Interview for a Housing Association property

crawfy

I have been offered an interview with a local housing association for a new build property. The interview is happening at my mums and i was just wondering whether anyone knew what they will be looking for or the types of questions they will be asking??
I get nervous with things like this and don't want my nerves to cause me to lose the house!!

Hope this is the correct board for this post

TIA

Maysie

hi, i had an interview like this a few years ago. Was very relaxed it was with sovereign housing. The lady just wanted to check all the infomation they had was correct mostly (how many bedrooms i had etc). She asked about where i was living did i get on with the neighbours things like that. I think they try hard with new build to weed out potential nightmare neighbours. She was in and out within 10 - 15 minutes .

I would not worry at all. Just remember to offer them a cuppa and smile .

crawfy

Thanks for the advice. I'm just a little concerned because there is room at my mums for me and that they might say that i don't deserve the house. Although i am 32 weeks pregnant so there won't be room once the little one arrives!
I am a teacher so a professional and defintely wouldn't be a nightmare neighbour!!!
Did they tell u in the interview whether u got the property or did u have to wait longer??

[Deleted User]

Don't worry about the interview.

I've lived with my Mum since I was 18 in a Housing Association property and we had a similar thing.

It will be a 2-way process and they will let you know about the different rules - they vary between associations. For example at our house now we are allowed to own one small-medium sized dog!

I don't think you can mess one of these interviews up, just pray they don't operate a scheme like where I live. They keep a percentage of the properties for allocation to people from unfavourable circumstances so we have a lot of low income middle-aged single women like my mum and then a drug addict/alcoholic/jailbird either side - nice and safe!

Perhaps this is a question you should ask?

crawfy

Yeah there are a few of these in this area but these people sound like there looking for a 'certain' type of person. It took ages for them to get planning permission and so i'm guessing that they had to agree to house professionals or people from good backgrounds.

Do u think i can assume i've got the property?? I need to sort myself out!

crawfy

Are the rules normally realistic?? I can't think of anything i would want to do that would cause a problem - but what about things like decorating etc?
Do new houses come with carpets etc??

inthegreen

Hi

Firstly do not worry. I had my interview 6 weeks ago and hope to move in in 2 weeks time to a new build. In my intreview the chap went through the rules of the housing association, no letting a room, no dogs (mines a flat), no rudeness to neighbours, I am responsible for maintenance, make sure I pay my mortgage on time. We then had to go through a list of financials, incoming and outgoing. Because I am a DFW I spend much less then their usual amounts so he told me he would write down higher amounts as I would have too much spare a month. He was very helpful and was trying to ensure I could afford it without getting myself in difficulties. As long as you will have some spare at the end of the month you will be fine. They didn't ask about my profession or my current living arrangements. I would personally pre prepare a budget that shows mortgage, rent food, utility bills (the housing association decided these), holidays, christmas savings, birthday savings, savings for other things, childcare, petrol, medecines, union fees, other work related fees and anything else you can think of just so you are prepared. I also had to take a bank statement, a payslip and a current utility bill but yours may be different.

lastly relax and good luck

any other questions please feel free to post pm:D

crawfy

Wow, thanks for all the info, starting to feel more assured now.

The only difference to urs is that mine will be rental from the housing assosiation - will these mean a different type of interview??

I recievied a letter today confirming the appointment stating that they would like to offer me an interview to confirm my local connection to the area. This isn't a problem and i hoping thats all they will be wanting to know. Will prepare a budget plan just incase

Maysie

i was not asked anything about budgetting they just wnated to know was i uptodate with current rent. I did have to show 2 utility bills i had forgotten that till mentioned.

The lady said to me after the interview they would let me know in writting and to exspect something in the post very soon ( i felt confident at this stage i had it but she didnt' say). Well i waited 4-5 days and nothing so i rang them and they were surprised as they had sent me a letter offering me the tenancy which had to be returned to them by the day i was ringing them ( i later found out 2 other people had turned down the poperty):O so i got my sister to drive me to them get a copy and sign it straight away! They were at all times friendly, courteous and polite.

Good luck and let us know how it goes

Maysie

Everything was painted magnolia and you were not allowed to decorate for a year. That was to do with letting the walls breathe. It came with a basic fitted kitchen, lino in kitchen and bathrooms. No appliances but i had all my own already. no carpets . Stupid light fittings in the hallway for special super dooper energy effienclty light bulbs that cost £10 each and last 6 months if you are lucky ( i have been naughty and had one of them changed to an ordinary fitting but i use normal energy saving bulbs in them that cost 38p from morissions). I could not even buy the lgiht bulbs i needed in my town i never did track them down.

If its the first property you have rented some local councils have a local storage for furniture which you are allowed to pick from. Its a once only offer though.

astonsmummy

I think it's just a formality, i've had 2 interviews, one for my first temp accom flat which was housing association then my permanent flat which was council/housing association.
My friend had the same a few months ago and was worried too, but she got the house, tbh i doubt very much the council would of put ur name forward for the property if it was unsuatable for your needs, and seeing as it's the councils duty to house you and they have already agreed to this then the HA couldnt tell you you had to stay at your mums, i dunno if thats true but i woulf of thought it would be.