What is the housing register and who qualifies to join?
1. What is the Housing Register?
Keychoices use a common housing register for social rented houses in Rotherham. Social rented housing is housing that is provided by the Council and Registered Social Landlords, also known as housing associations. In Rotherham we allocate homes through a choice-based letting scheme. If you qualify to go on the register you need to consider the cost of getting your own place to live, as setting up home is expensive. It is a good idea to start saving and buying items in advance. You need to consider how you will manage your income when you have bills such as rent, council tax, gas, and electricity to pay. You should only bid for properties that you can afford. If you qualify and are offered a property you will be required to pay one week's rent in advance. You must continue to pay the rent and other charges, which are due weekly in advance.
2. Who qualifies to go on the Housing Register?
To qualify to go on Rotherham’s housing register you must:
- be aged 16 years or older
- meet the residency test to Rotherham other than where there are exemptions
- be in housing need
- not owe rent arrears, or other housing related debt exceeding the equivalent to eight weeks rent
- have not been evicted from a council or housing association tenancy in the last five years, even if a possession order was issued but you left before eviction
- Have not had a cancelled housing application in the last twelve months
3. Am I eligible to join the Housing Register?
To be eligible you must be able to prove that you currently live in Rotherham, and you have lived in Rotherham for three of the last four years (exemptions apply, see section 3.2 of the Housing Allocation Policy).
4. What circumstances will affect my eligibility to join the Housing Register?
If you owe money to the Council, a private landlord or housing association for current or former rent arrears, or tenancy related debt. You will not qualify to join the housing register if your debt exceeds the equivalent of eight-weeks rent arrears. If you have debt less than the equivalent of eight-weeks rent, you will be allowed to join the housing register but will be placed in suspension.
If you are in housing need (Bands One, Two and Three), the application will remain suspended until the arrears have reduced by 25%. It will be your responsibility to inform the Council when the debt has reached the eligible level and agree to continue to reduce the debt by making regular payments via an agreed payment plan.
If you are not in housing need (Band Four), you will be required to have no tenancy related debts.
If you have any tenancy breaches or you have been evicted from a Council or housing association tenancy in the last five years, this will affect your eligibility to join the Housing Register.
