If you have a Housing query, please call our Service Centre (tel: 01349 886602),or visit one of our Service Points. You can also write to your local Housing and Property offices.
The vision that we are working to is that everyone in Highland has a warm, affordable and secure home, in good condition which meets their needs in a pleasant and thriving community. Housing helps communities across Highland to have sustainable economic growth.
Save, Borrow, Plan for Tomorrow
HI-SCOT Credit Union is now operating across the Highland area and provides an opportunity for people in the community to come together to save, and borrow money at low rates. Credit Unions are not-for-profit co-operatives, with surpluses being returned to members. They are run by its members for the benefit of the community. Anyone who lives or works in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland can join HI-SCOT. Savings are pooled together to be used
as a common fund from which members can apply for loans
Benefits of joining a credit union include:
- Access to Flexible & Convenient Loans
- Attractive Dividend on Savings
- No transaction fees for borrowing or
- Saving
Paying in to the credit union is easy and can be done via:
- Payroll deduction
- Via Standing order
- At any Paypoint outlet
- At any Post Office
You can withdraw funds either by a cheque sent to your home address or transfer into a nominated bank account.
To join HI-SCOT you can access forms and information on-line at:
www.hi-scot.com or by calling 01851 701865.
When you complete your forms you can take them along to a Highland Council Service Point where staff will verify your ID.
New ways of paying your rent and other housing charges from April 2011
From 1 April 2011, you will be able to pay your council house rent; garage or garage site rent; Gypsy/Travellers Site pitch rent or home contents insurance payments at outlets such as local newsagents, convenience stores and petrol stations which display the Paypoint or Payzone signs shown above. Some of these outlets also still accept cheques. You can pay using your current plastic swipe card.
You can also still pay by cash or cheque at most Post Offices.
There are more than 300 outlets across Highland with Paypoint or Payzone facilities, including most Post Offices – to find your local outlet, go to http://www.paypoint.co.uk/locator.aspx.
As a result of the new arrangements the HQ cash office on Glenurquhart Road, Inverness is closing permanently on 31 March 2011.
If you have not already done so, you may want to consider paying by Direct Debit. It is cheap, convenient and safe. You can get a Direct Debit form from any Council office or Service Point or you could download a form from our website at www.highland.gov.uk.
For other convenient pays to pay your rent and other housing charges go to Paying your Rent.
Highland Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme
The scheme has been set up to enable people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness to access accommodation in the private rented sector.
The scheme will give a landlord a letter of guarantee to the value of the tenancy deposit. This will enable the tenant to pay the deposit direct to the landlord by instalments over the first 6 months of the tenancy. The Council will then withdraw its letter of guarantee.
The scheme is unable to assist with rent in advance.
Further information about the scheme can be found in the Highland Deposit Guarantee Scheme - Questions and Answers for Private Landlords and Applicants
Additional information and applications can be made by contacting The Highland Council Homeless Prevention Team at homeless.prevention@highland.gov.uk or by telephone on 01463 703824.
Advice and information on Housing
You can link below to information on:
If you have a housing emergency outside office hours i.e. if you suddenly become homeless or if you are a council tenant who needs to report an emergency repair, you can phone the Housing Emergency Line: 0845 700 2005.
Send us your comments and housing queries through our contact form.