About Us 
Boston Court 
Sheltered Housing
The Berwickshire Housing Association operates three sheltered housing units in the Scottish Borders. These are:
- Boston Court in Duns
- Linkim Court in Eyemouth
- Gowanlea Court in Coldstream
People living in the Courts are Berwickshire Housing Association tenants, with the same rights and obligations as all our other tenants.
Our Sheltered housing offers people the independence of living in your own self-contained flat, but with support on hand if they need it. This is usually supplied by our on-site staff, alarm systems or a combination of both.
In each of our courts there are communal areas where people can meet and socialise. One of the benefits cited by people who live in our sheltered housing is that they have become part of a friendly, supportive community.
If you wish to apply for accommodation within one of our sheltered housing units, you will need to register with our homehunt service. You can then apply for any property that is advertised.
Each of our sheltered housing units has a full time Housing Support worker. This means they:
- Make sure the building is secure and control who has access
- Carry out welfare checks, contacting tenants every day to ensure there are no problems
- Arrange social events such as coffee mornings, evening entertainment and day trips
- Can arrange servicing of tenants’ appliances and arrange for tradesmen to carry out repairs to the property
- Can arrange for adaptations to be carried out, such as handrails and bath seats
- Offer advice on and provide supervision for carrying out daily tasks like cooking and ironing
- Help with finances, form filling and advice on benefits
- Carry out minor repairs, such as changing light bulbs and unblocking sinks
- Arrange appointments with doctors, collect prescriptions and do the occasional shopping
24-hour cover is not provided by the Housing Support Worker, but there is always someone on call through the Bordercare alarm service day and night. Additional care and support services can be arranged for our sheltered housing tenants, such as:
- Meals on Wheels
- Home Care services to help with personal care
Our sheltered housing units are proper homes, the flats in all three Berwickshire Housing Association sheltered housing Courts have their own front doors, kitchens and bathrooms. In addition, there are many facilities that tenants share.
How much does sheltered housing cost?
Rents at Berwickshire Housing Association’s sheltered housing Courts are comparable to other Association flats of the same size but also carry a service charge to cover the cost of the building's amenities. If you qualify for Housing Benefit it will pay for your rent and service charge. If you get Housing Benefit, you will also receive our Housing Support services free, otherwise there will be a charge levied by Scottish Borders Council.
Contact Scottish Borders Council Social Work Services Department for more information on eligibility for benefits. You will then be assessed for charges for the Housing Support service.
Where can I get more information about sheltered housing?
If you have specific questions or would like to see around any of the sheltered housing Courts, contact them direct on the telephone numbers given. Berwickshire Housing Association advertises all its properties, including sheltered housing, that are available for rent. You can find out what properties are currently available by:
- Looking in the local Borders press
- Visiting our offices in Duns, Eyemouth and Coldstream
- Visiting our homehunt website
- Telephoning 0800 587 4868
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