Displaced and vulnerable: a case study of “out of area” housing

Purpose The purpose of study is to explore how structural problems within housing supply and the marketisation of housing for the poorest and most vulnerable households affect households and can lead to negative outcomes for some households. The research highlights the experiences of out of area (OOA) households that can be below the radar in debates regarding housing crisis. Design/methodology/approach The research features a case study approach focusing on the experiences of a single household, which is supplemented with an interview with the household’s local authority housing manager. Additionally, freedom of information data is used to analyse the local authority placing the household OOA. The case study is transferable and the additional evidence validates the household’s experiences. Findings The research finds that OOA housing can be disruptive for households and negatively affect well-being as well as facilitate social cleansing. The case study, while examining the lived experience of OOA housing, also recognises structural causes of the housing crisis within neoliberal housing policy. Furthermore, the case study recognises the positions of local authorities placing households OOA and receiving these households. Originality/value The research is original in using a case study to explore OOA housing. OOA housing is an under-researched area where households are not homeless but are housed in a manner detrimental to their well-being. The case study brings together interviews and freedom of information data to highlight findings currently missing in housing research.