Luton Borough Council

Domestic abuse and your housing situation

Domestic abuse is something no one is expected to live with or endure. We believe in the safety and protection of any person who may be exposed to domestic abuse.

This is irrespective of your age, sex, religion, sexual orientation or gender. Domestic abuse is not just about violence within the home or from a partner. It can be from another family member or another person living in the same home as you.

The term 'domestic abuse' includes:

violence
sexual assault
bullying
mental cruelty
deprivation
name calling
any act that causes a person to feel degraded, humiliated, inferior or in fear of their safety

It can also include forced marriage and assaults or threats committed in the name of 'honour'.

Help and support for victims of domestic violence/ abuse can be found on the website of soLUTiONs domestic abuse partnership.

Staying safe in your home

If you experience domestic abuse you do have legal rights to protect you in your home, whether you rent or own your property. This applies for both married and unmarried households as well as households with children.

We will do everything we can to help you and advise you on your legal rights regarding staying safe and protected in your home.

You should also seek legal advice on your options. We can give you guidance on how to do this.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or you think someone else may be experiencing abuse, you should contact the Safeguarding Adults team. They’ll give you information about the options you have and the support available to you.

Follow this link to find out more about the different types of abuse and how you can get in touch with the Safeguarding Adults team.

Council tenants

If you are a council tenant, it is a breach of your tenancy conditions to carry out acts of domestic abuse or violence. This also applies if you are living in temporary accommodation provided by us.

If you are a council tenant and experience domestic abuse, you should first report this to your generic housing officer for your area:

Telephone: 01582 547304
Email: [email protected].

We will discuss all the options available to help you. If your situation is an emergency, then we can discuss ways of keeping you safe.

Private tenants

As a private tenant, you may qualify for assistance under the Homesafe scheme if your home needs additional security as a result of domestic abuse. You may also be able to obtain an ouster injunction which is an order from the Court removing a person from your home and surrounding area. It could also be possible for you to obtain an order transferring any joint tenancy you hold into your name only.

Owner occupiers

If you own or jointly own your property you may also be eligible for assistance under the Homesafe scheme if you are under threat of being made homeless and you do not have sufficient means to put in additional security. You also have legal rights over your property which the courts will protect.

These include:

ouster injunction - an order from the court removing a person from your property
non-molestation order - an order from the court instructing a person not to molest or make contact with you
property transfer order - an order which transfers property from either one person's name to another or removing a person from the title of the property
order for sale of property - a court orders the property to be sold and the assets divided
order for right of occupation - an order giving rights to remain in a matrimonial home

Households with children

There are orders to protect the safety and arrangements for children. These apply to both married and unmarried couples.

These include:

Parental Responsibility Order – an order deciding who has responsibility for a child
Residence Order – an order deciding where a child will live
Prohibited Steps Order – an order restricting parental responsibility

If you need to speak to someone about domestic abuse your housing situation, please contact us using the details below.

Contact info

Housing Solutions team
Luton Council, Town Hall, George Street, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 2BQ
Tel: 01582 510371

[email protected]