Accommodation & Applying
Thorners have two almshouse schemes within Southampton City boundaries, Thorner’s Court in Henstead Road, just off Bedford Place and the other, Robert Thorner Court in Regents Park Road, Shirley.
We provide a warden service that operates across both sites. This provides cover via three shifts, Monday to Friday (excluding Public and Bank Holidays), with the wardens rotating round as follows:
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8am to 4pm
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10am to 6pm
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12pm to 8pm (this shift also covers out of hours emergencies).
So whilst you may not have a warden on duty at your scheme, you can still access support by using the the warden call / alarm system to enable easy communication. Usually outside of their normal working hours, the system is switched through to the monitoring service which receives the calls and will act accordingly. Thorners do not provide a responding manager service outside the normal working hours. However, it may be possible to arrange directly with the monitoring service (Southampton City Council) to register for their responding service for an additional weekly charge.
Thorner’s Court
Robert Thorner Court
Robert Thorner Court Full Details
Charges
As an almshouse, charges are made for accommodation. They are charged weekly and are made up of the following:
- Weekly Maintenance Charge (WMC) – would be a ‘rent’ equivalent
- Service Charges
- Heating & Hot Water
- Water Rates
These charges are reviewed annually with any changes implemented during April.
For further information of the years current charge click here
Important Information
As an Almshouse Charity, a resident becomes a beneficiary of the Charity, not a tenant. In addition a resident has no legal interest in the accommodation and the ‘right to buy’ is not transferable to Thorners.
Pet ownership
If you wish to keep a pet as detailed below, you must first obtain written permission from the Charity.
The only pet which may be kept in a resident’s flat, providing it is looked after and does not create a nuisance to others, is:-
- a budgie or canary in an appropriate size cage for one bird, or
- fish in a fish tank of up to 35 litres.
Residents are requested to inform the Scheme Manager about arrangements that have been made for the care of their pets if they are away from their flat for more than twenty-four hours and/or if they are ill. The wellbeing of the pet is entirely the responsibility of the resident and the Charity will not take responsibility for any pet.
What now?
Thank you for your interest in Thorner’s Homes. If you would like an application form, please use either the contact form, or call the office on 023 8063 6772.
How we process applications and carry out personal interviews
- Each completed application form received will be acknowledged by letter, email or text message.
- Once an application has been reviewed as acceptable on the basic entry criteria, the Charity will carry out further checks with landlords references being sought, personal referees contacted and verification by the applicant’s general practitioner that the applicant can live independently. If these are returned satisfactorily the Charity will advise the applicant if they have been accepted onto the housing list.
- When an appropriate vacancy becomes available, the applicant may be shortlisted for interview. That interview will be a two-stage process. We will ask to visit the applicant in their own home. Will request certain documentation is made available, which will need to be verified. The interview will establish the needs of the applicant. We will inform the applicant about the Charity, the almshouses and the weekly maintenance contributions. We will answer any questions from the applicant.
- If this stage is satisfactory, the applicant will then be invited to attend a personal interview during which time further requested documentation will be verified together with an applicant’s current housing need, health and financial circumstances.
Current Vacancies
Following our major remodelling and refurbishment programme at Thorner's Court, we have twenty four vacant one bedroom flats.
Robert Thorner Court has no vacancies at present however, please note that these flats are two bedroom for single occupancy and as such attract the ‘bedroom’ tax and therefore may not be suitable for those under pensionable age and living solely on benefits.