FAQs

Yes, all of our tenants who are charged on a weekly basis, get rent free weeks regardless of how their rent is paid. We will collect your Direct Debit over twelve instalments per year. Each calendar month, we will collect four weeks rent plus a contribution to any arrears. This makes a total collection of 48 weeks rent in the year.

Under the Right to Acquire you can only purchase the home you currently live in, if it’s eligible. You will not be able to purchase another of our properties.

Under the Right to Buy you can only purchase the home you currently live in. You will not be able to purchase another of our properties.

It’s up to you how you fund the purchase, whether by cash or mortgage. However, we will ask you to declare how you intend to fund the purchase. Large cash amounts are subject to money laundering regulations and both yours, and our, solicitors will carry out the relevant checks. We would strongly recommend that you seek professional financial advice before going ahead with the purchase.

You would need to discuss any specific funding issues with your lender directly. For example, if you wanted to use your discount as a deposit for a mortgage or if you can borrow additional money to make improvements to your home.

If you have rent arrears you can still apply to buy your home. However, you must make any outstanding payments before completion.

It’s up to you how you fund the purchase, whether by cash or mortgage. However, we will ask you to declare how you intend to fund the purchase. Large cash amounts are subject money laundering regulations and both your, and our, solicitors will carry out the relevant checks. We would strongly recommend that you seek professional financial advice before going ahead with the purchase.

You would need to discuss any specific funding issues directly with your lender. For example, if you wanted to use your discount as a deposit for a mortgage, or if you can borrow additional money to make improvements to your home.

If you have rent arrears you can still apply to buy your home. However, you must make any outstanding payments before completion.

We do not sell individual garages so if you are paying a separate rent for a garage, you will not be able to buy this with your purchase of your home.

We not sell individual garages so if you are paying a separate rent for a garage, you will not be able to buy this with your purchase of your home.

The majority of our new rented homes are allocated to applicants nominated to us by local authorities from their housing waiting lists. If you wish to be considered for any of our new properties you should contact the local authority. They will be able to tell you how to register for affordable housing.

We do hold a waiting list for some properties. These are properties that have been advertised previously via the local authority but there were no suitable applicants. These Immediately Available Homes are mostly homes for people aged over 50 years and are not suitable for young children. These properties are displayed on our website. To apply for an Immediately Available Home you should complete the Immediately available homes form[pdf] 2MB.

We own a limited amount of properties for market rent and discounted rent (intermediate market rent). Our market rent properties are advertised on the open market at current market values. Discounted rented properties have a subsidised rent of 80% of current market values and available through the Help to Buy website. Applicants must be registered and approved by Help to Buy prior to being offered a viewing (see the Buying and Selling section for more details). Both market rent and discounted rent applicants are required to undergo a full tenant reference check (including a credit check) and pay a deposit.

You can share the Right to Acquire with up to three family members who have lived with you for at least the past 12 months (even if they don’t share your tenancy). Qualifying family members include a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece.

If you are sharing your Right to Acquire with a spouse, civil partner or partner they must be living with you, and if your partner is not your spouse or civil partner they must have been living with you for at least 12 months.

Family members can give you the money to buy your home, but the purchase will be in your name (the tenant) only. Family members who are giving you the money, but do not live with you, will not be included in any of the Right to Acquire documentation. You will also need to be able to prove to your solicitor that the money has come to you legally.

Please be cautious if someone you do not know contacts you regarding buying your home or offers you money to buy it. They may be trying to persuade you to do something that benefits them rather than you. If this happens we strongly recommend that you seek legal advice.

You can share the Right to Buy with up to three family members who have lived with you for at least the past 12 months (even if they don’t share your tenancy). Qualifying family members include a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece.

If you are sharing your Right to Buy with a spouse, civil partner or partner they must be living with you, and if your partner is not your spouse or civil partner they must have been living with you for at least 12 months.

Family members can give you the money to buy your home but the purchase will be in your name (the tenant) only. Family members who are giving you the money, but do not live with you, will not be included in any of the Right to Buy documentation. You will also need to be able to prove to your solicitor that the money has come to you legally.

Please be cautious if someone you do not know contacts you regarding buying your home or offers you money to buy it. They may be trying to persuade you to do something that benefits them rather than you. If this happens we strongly recommend that you seek legal advice.