A question about Housing Associations

fimonkey

I've never thought about HA's up until now, I've always rented privately, but the thread on the state of some private accomodation is spot on! Especially the fact that I will NOT decorate a private let as it's only benefiting the LL who will turf you out to get a higher rent. Now I'd like to move in with my bf, but he has v. poor credit history and will struggle to pass the LA's criteria (and pay their extortionate up front fee's).

So my quesitons are:

1. Is council housing and HA housing essentially the same? i.e. do you need to be on a list, and meet certain criteria?

2. What criteria do you need to meet to be on a HA list?

3. I've googled HA's in my area (Bournemouth/Dorset) and a HUGE list comes up, but only with telephone numbers. How do I know which one to contact?

4. Are HA properties also on AST's renewed every 6 months?

Any other info on HA's and renting from them I should know?

Many thanks in advance

fimonkey

Ha ha, Did my own research, answers are that its different for everyone and for every area. so much for equality then.

IN east dorset, it's this.

http://www.edha.co.uk/pdf/Finding%20Homes.PDF

Catti

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/advice_topics/finding_a_place_to_live/housing_associations?gclid=CLyJ1_a-uJYCFSI7EAodTmI1Lw

This might help you!

boggie40

you need to be on their list. i believe after 01/01/2009 the housing associations have to take their tenants off the council lists, so if you do not register now you will not get in.
if you have a disability, are of retirement age or are or have been a drug addict this will move you up their lists.
once you get a house off them you are well looked after, much better than private renting for most of you.
there are housing associations in your area, i found them in your local phonebook, so give google a miss.....

i dont know if i am lucky but where we live the landlords are alright - i would not put up with a bad landlord anyway personally.

squinty

[FONT=&quot]1. Yes you usually have to be on a list (otherwise how do they know anything about you ?). The criteria vary from association to association some have open lists where anyone can apply, some provide accommodation to specific groups (eg ex railway workers, people with disabilities etc). Others will take 'nominations' from the local authority and in some cases all Housing Associations and the Council allocate from the same list (known as a common waiting list)

From their website - looks like Bournemouth operate a Choice Based Letting System, which I assume also applies to nominations to housing associations. If the council has nomination rights you may as well apply to both the council and direct to the HA.

2. See above - there is no easy answer.

3. Looking at the Housing Corporation website the following Housing Associatons have property in your area (the numbers are the numbers of properties). Contact the bigger ones. [/FONT]

• [FONT=&quot]Salvation Army Housing Association (11)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]East Dorset Housing Association Limited (24)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Circle Thirty Three Housing Trust Limited (25)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Knightstone Housing Association Limited (246)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]The Swaythling Housing Society Limited (67)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Bourne Housing Society Limited (63)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Western Challenge Housing Association Limited (448)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Shaftesbury Housing Association (7)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Raglan Housing Association Limited (233)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Home Group Limited (96)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Sovereign Housing Association Limited (319)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Twynham Housing Association Limited (142)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Signpost Housing Association Limited (60)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Magna Housing Association Limited (30)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]4. Not usually. Most HA's (or RSL's) offer assured tenancies which give much more security. Some however, will only grant an assured tenancy once the tenant has demonstrated they can conduct the tenancy properly for a six or twelve month period.

Not sure what Boggie40 refers to when they say that all HA must take names of council lists. I've not heard that before.

Also the list of priorities s not quite true - the real list is laid out in the 1996 Housing Act (as amended by the 2002 Homelessness Act) and includes:[/FONT]

• [FONT=&quot]people who are homeless[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]people occupying insanitary, overcrowded, or otherwise unsatisfactory housing[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]people who need to move for medical or welfare reasons, and[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]people who need to move to a particular location - for example, to be nearer to special training opportunities, or special medical facilities - and who would suffer hardship if they were unable to do so[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Hope this is of use.

Good luck[/FONT]

me_eevie

Hi all

Can anyone answer this for me please?

Are housing associations allowed to refuse to put people on the waiting list if they do not already live in the area or have a valid reason to want to move there?

olly300

me_eevie wrote: »

Hi all

Can anyone answer this for me please?

Are housing associations allowed to refuse to put people on the waiting list if they do not already live in the area or have a valid reason to want to move there?

Yes..................

me_eevie

Short and sweet - thank you.

I read on a government website
http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingmanagementcare/housingallocation/

"As a result of the 2002 Act, it is no longer open to an authority to exclude anyone on the grounds that they do not have a local connection with their district. However, housing authorities are still allowed to take into account whether someone has a local connection when determining relative priorities between applicants who fall within one of the reasonable preference categories. In this context someone has a local connection through residence, employment, family connection or some other special circumstance."

I read this as meaning that they were not allowed to exclude people in that instance.