If you are moving into an Oxford City Council home and need help furnishing it, you may be able to rent furniture and household items through our furniture rental scheme. The scheme is designed to help tenants who are setting up a home for the first time and may struggle with the cost of furnishing a property.
Before you apply, you should explore other options and check whether you can get help from a charity or another local organisation.
What you can rent
You can choose from a range of household items, including:
- furniture
- carpets
- curtains
- essential household appliances
The amount of furniture you can rent depends on the size of your property.
Carpets are not included in this limit. If you need carpets, tell your Housing Officer or Furnished Tenancy Officer when you sign your tenancy agreement.
Who can apply
You may be eligible if you are:
- moving into council housing for the first time
- an existing council tenant who is moving because of harassment
- an existing council tenant who has been awarded ‘urgent’ status
How the scheme works
- When you sign your tenancy agreement, you choose the items you want from our furniture brochure.
- We will deliver the items shortly after your tenancy starts.
- You pay rent for the items over 5 years.
- If you move to another council property during this time, contact us to discuss your options.
- We will carry out regular inventory checks and inspect white goods every year to make sure they are safe.
- All white goods come with a 1-year warranty.
- All items remain the property of Oxford City Council. You must keep them in good condition. Any loss or damage beyond normal wear and tear may affect your tenancy.
How to apply for the scheme
To apply for the furniture rental scheme, email the Furnished Tenancy team on furnishedtenancy@oxford.gov.uk.
After 5 years
When the 5-year rental period ends, you can choose to:
- stop renting the items and ask us to collect them
- stop paying rent but keep the items in your home (they will still belong to Oxford City Council and we will remove them if they stop working)
- continue renting the items and decide each year whether you want to stay in the scheme
Contact the Furnished Tenancy team
Speak to customer services
If you need to speak to someone about this topic, you can ring or visit our customer service centre.
