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Non-Council Housing

Copeland Borough Council does not provide information on private housing availability within Copeland. We suggest you contact estate agents for information on available housing to buy or rent.

 

A good source of information, details and the facility to search for housing accommodation can be found by visiting housing care website.

What is Sheltered Housing?

Sheltered housing (also known as Retirement Housing) means having your own flat or bungalow in a block, or on a small estate, where all the other residents are older people (usually over 55). With a few exceptions, all developments (or 'schemes') provide independent, self-contained homes with their own front doors. There are many different types of scheme, both to rent or to buy. They usually contain between 15 and 40 properties, and range in size from studio flats (or 'bedsits') through to 2 and 3 bedroom.

 

Properties in most schemes are designed to make life a little easier for older people - with features like raised electric sockets, lowered worktops, walk-in showers, and so on. Some will usually be designed to accommodate wheelchair users. And they are usually linked to an emergency alarm service (sometimes called 'community alarm service') to call help if needed.

 

Many schemes also have their own 'manager' or 'warden' either living on-site or nearby, whose job is to manage the scheme and help arrange any services residents need. Managed schemes will also usually have some shared or communal facilities such as a lounge for residents to meet, a laundry, a guest flat and a garden.

 

New forms of sheltered housing have been pioneered in recent years, to cater for older people who are becoming more frail and less able to do everything for themselves. These are known as extra care or very sheltered schemes.

 

Most properties in these schemes will suit less mobile people and wheelchair users, and bathrooms particularly will be designed to make it easier for assistance to be offered. Schemes may have their own care staff, and will usually provide one or more meals each day, if required.

What is Retirement Housing?

Housing developments of a similar type to sheltered housing, but built for sale, usually on a leasehold basis in England, freehold in Scotland.

 

It has become customary to specify 'private' where applicable because for many years - until the 1980s - almost all housing built specially for older people was built to rent, by local councils and housing associations (registered social landlords). In effect, 'private' was coined to distinguish retirement housing built for owner-occupation from what was regarded as 'social housing'.

 

Confusingly, there is now a growing private rental market in retirement housing!

 

In the main, a private retirement housing rental means an individual property available for renting in an otherwise owner-occupied development. There are however a small number of developments built commercially solely for letting.

 

All social housing in the Borough is owned by Housing Associations. The Council works closely with the Housing Associations to ensure that we achieve our goal of providing an adequate supply of affordable housing.

 

Copeland Homes
The Copeland Centre, Catherine Street, Whitehaven Cumbria CA28 7SJ

Switchboard: 0845 1550980

 

Home Housing Association (Area Office)
Phoenix Court, Earl Street, Cleator Moor Cumbria CA25 5AU

Telephone: 01946 811761

 

Two Castles Housing Association (Area Office)
Catherine Mill, Catherine Street, Whitehaven Cumbria CA28 7QT Telephone: 01946 591848

 

If you wish to live in a home owned by one of the above social landlords you should apply directly to them.

 

They will be able to advise you of the areas in which they own properties, the time it will take to process your application and any other information that you require.