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Partnering with Shelter

first direct and Mind partnership

We’ve teamed up with Shelter to offer free advice and support to help level the playing field and make private renting fairer.

When you’re having a housing problem, it can be hard to see a solution. Within the private rented sector, it often falls to you as tenants and landlords to understand your rights. It can feel overwhelming and leave you not knowing where to start.

Getting advice is often the first step to putting you in control. Over the next 12 months, our specialist support teams will work with experts from Shelter to provide free housing advice and support to our customers. We can help with a range of challenges to help you understand your rights and obligations, what your situation means and what support could be available.

The service is currently only available to anyone resident in England.

Polly Neate, Chief Executive of Shelter, said: “Rising rents and spiralling living costs are pushing more struggling renters to the brink of homelessness. Every day we help people to find or keep hold of a safe home, and our work is as critical as ever. “Our partnership with first direct will help their customers access vital housing advice and support at a time when they need it most. It will also help our frontline services continue providing free and expert support to thousands of other people facing homelessness, as well as helping us campaign for lasting change.” 


Chris Pitt, CEO, at first direct said “No-one should face the prospect of homelessness. With losing a private rental now the second leading trigger of homelessness, our partnership with Shelter aims to support private renters who find themselves in difficulty. We believe that our customers should feel they can come to us for help when they need it.

“Our dedicated team and the experts from Shelter will be providing support and guidance to private renters in tough situations. This is particularly important in the context of the cost of living rise, where people have lower levels of financial resilience than before. This is just part of the support we’re offering customers during this difficult time.”

Find out more

If you want to talk to someone about any housing problems you are having, you can contact our dedicated team on 03455 873 951, lines open 9am-5.30pm 7 days a week, or head to the Shelter website for details all of the services they offer.