Housing in the Local Community
The Housing Management Office (HMO) provides all DoD personnel with a personalized service to assist in locating suitable housing in your new host country. Moving to a new country can often be confusing and stressful; however, it can also be exciting. Living off base provides members and families the chance to experience a new culture and make friends with their host country neighbors. The HMO will assist you every step of the way to help you find your new home in the local community.
Housing Services
Contact the HMO as soon as you know you are moving. The government housing team will provide you the latest information on the local housing situation as well as local laws governing off-base housing. The HMO partners with landlords, realtors and property managers to make sure you receive the most current information about the local housing market.
The HMO monitors off-base rental listings to ensure that they are safe and adequate. All housing units are listed in the Automated Housing Referral Network (AHRN), a joint service, DoD-sponsored website that offers a 24/7/365 single source of available housing to incoming military and their families.
Go to AHRN.com and create a personal account to view the available housing and get a feel for the size, style and type of housing around your new installation. If you find available units you are interested in, we do advise that you wait until you arrive to secure housing so that you can tour the prospective units and surrounding area.
The HMO can assist you by:
- Negotiating lease contracts
- Assisting in establishing utility services
- Providing furnishings support. See Furnishings Management for a list of the Duration of Tour Items available
Alconbury has the service to provide transportation to members and their families to view properties.
After you move into your home, the HMO is available for on-going assistance with translation services should you need to communicate with your landlord.
Rental Partnership Program
At RAF Alconbury the HMO supports the Rental Partnership Program to help military members obtain adequate housing in the community. The HMO and local landlords enter into agreements to offer service members special rental benefits above what other tenants receive. Typical benefits might include a waiver of security and utility deposits, no credit checks or application fees, a discount on market rental rates and immediate access to housing. Contact the HMO for more information about this program.
Community Housing Units
The HMO provides up-to-date listings of available economy units and landlord/tenant mediation.
The square footage of UK properties is generally smaller than those in the USA and fitted closets are not an everyday feature. The white goods are generally of a smaller dimension and although available from FMO they are not normally provided by landlords.
For information about the housing allowances that financially support your move, see Referral and Relocation Assistance.
Personal Property Insurance
You need to obtain legal liability and personal property insurance for your possessions and should choose the options and amounts that best fit your needs and lifestyle. It is suggested that tenants take out accidental damage carpet coverage when purchasing renters insurance. Before purchasing your insurance, please consult the HMO for more information about coverage.
Realtor Services
The use of local realtor services is typically unnecessary and is not recommended unless a home for rent is only listed with a specific realtor. In OCONUS, if you choose to use realtor services, discuss fees up front, as some realtors charge a finder's fee and government reimbursement is rarely authorized. To request government reimbursement for realtor services in OCONUS, you must submit a request for authorization through the HMO before signing a lease or contract. In CONUS, fees for realtor services are not reimbursable.
School Information
For families, we understand that where your children attend school plays a large factor in the decision of where to live.
For your convenience, all community housing listings in the Automated Housing Referral Network site (AHRN.com) indicate the school that supports the housing unit as well as if the DoDD's school bus service is provided. For more information about schools, visit DoDDS Europe Schools website.
Please contact the DoDDS school office at DSN 314-268-3891
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