Getting a home
There are many different options available to you, depending on your circumstances.
If you are at immediate risk of becoming homeless, please contact The Hub on 01562 732928 or out of hours call 01562 732225.
Each council in Worcestershire offers a housing options service which provides specialist housing advice. The service is for anyone needing housing advice; experiencing homelessness or threatened with homelessness, including private rented tenants, housing association tenants, first time buyers, council tenants and owner occupiers.
The range of housing options available will depend upon the situation. The housing options service will be able to provide individually tailored advice.
Social housing -The housing waiting list
Access to social housing is very limited and is allocated to those households in the greatest need and with a connection to the district.
We sold all of our housing stock in April 2000 to The Community Housing Group Ltd, (a local housing association).
We manage the housing waiting list for those looking for rented housing or low-cost home ownership and work with local housing associations to help customers access the housing they need.
Properties are allocated through our housing register (Home Choice Plus). This is a choice-based letting scheme which operates across the districts of Wyre Forest, Stratford, and Bromsgrove. This single access point allows people to search and apply online for social housing. However please note the banding you received may be influenced by the area(s) you have a local connection to. You can read the Home Choice Plus allocations policy on their website.
You may wish to find private accommodation. You can find rented accommodation in local newspapers or via estate agents.
Within Wyre Forest there are various schemes that can help people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness to find a home within the private rented sector. Contact the Hub and speak to our Private Sector Liason Officer. We can help with rent in advance and the rent deposit bond scheme, which has been designed to help people access the private housing rental market.
Find out more about private rental and how we help ensure housing meets a decent standard.
If you currently live in a social housing (housing association or council house) property which is no longer suited to your needs you may wish to consider a mutual exchange (home swap).
A mutual exchange is basically a home swap with another tenant. You may be able to swap homes with any social housing tenant in the UK providing they have the right to mutual exchange and want to swap homes with you. Advertising your home and searching for swaps is a straightforward process - there are a number of websites offering this service, including the HomeSwapper website where you will find instructions on how to look for properties and advertise your home to other social housing tenants.
If you find a potential swap you must receive written permission from your landlord to exchange and the permission of the other landlord if the swap partner is the tenant of another organisation. Permission will normally only be withheld on certain specific grounds, which your landlord will be able to explain, but please remember you should never make any arrangements to move until you have received permission in writing.
You may be able to get financial help through the Help to Buy home ownership scheme if you live in England and can’t afford to buy a home. For more information see www.helptobuy.gov.uk. If you are interested in shared ownership (where you purchase a percentage of a home) please see www.sharetobuy.com .
If you are already a social housing tenant you may have the Right to Buy or Right to Acquire
You may also be interested in building your own property as part of a community-led scheme. Find out more about Community-led Housing.
The National Homelessness Advice Service has produced a guide for ex service personnel and their families when dealing with homelessness and housing enquiries.
You can also read our housing advice for members of the armed forces.
Housing options assessment tool
The housing options assessment tool can give you your options. It enables you to record details of your circumstances and the tool will then suggest any appropriate housing options for you, the steps you need to take and you can print off any action plans or relevant leaflets. You can complete this tool online yourself or complete it with a Housing Advice Officer at the Hub.