Homes for Ukraine – information for customers
At Touchstone, we believe in putting people first, and we are pledging our support for Ukrainians arriving in the UK. We know lots of our customers also want to help, and if are thinking about offering your spare accommodation, we want to support you to do that safely for you and your family. The information below contains more information for Touchstone customers considering this option.
Homes for Ukraine
The government has launched a scheme that enables people to offer accommodation (for a minimum of six months) to provide a route to safety for Ukrainians, and their immediate family members, forced to escape their homeland.
More information about the scheme here: The Homes for Ukraine scheme.
If you consider participating in the scheme, please ensure you use official and legitimate organisations to prevent potential fraud.
Information for customers
Volunteering a spare room as part of this scheme is a significant commitment, and where it is safe and appropriate to offer space, we want to support customers who would like to take part.
Before registering with the Homes for Ukraine scheme, you must contact us to make us aware that you are registering (or if you have already done so).
This is important because is a requirement of your tenancy agreement to obtain consent from your landlord. We will liaise with them on your behalf and let you know their decision.
Please get in touch with us by:
- Completing the Homes for Ukraine Online Form Homes for Ukraine - Customer Registration of Sponsorship Interest
- Email: info@touchstoneresi.co.uk
- Phone: 01225 838 490
Hosting another family for 6-12 months is a big commitment, and before offering accommodation through this scheme, you will want to consider:
- Whether you have enough space in your home
- The support a guest may need to settle in
- The requirement to provide accommodation for at least six months
- Any increase in household costs (e.g. utility bills) that may result from having more people living in your home
- The terms of your tenancy agreement
- That you are not permitted to charge your guest any kind of rent during their stay
- What will happen during holidays, when you may have children at home during the day or when you might go away for some time?
- How will you manage visits from friends or family who might usually stay with you from time to time?
Information for shared owners
Offering a spare bedroom as part of this scheme is a significant commitment, which we want to support customers to do if they wish.
Before committing to support a family through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, you must contact us. It is a requirement of your tenancy agreement to obtain our consent. We will forward this to your landlord for their consideration on receiving a request. We will notify you once we have received a decision from your landlord. Once we hear from you, we will discuss your home and circumstances with you.
You will also need to contact your mortgage provider and discuss this. In accordance with your shared ownership lease, shared owners can offer a room or rooms, but you must also remain living in your home. You cannot move out of your home and allow it to be occupied only by guests while you live somewhere else, as this would be a breach of the terms of your lease.
Please get in touch with us by:
- Completing the Homes for Ukraine Online Form Homes for Ukraine - Customer Registration of Sponsorship Interest
- Email: info@touchstoneresi.co.uk
- Phone: 01225 838 490
There are several essential things to think about before volunteering accommodation through this scheme, including:
- Whether you have enough space in your home
- The support a guest may need to settle in
- The requirement to provide accommodation for at least six months
- Any increase in household costs (e.g. utility bills) that may result from having more people living
- The terms of your shared ownership lease
- You are not permitted to charge your guest any kind of rent during their stay
Other ways you can help
For those who can help, the British Red Cross and Disasters Emergency Committee has established a Ukraine Crisis Appeal to provide food, water, first aid, medicine, warm clothes, and shelter. The British Red Cross and Disasters Emergency
Committee Appeal is the most efficient way to get resources to people assisting the humanitarian effort inside Ukraine and across Europe.
Any customers wishing to volunteer accommodation through organisations running similar resettlement programmes for refugees from other countries, such as Refugees at Home and Reset, should contact us.
