Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse is any single or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been partners or family members. Domestic abuse can occur regardless of the gender or sexuality of those involved.

Read the full Domestic Abuse or Customer Vulnerability policy or our summarised versions below.

Domestic Abuse Policy Customer Vulnerability Policy

What do we do?

We know that talking about domestic abuse can be a frightening thought for many victims. That's why we promise to listen, understand individual circumstances and provide support through an agreed action plan.

We also work in close partnership with a range of specialist organisations that can provide support tailored to individual needs.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse or violence, please contact us.

If you need to leave this page quickly, you can use the quick exit button below.

Report domestic abuse Quick exit to Google

Make A Stand pledge

The Make a Stand pledge has been developed by the Chartered Institute of Housing in partnership with Women’s Aid and the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance. It was created to encourage housing organisations to make a commitment to support people experiencing domestic abuse.

Make a Stand

Women's Aid - Silent Solutions

Silent Solutions is for victims of domestic abuse who might be afraid of further danger and escalation of harm if they are overheard when calling 999 in an emergency.

Visit womensaid.org.uk

Clare’s Law

Under Clare's Law you can apply for information about your current or ex-partner because you're worried they may have a history of abuse and are a risk to you. You can also request information about the current or ex-partner of a friend or relative because you're worried they might be at risk. You can do this on the Police's website.

Request information on someone

Support in your local area:

Durham

Domestic abuse support

Wear Valley Womens Aid

Darlington

Domestic abuse support

Stockton

ARCH Teeside

Domestic abuse support

Teeside SARC

A Way Out

My Sister's Place

Other helpful support agencies:

Durham Constabulary

Harbour

Wear Valley Womens Aid

Domestic Violence Helpline

Men's Advice Line

Cornforth Partnership

The Angelou Centre

Women's Aid-Silent Solutions

How do I apply for a Livin home or bungalow?

We advertise all of our available homes on our Find A Home page, simply visit this page for more information.

Before you can place a bid on one of our homes, you must first have an active account with the relevant Choice Based Lettings Scheme. Almost all our homes are located in County Durham and therefore are allocated through the Durham Key Options scheme. Durham Key Options (DKO) is a partnership between Durham County Council and landlords across County Durham.

We have a small number of homes which are located outside Durham, these are all advertised through Tees Valley HomeFinder, Hartlepool HomeSearch and Darlington HomeSearch; They are similar to Durham Key Options but we do not process applications registered for these schemes. If you wish to register an application for homes advertised in this area, please apply directly.

Once your application is approved, you will then be able to bid on homes that meet your needs. You can access the application form directly by visiting the relevant Choice Based Lettings system.

How long will it take for my application to be processed?

We aim to start processing your application within 10 working days. If we require any further information after this point, we will contact you to ask for this. Once we have received all the required information we will notify you of our decision within 20 days, and if accepted we will activate your account. You can also check your application status online by logging into the DKO portal.

How can I get involved with Livin and help to shape services?

To find out more about the different ways you can get involved, please visit our getting involved section.

Can I apply to buy my home under Right to Buy?

Tenants who have been with Livin since before the transfer from Sedgefield Council in 2009 may have the “Preserved Right to Buy” their property. Full details of the scheme are available on the Government Right to Buy website. If you are thinking of applying, please contact us.

Can I apply to buy my home under Right to Acquire?

If you have been a tenant for 3 or more years you may have the right to buy your property under the Right to Acquire scheme. Full details of the scheme are available on the Government Right to Acquire website. If you are thinking of applying, please contact us.