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Social Rented Homes

whambam
whambam Posts: 508 Forumite
in House buying, renting & selling
With new blocks of flats going up around the city how do you know if they are social rented housing or owned already by a private landlord?

Also, can you be put on a waiting list before social rented homes are built? As some people say it takes 2-3 years to get a home based on need?

Comments

  • elsien
    elsien Posts: 32,682 Forumite
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    Most areas have a combined council/housing authority portal which will give the eligibility criteria and which depend on your circumstances. Look on your council website, all the information will be on there.
    If you are a single person with no vulnerabilities then a 2/3 year wait would be very optimistic.
    Who is allowed to apply and go on any waiting list also depends on the local council policies. Some also have restrictions on this due to very high demand.
    It is more common (at least round my way) for a private developer to have to include a small amount of social housing in the proposed development than for it all to be social housing, unless for a specific group such as people with disabilities. These are then bid on in the usual way.
    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

    Pedant alert - it's could have, not could of.
  • whambam
    whambam Posts: 508 Forumite
    Do credit checks get done by councils?
  • elsien
    elsien Posts: 32,682 Forumite
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    I think some do, and some do affordability checks, but I don't know what impact that has on their decisions.
    You really need to check out the eligibility and banding system for the area you're living in before worrying about credit checks.
    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

    Pedant alert - it's could have, not could of.
  • theartfullodger
    theartfullodger Posts: 14,588 Forumite
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    whambam wrote: »
    With new blocks of flats going up around the city how do you know if they are social rented housing or owned already by a private landlord?

    Also, can you be put on a waiting list before social rented homes are built? As some people say it takes 2-3 years to get a home based on need?

    Depending on need it may be decades or never. Check YOUR local council allocation policy. I
  • Joyful
    Joyful Posts: 2,426 Forumite
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    Check the companies website which will tell you. In Edinburgh I am aware of 2 sets of Social / Mid rent flats and houses being built. Friends and family put their names down months ago. Three friends after having checks done on them were given flats/ houses. Two of them were single.
    Self Employed, Running my Dream Jobs
  • Norman_Castle
    Norman_Castle Posts: 11,871 Forumite
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    whambam wrote: »
    can you be put on a waiting list before social rented homes are built?
    If you're on the list you will be offered whatever is available according to need. You won't be on a list for any particular property.
  • comeandgo
    comeandgo Posts: 5,742 Forumite
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    Norman_Castle wrote: »
    If you're on the list you will be offered whatever is available according to need. You won't be on a list for any particular property.

    Social housing is different. You do apply for them and if your face fits or you know the right people you may get them. If you have a job in the area that helps.
  • Norman_Castle
    Norman_Castle Posts: 11,871 Forumite
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    comeandgo wrote: »
    Social housing is different. You do apply for them and if your face fits or you know the right people you may get them. If you have a job in the area that helps.
    Different to what? Social housing is a mix of council housing and housing association properties both applied for via the same list.
  • hammy1988
    hammy1988 Posts: 145 Forumite
    Where we live you have to register interest, often on the housing companies websites it'll mention if they are having any at a site. Usually the ones actually offered the houses/flats before completion are deemed desperate need for housing, oh and my friend who slept with the housing officer and got a shiny new three bed... Not even lying!
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