straight away. This will be temporary accommodation, and the council will continue to provide it (as long as you pay the rent and keep to the terms of the tenancy agreement) until it can find you somewhere permanent to live.

If you think the temporary or permanent accommodation that the council offers you is unsuitable, you can ask for a review of the decision. Accommodation might be unsuitable if, for example:

• it is too far from your job;
• there are stairs which you cannot manage because of your health; or
• it is too far from a hospital or other service which you use regularly.

The council will usually make you only one offer of suitable accommodation, so you should think carefully and get advice before refusing to move in. Even after moving in to the accommodation, within 21 days of the council's offer you can still ask for a review as to whether it is suitable. An advice centre may be able to help you show the council that the accommodation isn't suitable (See 'Further help' for details).