Cleveland Housing Advice Centre

09/08/2026

❤️ A huge thank you to our wonderful funders ❤️

CHAC would like to say a heartfelt thank you to:

The Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust
The W.G. Edwards Charitable Foundation
The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust
The Charles & Elsie Sykes Trust
The 1989 Willan Charitable Trust

We are incredibly grateful for your generous funding and continued support.

Your contributions help CHAC continue providing vital support to people across Tees Valley, allowing us to be there for individuals and families when they need us most.

Every grant makes a genuine difference to the work we are able to do within our community, and we truly appreciate the trust you place in us. ❤️

Thank you for helping us continue making a difference.

30/07/2026

We're pleased to announce that we've recently completed our audit with the Advice Quality Standard (AQS) who have confirmed that we continue to meet their high standards for the quality of our advice and our casework. The AQS comprises of a set of standards designed to ensure a service is well run and has its own quality control mechanisms. Meeting the AQS evidence criteria means that we have demonstrated the appropriate level of good practice required to meet the standard and sets a benchmark for us to continue to build upon in the future.

The AQS have accredited us for providing casework for Welfare Benefits, Disability, Older and Younger People along with Women. We've also been accredited for casework in Debt Advice demonstrating the quality and effectiveness of our debt provision. We're really pleased to have this external validation of the quality of our work for clients along with the strength of our internal processes that allow us to delivery for local people.

28/07/2026

A huge thank you to the Charles & Elsie Sykes Trust for their generous funding and continued support of CHAC. ❤️

Their contribution will help us continue providing vital housing advice and support to people across our local community, ensuring that those facing difficult circumstances have somewhere to turn.

Support from charitable trusts and funders makes a real difference to the work we’re able to do and the people we can reach.

From everyone at CHAC, thank you to the Charles & Elsie Sykes Trust for supporting our work and our community. ❤️

14/07/2026

Last Saturday we had a fabulous staff night out to beautiful Ormesby Hall 🏰 for one of their brilliant murder mystery evenings with an Alice in Wonderland theme 🫖♦️♠️✨🎩🐇♣️.

It's really good to be able to relax after working hard all week with colleagues over some nice food 🍽️ and with an intriguing mystery to solve.
Whilst we did our best, sadly our group was not able to solve who murdered the white rabbit (the Mad Hatter, which in hindsight should have been obvious! 🤦‍♂️😂) but perhaps we'll catch them next time! 🔎

11/06/2026

🚨 PLEASE HELP 🚨

Thornaby Deaf Club is a finalist in the Teesside Charity's Golden Giveaway and could win up to £5,000 - but they need your votes!

Each group is guaranteed £500, and the winner will receive a massive £5,000! Only one vote per email address. Voting will close on the 1pm on Wednesday 24th June – GOOD LUCK!

04/06/2026

A big thank you to the Aviva Community Fund, powered by Crowdfunder, for match-funding CHAC's project, 'Freedom from Debt, a Brighter Future'.

In the last two weeks, we have received 89 pledges and many messages of support. Special thanks go to the Aviva Community Fund employee giving programme, our local community, clients, staff, and trustees.

Thanks to your donations, our Debt Centre is gaining vital support and resilience. Your continuous backing is so important because, sadly, financial difficulties and mental health problems are a marriage made in hell.

Each one feeds off the other. The net result is that a hugely disproportionate number of people with mental health issues face severe debt crises.

This is not simply due to poor money management, impulse buying, or emotional spending—which are often symptoms of mental health struggles—but because these health issues heavily impact income as well.

For too many people, mental illness and debt lock together in a spiral of distress that can carry a heavy cost, such as despair or even su***de. Therefore, with your support, we are able to provide these services and ensure that someone experiencing temporary mental health problems does not face permanent financial distress, or worse.

Thank you again for your incredible support! Your donations will help us achieve our goals and make a lasting positive impact.

To make your donation, please use this secure link:

https://communitiesfund.avivafoundation.org.uk/p/freedom-from-debt

Donations received before 20 June will be matched by the Aviva Community Fund."

Each year, our Debt Centre help hundreds of people in Tees Valley, escape from the blight of indebtedness and regain financial control.

14/05/2026

A huge thank you to Aviva Community Fund for supporting CHAC’s Freedom from Debt, A Brighter Future campaign.

Every donation helps unlock match funding, meaning your support can go even further in helping us provide free, practical debt advice to people across Middlesbrough and the Tees Valley.

Aviva will match donations pound for pound to up to £250. So, if our project receives a donation of £50, the Communities Fund will donate £50. If our project receives a donation of £500, Aviva will donate £250. One donation per supporter will be matched, Aviva will not provide match funding where a supporter is deemed to have made multiple donations. Only unique pledges from unique supporters count.

This funding will help keep our Debt Centre running, supporting vulnerable individuals and families with debt solutions, budgeting support, creditor negotiations, income maximisation, and access to vital grants and emergency help.

Thank you to Aviva, and to everyone who donates, shares, or helps us spread the word. Your support helps turn financial crisis into stability, dignity, and a brighter future.

To make a donation please use the following link:

🔗https://communitiesfund.avivafoundation.org.uk/p/freedom-from-debt

01/05/2026

Big changes for renters from today! The Renters Right Act has now taken effect and brings new protections for those in private rented accommodation. These include:

👉No More Section 21 Evictions - Landlords now need a specific reason to evict you rather than being able to serve a "no-fault" eviction via Section 21.
👉Limits on Rent Increases - Landlords can now only increase your rent once per year, they must give you two months notice and follow a specific procedure.
👉No more Fixed Terms - Tenancies are now all rolling periodic meaning you only need to give your landlord two months notice before you can leave. Landlords however need a specific reason to evict you.
👉Easier to keep a Pet - You have the right to ask to keep a pet and a landlord cannot refuse you without a good reason.

Our friends at Shelter have lots of information on their website which is linked below. But if you'd like more guidance and assistance please call us on 01642 254544 and we'll arrange for you to speak with one of our friendly advisers.

The Renters' Rights Act will mean big changes for private tenants from 1 May 2026. Find out about changes to tenancy agreements, eviction and rent increases.

29/04/2026

A big thank you to the Barbour Foundation for supporting CHAC and helping us change lives every day. This isn’t just funding, it’s real support reaching real people at the moments they need it most. 🤍

07/04/2026

‼️Service Update - Unfortunately we've had to cancel our drop-in service today (07 April 2026) due to a staff member not being available at short notice. The office is otherwise open as normal.