Timely advice given to customers about costs of running a new home

Sheffield Homes’ Money Advice Team has produced a new guide to help new customers think through the costs of setting up and running a new home of their own.  Called the ‘The True Cost of Independent Living’, the guide provides useful information about basic expenses such as rent, insurance, heating, water rates, furnishings and food.

 

The guide will be particularly useful for young people who have never managed a household budget and will be available to all new applicants who register for housing. It comes at a time when the costs of setting up and running a new home are continuing to rise due to factors such as the credit crunch and a rise in utility prices.

 

Maxine Stavrianakos, Head of Income Management at Sheffield Homes explains ‘Sometimes setting up and running a home can add up to more than people think. The leaflet provides facts and figures about the range of things they will have to pay for, so they can be realistic about whether this is something they can really afford, so they can stay out of debt.’

 

The new guide has been developed by Sheffield Homes Money Advice Team. Money advice officers, Janice Bell and Alison Whitehead work with people who ask Sheffield Homes for help with debt-related problems. They talk through the problems with customers and offer help and advice on how to start turning things around.  For example, they may put customers in touch with a specialist debt agency or look at restructuring debts to make payments more affordable. 

 

Copies of the leaflet can be obtained from any Sheffield Homes Housing Office, First Point or by calling the North call centre on 0114 293 0000 or South call centre on 0114 205 3333 or via the website www.sheffieldhomes.org.uk/rent