Guide for rented accommodation

How to find an affordable home to rent in the Kennet District

Kennet District Council and the Housing Associations listed on the back cover, have joined together to set up the Kennet Housing Partnership. They are working together to ensure that the housing they own and manage in the Kennet District is accessed by those who have a genuine reason for seeking an affordable home in the area.

The Partnership use a Housing Register for Rented Accommodation, otherwise known as a ‘waiting list’, for customers who are seeking rented housing, and a Low Cost Home Ownership Register for those seeking affordable home ownership opportunities. The Register is administered by Kennet District Council.

Kennet District Council has a responsibility to assess where there is a need for housing in the area and what type and size of accommodation is required. The Housing Register helps the Council to assess this need and to work with Housing Associations in planning housing developments.

If you are offered housing, the rights and obligations you will have and the amount of rent you will pay, vary according to the type of tenancy and the housing association; your new landlord will explain this to you. Housing Association rent levels vary, but are generally lower than market rents. If you are not in work, or you are on a low income, you may be able to get help with your rent.

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Priority Bands
 

Anyone can join the Kennet Housing Register for Rented Accommodation unless they have a history of serious rent arrears or anti-social behaviour. Applications to the Kennet Housing Register are registered to one of three bands, as follows:

BAND A - Customers who have an urgent need to move to affordable housing in the Kennet District

BAND B - Customers with a genuine need to move to affordable housing in the Kennet District

BAND C - Customers who would like to move to affordable housing in the Kennet District

If you are capable of maintaining an independent tenancy, have a genuine need for affordable accommodation in the Kennet District and cannot afford the cost of buying a home, your application will be registered in either Band A or B, depending on the urgency of your need. You will therefore be entitled to bid for properties advertised through the ‘homes@kennet’ lettings scheme.

If you would like to rent affordable accommodation in the Kennet District but do not have a genuine housing need or do not have a local connection to the area, your application will be registered in Band C. This means that you cannot bid for properties that are advertised through ‘homes@kennet’ and will be contacted direct if a suitable opportunity to rent arose, which is not required in Bands A or B.

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Age Limits
 

You should be aged 18 years or over. If you are aged 16 or 17 years you will normally need to be referred by a recognised social welfare or health agency. If you are offered accommodation you will be asked to provide a guarantor until your 18th birthday. If you are under the age of 18 you would not usually be permitted to bid for properties and would be put forward for supported housing vacancies only.
 

Owner Occupiers
 

If you are an owner occupier you will only be able to bid for properties if one of the following applies:

• You are threatened with homelessness
• You need a special type of accommodation which is not available to buy
• You need housing with care and support
• You cannot afford to maintain your home
• You are seriously overcrowded and you cannot afford a larger home in the District
 

Armed Forces Service Occupants
 

If you are living in H.M. Armed Forces Accommodation you will not be able to bid for properties more than 12 months before the date of your discharge, and only if one of the following applies:

• you came from the district immediately prior to enlisting
• you have a parent, brother, sister or child already living in the area
• you have permanent employment in the district

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Existing Housing Association Tenants living in the Kennet District
 

All existing Kennet Housing Partnership tenants living in the Kennet District can join the Register for Rented Accommodation. However, only those who have a genuine reason to move will be able to bid for vacancies advertised through the ‘homes@kennet’ lettings scheme. Other transfer customers will be contacted direct if a suitable opportunity to rent arises.

Although all applications will be considered on their own merits, customers with a history of rent arrears, or anti-social behaviour may be refused the opportunity of bidding for vacancies and could be refused entry to the Kennet Housing Register altogether.
 

People from Overseas
 

Some people travelling to the UK to settle cannot be nominated for rehousing by the Local Authority. Those who do not have appropriate immigration status cannot be included on the housing register.
 

How to Apply
 

To apply for rented accommodation you should first fill out an ‘Application Form for the Kennet Housing Register – Rented Accommodation’ which you can get from any of the partners. The questions we ask on the form will help us work out your type of housing need. Please make sure that you complete every question. When you have completed your application form return it to the ‘homes@kennet’ office or to any of the other partners’ offices including Kennet District Council, sealed in an envelope, addressed to ‘homes@kennet’ c/o Kennet District Council, Browfort, Bath Road, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 2AT.

Your application details will be entered on the Partnership’s computer, and if eligible, you will receive a letter confirming your registration date and registration number. You will be told what you can bid for in the advertisements, according to your household type. A registration pack containing more information about this service will also be sent.

