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.

If you are under state pension age and have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work you can also apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). This could be instead of or as well as Universal Credit.

You can apply for ‘new style’ ESA if you’re unable to claim Statutory Sick Pay and one of the following applies:

• You or your child might have coronavirus or you’re recovering from it;
• You or your child are self-isolating because you came into contact with someone who might have coronavirus;
• You have been told to stay at home for at least 12 weeks by the NHS because you’re at high risk of severe illness.

For more information see https://www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance/eligibility.

You may be able to claim New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) with, or instead of, Universal Credit, depending on your National Insurance record.

You can apply for JSA if you are unemployed or work less than 16 hours a week.

For more information on eligibility for JSA and to apply visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-jobseekers-allowance.

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.