Applying for Social Housing through the Council
To apply to be housed in Wealden you need to fill in a Housing Register Application Form (pdf 192 kb) to be put on the Housing Register. Please also fill in the relevant medical section in your application form if you or a member of your household suffers from a medical condition that is likely to influence your housing need. The application form is also available from our Council Offices and Citizens Advice Bureau within the district.
Housing Options
We aim to help applicants explore their housing options. Wherever possible we aim to prevent applicants becoming homeless by liaising with landlords and parents where it is appropriate. Due to the extreme lack of social housing vacancies within the District we are encouraging applicants to find alternative accommodation in the private rented sector. We offer the Wealden Deposit Guarantee Scheme and, in some cases, we are able to lend the applicant the deposit and rent in advance to secure the accommodation.
Information on housing stock (Council and Housing Association) and allocations:
Housing Stock and Allocations Sheet by Parish.pdf (528kb)
Housing Stock and Allocations summary 2008.pdf (448kb)
Eligibility
The Housing Register is normally open to anyone aged 16 years or over who wishes to apply, however there are some circumstances where applications could be excluded. If you do not qualify you will receive a letter explaining the reason and have the right to request a review of the decision.
Determining Priorities
Wealden District Council allocates property through the Choice Based Lettings Scheme called Homemove.
Assessment Process
Home visits are carried out by Housing Options Officers if the initial assessment of the application has indicated priority consideration.
Your Rights to Information
You can request information about how your application is being treated and whether you are receiving reasonable preference; ask for information that may help you assess whether, and how soon, accommodation suited to your needs and preferences is likely to be available; and you can ask to see personal information from your case file.
Allocation Scheme
The Council has a single Allocation Scheme (pdf 180kb) that is applicable to all applicants, including existing social tenants seeking a transfer to more suitable accommodations.
What is an allocation?
Allocations are defined as selecting an applicant to be a secure tenant of the Council, nominating an applicant to be a secure tenant of another housing authority, or nominating an applicant to be an assured tenant of a Registered Social Landlord (Housing Association).
Housing Need in Wealden
Please note that the demand for affordable housing in Wealden far exceeds supply and therefore the wait tends to be quite lengthy. Applicants who are not deemed to be a high priority are advised to look at private rented accommodation.
Further Information
For further information on how to apply to be housed by the Council you can contact the Housing Options Team on on 01323 443380