If you disagree with any decision about your application you can ask for it to be reviewed. To do this you must write to ‘homes@kennet’ within 21 days. You will normally get a decision on the review within eight weeks.
 

Section A – Personal Details

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Questions 1-2 About you
 

Please provide your own personal details and those of any members of your household who are moving with you so that we can assess the size and type of home you need. Please make it clear if people who will be moving with you are not living with you now.
 

Question 3 Pregnancy
 

If you are expecting a baby, you will be asked to show written evidence of your pregnancy.
 

Questions 4-5 Medical problems and care and support needs
 

These questions tell us whether you require housing that has been specially adapted because of your mobility needs or whether you need housing with extra care and support. If you feel that your health, or that of any other member of your household who is moving with you is being affected by your present housing, you should ask ‘homes@kennet’ for a medical assessment form to complete.
 

Question 6 Income details
 

Some of the Partner Associations give priority to those on low incomes when they are assessing needs, particularly Associations which are registered charities. All information is kept strictly confidential by ‘homes@kennet’. If you are on a low income you may be able to get Housing Benefit to help you pay the rent.
 

Section B – Housing History
 

Question 1 Returning from Abroad
 

If you have returned to the UK from living abroad within the last five years or you are a person subject to immigration control within the meaning of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 you may not qualify to join the Housing Register.

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Questions 2-3 Where you have been living during the last 5 years
 

Please tell us about where you have been living during the last 5 years. This will help us to assess your housing need and the type of assistance that you are entitled to. Customers with a history of serious rent arrears or anti-social behaviour with any former landlord may be refused the opportunity of bidding for vacancies through ‘homes@kennet’, or entry to the register altogether. Please tell us whether you have any rent arrears and how much they are. You may wish to discuss with your Housing Officer how your rent arrears arose and what arrangements you have made to pay them off.

If you are on a low income you may be able to claim Housing Benefits to help you pay your housing costs. With mortgage arrears you will need to explain how these have arisen.
 

Question 4 Other housing background
 

If you have ever been housed or accommodated by H.M. Armed Forces, H.M. Prisons or social services you might be entitled to additional assistance if you are threatened with homelessness.
 

Section C – Why you want to move
 

Questions 1-3 Your current home, type of property and why you want to move
 

Please select the category that best describes your current home, and the category which best describes why you need or want to move. This will help us to assess your housing need.
 

Question 4 Security of tenure
 

If you are threatened with homelessness this information will help us provide the advice and assistance you need.

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Question 5 Please tell us why you want to move
 

Please use this space to explain fully the reasons why you need to move. If there is not enough space you can write on a sheet of paper and enclose it with the form.
 

Question 6 Previous housing applications
 

Information about applications that you have made previously will help us to assess your housing need and to decide what duty we have to you, if you are a homeless household. All applicants must complete this section.
 

Section D – About the property you would like to rent
 

Question1 Local connection
 

Only those households that have a local connection to Kennet, qualify for Bands A or B of the housing register and can therefore bid for vacancies advertised through ‘homes@kennet’. In addition, priority for vacancies in the smaller rural communities of the district is normally given to households with a local connection to that particular town or village.
 

A member of your household has a local connection to an area if:

• • they have permanent employment there (* see below)
  
  • they have been normally resident there, of their own choice, for at least 6 out of the last 12 months or 3 years out of the last 5 years (* see below)
  
  • they have a parent, grandparent, child, brother or sister who have been normally resident there, of their own choice, for at least 6 out of the last 12 months or 3 years out of the last 5 years
  
  • there are other special circumstances, for example, a long term need to receive specialist health care, education or other support services that are only available in that area

* Please note that a person is not employed in the district if he is serving in the regular armed forces of the Crown. Residence in an area is not of a person’s own choice if he/she is serving in the regular armed forces of the Crown or because he/she is detained under the authority of an Act of Parliament.

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Question 2 Choice of area
 

The information you give about where you want to live in the district, helps us plan housing for the future
 

Section E – Consent and Declaration
 

Questions1-3 Declaration
 

Please read and sign the declaration, then take or send your application to ‘homes@kennet’ or to any of the other Partnership Landlords listed.

Housing Associations are non-profit making or charitable organisations, providing homes for people who may have difficulties finding accommodation in the private market. They can offer anything from flats to family homes, for young and old. Housing Associations receive grants from the Housing Corporation, which is a Government agency, and from the District Council towards the cost of providing housing.

Some Associations only offer housing for rent, others also provide a choice of properties to rent or buy.

Anyone can apply for a housing association property, but they generally only rehouse those who are in the greatest need.

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