How we let our homes

Each week, we have a number of homes that are readily available to let.  We update this list at least once a week and new homes are added.  You can  check for new properties on our website, on Rightmove>> or by calling connect. These properties are available on first come, first served basis and allocated to people with a housing need.

We encourage our customers to keep checking Rightmove>>  regularly and set up instant notifications when new properties are added.  Due to the popularity of our homes, we take down advertisements as soon as adequate interest has been received.

Eligibility criteria for these homes are included in the description of each property advertised.

Housing Need Categories are as follows (this is not an exhaustive list):

Band 1

• Assisting those suffering domestic abuse or racial harassment
• Assisting the local authority with homelessness in the area
• Assisting ex armed forces personnel with suitable homes
• Moving into first tenancies (from supported housing)
• Care leavers with support package
• Inhabitable home as confirmed by a local authority.
• High Medical or Welfare: The condition of your home is affecting your health so seriously that it is, or could become, life-threatening, or
  –  You have a disability that is long-term and your accommodation restricts your mobility so much that you can’t carry out most day to day tasks.
  –  You have a condition that means you are at risk of admission to hospital or residential care because there are critical safety concerns in your current accommodation.

Band 2

• Assisting those moving for employment or for education
• Moving to provide family support or for caring purposes
• Applicants that can demonstrate connection to the local community i.e. volunteering
• Over-crowding in current tenancy
• Moving because they can’t afford where they currently live
• Moving into first tenancies (from family homes or currently staying with family/friends)
• Relationship Breakdown
• Lodgers
• Medical or Welfare: You have been assessed on medical or welfare grounds for needing to be rehoused, but don’t meet the high medical or welfare criteria as described in Band 1, or your accommodation is inadequate because it is affecting the well being of a person who is disabled or in ill-health.

Band 3

• Under-occupancy of current tenancy
• Those who do not fall into Band 1 or Band 2 but still have an element of housing need and meet eligibility criteria.

Local authorities operate housing registers to  give people who are applying for a home with a council or housing association, choice about the home they wish to live in.

These are advertised as-and-when they become available and a deadline is set for interested applicants to express an interest in the home.  This is known as ‘bidding’.

The bids for each home are then looked at and the applicant who is assessed to be in the greatest housing need, is usually given first refusal of the property.  We participate in housing registers in each local authority that we have homes in.  Roughly 50% of our homes are allocated this way.

Your step by step guide to finding the right home in your area of choice:

• Search for homes in the areas of your choice and don’t forget to check regularly as new homes are listed all the time.
• When you find a home that’s right for you, bid on it. You can bid on more than one home at a time.
• All bids will be reviewed and shortlisted. These are then ranked from highest priority to lowest. The highest priority will be offered the home first.
• If you’re successful, and everything’s in order, you can view the home. If you decide that the home isn’t right for you, no problem. We’ll offer it to the next on the shortlist.

Greater Manchester

Lancashire & The North of England

East Midlands & Derbyshire

Cheshire

Merseyside

In defining overcrowding, we consider it reasonable that the following people require their own bedroom.

• Couple in a relationship and living together
• Single parent
• Adult aged 18 years or over
• Person with supported / documented medical grounds for their own room
• Child over 10 years of age not to share with the opposite sex
• More than two children sharing a bedroom
• Members of separate households living in one property
• Children of the same sex with an age difference of 10 years and over.

We manage the following types of homes:

• Mainly two and three bed houses for families, with some four, five and six bed houses.
• Studio apartments and one or two-bed apartments for singles or couples.
• Supported Housing and Housing for Over 55s.
• One, two or three-bed bungalows.

Whether newly built or not, all of our properties come with fitted kitchens and bathrooms. Some have gardens, intruder alarms and warden call systems.  All of our properties (apart from some supported accommodation) are unfurnished.

When one of our homes becomes empty, we carry out refurbishment works to ensure it meets our agreed Relet Standard.  Most, if not all works are completed when the property is empty, including replacement of kitchens and bathrooms where necessary.  In most instances, we also offer a moving in decorating package, whereby decorating vouchers worth up to £280 (for a three bedroomed house) are provided.

Before a let is completed, we carry out checks to anyone that has been offered a home from us.  This will help ensure that they are eligible and suitable for this particular home. These checks also help us verify the information collected at the registration stage. Checks can include:

• obtaining references from previous landlords.
• Identifying any support needs.
• medical record checks (if there is a medical reason for needing to move).