Joining a Housing Association

What Are Housing Associations?
Housing Associations provide homes for people in housing need. They don't make a profit - any extra money goes back into providing services, repairing homes or building new houses.

What type of housing do they provide?
Housing associations provide low-cost housing - also known as affordable housing. There are several types of affordable housing available. The most common locally are homes for rent, and homes for shared ownership. (Shared ownership is where you part buy, part rent a home.) More recently, we have worked with housing associations on homes for key workers - such as teachers, nurses and police officers. We are also looking at providing low-cost housing for sale in future, where there is enough need for it.

Why does the Council work with Housing Associations?
In the past few years, house prices in South Bedfordshire have risen very steeply. As a result, many people can't afford to buy a home. Through our housing strategy, we aim to get homes built to a high standard, in the places they are needed, at prices that people can afford. There are several ways that we can help to do this:

• By giving financial support to Housing Associations to get new homes built
• By collecting information about house prices and local incomes
• By using independent housing needs studies
• By encouraging parish councils to get involved in local housing needs surveys
• By collecting information about the future need for rented housing, shared ownership homes and low cost housing for sale

By providing some funds to Housing Associations, we can attract extra investment into the district, and get better value for public money.

How many housing association homes are there locally?
By April 2003, 1, 412 housing association homes for rent and shared ownership had been built or bought in South Bedfordshire. Our partners are continuing to work on new housing schemes, where there is need, land available and development funding.

How can I apply for a new Housing Association home?
Usually, all new homes are let to people nominated by the council. So if you want to apply for a brand new home, you should contact our Rehousing Team on 0300 300 8000 or e-mail Pearl.Dilk@southbeds.gov.uk or Jean.Moneypenny@southbeds.gov.uk.

How can I apply for other Housing Association homes?
When someone moves out of a Housing Association home, things are slightly different. We can only nominate a certain amount of customers for Housing Association vacancies. (Usually for every two vacancies, we can nominate one person.)

What Types of Property/Tenure do the Various Housing Associations Offer? Types of property/tenure offered (awaiting upload)

Do Housing Association tenants have the same rights as Council tenants?
Since 15 January 1989, Housing Associations have provided "assured tenancies" to their tenants. (This is a contract between the tenant and the Housing Association.) The rights are broadly similar to those of a council tenant, but not exactly the same - for example, there is no Right to Buy on housing association homes.

There are national proposals underway to simplify the law. If these go ahead, council and housing association tenants may have the same kind of tenancy agreements in future.

Housing Associations working with South Bedfordshire District Council
For many years, we have worked with Housing Associations to make sure that low-cost housing for rent and shared ownership gets built in South Bedfordshire. These homes are developed in partnership with selected Housing Associations and the Housing Corporation. We provide grants, and in return get 'nomination rights' to any homes built. This means that people on our housing register (waiting list) can get a home.

Our current Housing Association partners are:

• Aldwyck Housing Association
• Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association
• Chiltern Hundreds Housing Association
• Guinness Trust
• Jephson Housing Association
• Aragon Housing Association (on rural housing projects only)

We work with our partners wherever possible, because they are committed to helping us achieve key targets in our housing strategy.

Current housing schemes being built, or bought, in South Bedfordshire
We set targets for new Housing Association homes in South Bedfordshire, based on housing needs surveys and other information. We want to make sure that affordable housing is available for people who need it.

If you want to go on the housing register and be considered for any of these schemes, please contact our Rehousing Team on 0300 300 8000 or you can send an email to Pearl.Dilk@southbeds.gov.uk or Jean.Moneypenny@southbeds.gov.uk.