Living Arrangements (Temporary & Permanent)

Temporary housing

How is NHG supporting residents who have already moved into temporary accommodation?

In addition to providing you with alternative accommodation, we are ensuring that no-one is left out-of-pocket by having to move. This means that we will cover any additional travel costs you face, the cost of using local laundry facilities while you have been without a washing machine, and any parking costs at hotels. Until you move into their longer-term accommodation, we have provided you with either breakfast and dinner at their hotel, or £30 a day per person aged over 10, or £20 for under-10s.  

Will those living in temporary accommodation be asked to move somewhere else?

We will extend temporary accommodation for you as long as necessary. We have been meeting with you individually to discuss preferences and options.

How long do you expect residents to be in temporary accommodation before we can return? 

There will need to be further investigations of the building and then any resulting remediation work will need to take place. While we do not yet have a fixed timeline, we are working with the structural engineers and our third-party advisers to establish this as soon as possible and begin work. The reality is that we are looking at a period of several months. Temporary alternative accommodation is being extended to January 2027, to provide you with reassurance and stability.

Where have the households from Sapphire Court been moved to?

Nearly all are now in longer-term serviced accommodation, while some have gone to empty rental properties within NHG’s wider estate and others are staying with family and friends.  We have found temporary accommodation accessible for school and work, while one or two have chosen to move further afield to be closer to family. We minimised the time anyone has had to spend in a hotel and worked hard to find a solution that works for everyone.

Permanent housing 

Is permanent rehousing available and can we move outside the borough of Newham, but remain in London?

If you would prefer to move permanently, our team are happy to speak to you about your options. Given the huge demand on housing in Stratford and Newham, partly as a result of this relocation, it is likely to be far quicker to find you an alternative permanent home should you have the flexibility to move further afield.

If I am not comfortable moving in with temporary propping can I get a permanent move?

If you feel you do not wish to move back home under any circumstances, please make sure you speak to your local officer or one of the team in the resident hub so we can explore every option with you, including permanent moves. These may be difficult to arrange, but we want to work with you to explore every option that may work for you.

Access to your home

Find our more about the chaperone service and access to homes, and post and deliveries in the day-to-day practicalities section.

How can we carry out meter readings now that access to the block has been halted?

We would suggest that you write to your energy supplier and explain that you have been relocated, therefore no meter readings can be taken at this time and if they require any further information we will be happy to assist.

Will our belongings be put into storage?

We are looking into the need and the viability of providing storage for you while you don’t have access to your home and at other times, and we will come back to you once we have an agreed proposal. With the chaperone service in operation, some of you may feel this may no longer be required.

However, we know that many of you will still be interested in the potential of storage for your belongings even with the chaperone service in operation. We are reviewing what we can do on storage, and although we don’t have all the answers at the moment we will come back to you with some next steps as soon as we can. Please use the chaperone service to collect necessities, valuables or anything with sentimental value. We acknowledge you can’t take everything with you, so please speak to us about your specific needs.

Will contractors be entering our homes and how will our goods be safeguarded if so?

Access to some homes may be required to continue the investigations and formulate a remediation plan, but contractors will not enter your home without your knowledge. If contractors need to enter your home, we will work with you to ensure the necessary measures are taken to safeguard your home and possessions.  

Your rights and responsibilities

What are my rights as a tenant while I am away from home?

Your rights and obligations continue as per your tenancy agreement throughout the time you are temporarily moved from your home, subject to the provisions within our Relocation (Decant) Policy.

Who is responsible for our belongings while we are relocated from our homes?

You remain responsible for the contents of your home even though you are not living there. Since leaving your home it should be secure and no one can access it. If we need to access it to undertake surveys we will liaise with you direct on arrangements.

For those that are able to access their homes with chaperones, it would be helpful to take timed and dated photos of remaining possessions in case you need to rely on these should something unforeseen occur resulting in damage. In the unlikely event of any loss/damage to your belongings whilst they remain in your permanent home, we will consider what compensation we can offer depending on the exact circumstances and on the evidence of loss provided. We will also consider the impact on your remaining possessions as part of our management plan for securing the vacant buildings and will let you know what our approach is when it is finalised.

Do I need to let my home contents insurer know I have been relocated?

Yes, you should contact your insurer to let them know. Every cover is different, so it is important you find out from them whether there are any specific requirements you need to follow to maintain your cover. They may also suggest empty home insurance.

Your need to relocate from your home may result in increased premiums, and if that is the case, we will reimburse the difference as part of our pledge not to leave residents out of pocket for reasonable expenses. You would just need to provide us with confirmation from your insurer of the increased premium. It may also be important to let your motor insurer know of any change of location.

What about those of us that don’t have contents insurance?

We are currently unable to obtain contents insurance for your possessions, since it is not permitted to take out cover to protect other people’s property. We recommend that you obtain contents insurance for your belongings. In the unlikely event of any loss/damage to your belongings whilst they remain in your permanent home, we will consider what compensation we can offer depending on the exact circumstances and on the evidence of loss provided.

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