Rooms to Rent on Universal Credit: Find a Room on WhatsApp

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If you have tried the usual property sites, you already know the problem. Most rooms say "no DSS", the ones that do not are gone by the time you call, and nobody tells you what happened to your enquiry. Looking for a room while you are sofa surfing, leaving a hostel, coming out of care or prison, or moving on from temporary accommodation is hard enough without that.

How It Works on WhatsApp

1. Save the number. Add +44 7404 864162 to your phone as Roomfy and send a message saying you are looking for a room.
2. Tell us what you need. The area you want, when you need to move, whether you are on Universal Credit, PIP, LCW or LCWRA, and whether you need support on site. You can type it, send a voice note, or answer the questions with buttons. No forms and no logins.
3. We send it to the right providers. Your request goes to housing providers and landlords who cover your area and who accept people in your situation. Your phone number and details are only shared with a provider once they take the request on.
4. They contact you. A provider gets in touch directly about a specific room. We check back to make sure someone actually called you, and if they did not, the request goes out again.

New rooms come in daily, nationally, so it is worth starting the conversation even if nothing is available in your area today.

What "Benefits Accepted" Actually Means

A lot of the confusion comes down to the language. It helps to know what you are looking at.

DSS accepted or benefits accepted usually means a private landlord or HMO who will take your Universal Credit housing element towards the rent. You will normally pay any shortfall yourself.

Supported accommodation means there is support on site: staff, key workers, or a support plan attached to the tenancy. It is usually for people with additional needs, and it is often funded so the rent is covered in full.

Transitional or move-on accommodation is short to medium term housing for people moving on from a hostel, prison, care, rehab or temporary accommodation. It normally needs Universal Credit plus LCWRA or PIP, and in many cases there is no charge to you at all beyond your housing element.

If you are not sure which one you need, say so in the chat. It is a normal question and it changes which rooms we look for.

What to Have Ready

You will get matched faster if you can say:

• The area you want, by city, borough or postcode. More than one area is fine.
• When you need to move. "Today", "this week" or a date all work.
• What you receive. Universal Credit, PIP, LCW, LCWRA, ESA, or a mix.
• Single or joint claim, and whether anyone is moving with you.
• Whether you need support on site, and if you have a support worker or caseworker involved.
• Anything a provider needs to know, such as ground floor only, no stairs, or pets.

You do not need bank statements, references or a deposit to start the conversation. If a specific room needs anything, the provider will tell you.

If You Are Working With a Support Worker

Caseworkers, probation officers, hospital discharge teams, resettlement workers and local authority housing officers use the same number. If you are referring someone, send their area, their move-in date, their benefits and any support needs, and we will treat it as a referral rather than a self-referral. You will get the provider's details back for your file.

Watch Out For These

Nobody should be charging you to find a room.

• Never pay a "finder's fee", "admin fee" or "holding deposit" over the phone to someone you have not met and whose company you cannot check. Roomfy never charges you anything, at any stage.
• Be careful with anyone who will not give you a company name. Providers on Roomfy are checked against the public Companies House record, including the director, before they can receive requests.
• Do not send money to hold a room you have not seen. A genuine provider will arrange a viewing or a proper move-in.

If someone contacts you through us and any of the above happens, tell us in the chat and we will deal with it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it cost me anything? No. Roomfy is free for people looking for a room. There is no fee, no subscription and no charge when you move in.

Do I need an account or an email address? No. You can do everything from WhatsApp. If you would rather use the website, you can browse rooms here.

Who sees my details? Only providers who can actually house you, and only once they take your request on. We do not sell your details and we do not post them anywhere public.

What if there is nothing in my area right now? We keep your request open and come back to you when something matches, rather than leaving you to check back yourself.

Can I look in more than one area? Yes. Tell us all the areas you would consider and we will match across them.

I am homeless right now. Can you help tonight? We will push your request out straight away, but we are not an emergency service. If you have nowhere to sleep tonight, contact your council's housing options team or call Shelter's free helpline on 0808 800 4444.

What if I have rent arrears or a bad reference? Say so early. Plenty of supported and transitional providers take people in exactly that position, and being upfront saves you from being turned down at the last step.

Start the Conversation

Save +44 7404 864162, send a message saying you are looking for a room, and tell us the area. It takes a couple of minutes and you can do it from your phone, on the bus, right now.

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Prefer the website? You can browse rooms, see how Roomfy works, or use the rent affordability calculator.