Am I eligible to join the housing register?
To join the Housing Register you must:
- be 16 years old or over, although your application will be suspended until you are 18
- live in the Borough and have been a resident here for at least five years *
- not already be a housing association tenant
If you are already a housing association tenant wanting to move to a different housing association property, you should apply to join the Transfer Register and you will need to have lived in your current property for at least one year.
If you are aged 16 or 17 and wish to register, you must have a guarantor, who is aged over 18, who will guarantee the tenancy offered until you are 18. The guarantor should be your parent, guardian or social worker.
You will not be eligible if:
- you are a homeowner *
- your household has savings or capital exceeding £16,000 *
- your household income is more than £60,000 per year *
- you are not a British citizen, UK resident or subject to immigration control
* Exceptions can be made for those seeking retirement housing, Flexi Care accommodation, or other circumstances as set out in the Allocation Policy below.
Applications may be put on hold if you:
- owe the Council money
- have lived in a property purchased through a subsidised scheme, like Help to Buy, within the last five years
- refuse three offers considered to be suitable accommodation
- have been found to be intentionally homeless
- have been evicted from a previous Council or housing association property due to:
- anti-social behaviour
- rent arrears
- any breach of your tenancy agreement
The Council will assess your application to see if you are eligible to join the Housing Register.
If you're eligible, points will be awarded to your application based on your current housing needs. Housing points are determined by the Council’s Allocation Policy below, which also determines the size of the property you are eligible for.
To apply for the Housing or Transfer Register, please complete the Home Option online form below:
You are encouraged to save money whilst you are on the Housing Register as if you are successful you as the applicant will be required to pay up to four weeks rent in advance to the Housing Association.
What if my circumstances change?
If you have a change of circumstances, you must keep the Council informed, as this could affect your eligibility for housing and delay your application if you do not let the Council know.
Annual Review
Every year you will receive a reminder to log into your HomeOption account to renew your application. You must complete this annual review if you wish to remain on the Housing Register. If you do not log in and renew your registration, it may be cancelled and removed from the register.