Notice Board

Wiltshire Rural Housing Association was set up in 1984 to provide suitable housing for local people in housing need, regardless of their race, sexual orientation or religion.   The Association offers tenancies to people who live in the immediate area of its properties, or have special reasons for wishing to move there in accordance with the terms of any Section 106 (or similar) Agreement or other agreement relevant to that development.

Tenancies will be offered after consideration of all aspects of the applicant's housing need, including actual or impending homelessness, overcrowding, lack of facilities, poor conditions or difficulty in obtaining suitable housing locally.

The Association is, only where an appropriate support/care package is in place, able to offer tenancies to those who are unable to lead independent lives.  It does not provide wardens or sheltered accommodation.

The Wiltshire Council will be invited to submit names from its waiting list for consideration by the Association. Particularly with regard to local connections, nominees must comply with the Association's lettings criteria.  At least  50% of tenancies will be offered to people on the Wiltshire Council or Swindon Borough Council's waiting list.  Applicants will be advised to apply to the Wiltshire Council or Swindon Borough Council when they apply to the Association. The Wiltshire Council will be required to provide the Association with all relevant information at nomination stage to enable full consideration to be given to each application.

www.swindonhomebid.org.uk          Swindon Borough Council     Tel: 01793 463181

The Association is only able to consider rehousing owner-occupiers where there are special circumstances which make it impossible for them to buy suitable local housing on the open market.

Accommodation constructed specifically for the elderly will be let to people over state retirement age or disabled.   In the case of a couple, only one person need be over retirement age or disabled. If a property cannot be let then people over 55 years of age can be considered. 

All the factors contributing to housing need will be evaluated according to the Association's points system.  Tenancies will be offered to those in greatest need, bearing in mind that the Association must make the most efficient use of its housing stock and achieve stable communities and sustainable tenancies.

(i) Tenants will be issued with an Assured Tenancy.  The Association reserves the right to issue Starter Tenancies where these are considered appropriate to deal with demonstrable problems of anti-social behaviour and nuisance.

(ii) Tenants will be issued with a Rent Book when taking up a tenancy.  This will state the maximum number of occupants allowed.

(iii) The Association will make every effort to offer or obtain alternative accommodation for families whose homes have become overcrowded.

Property maybe allocated to members of staff, members of Wiltshire Rural Housing Association Ltd, and their close relatives in accordance with the exemptions outlined in Schedule 1 to the Housing Act 1996 and any Homes and Communities Agency directives.

As far as is practical, every effort will be made to help tenants who are suffering from domestic violence or harassment (including racial harassment), to find alternative accommodation with the help of other agencies.

All tenancies offered to couples will be joint tenancies.

Exchanges
Exchanges between tenants will be allowed where the incoming tenant has a local connection and meets the Association's own criteria, so long as both parties have written permission from their landlords.

Wiltshire Rural Housing Association cannot consent to an exchange where the incoming tenant does not have a local connection.  However, it will do all it reasonably can to facilitate a move for the existing tenant.

Lettings Criteria
Prospective tenants will need to be able to satisfy the Association that at least one of the following criteria has been met before any offer of accommodation can be made:

(i) The applicant, or at least one of the applicants where there is a joint application, currently lives in the village where the vacancy has occurred.

(ii) The applicant, or at least one of the applicants where there is a joint application, has previously lived in the village where the vacancy has occurred for a considerable period of time.

(iii) The applicant, or at least one of the applicants where there is a joint application, has close family members, such as parents, siblings or children currently living in the village where the vacancy has occurred.

(iv) The applicant, or at least one of the applicants where there is a joint application, works in the village where the vacancy has occurred.

If the property cannot be let an applicant or at least one of the applicants where there is a joint application meeting the above criteria for an abutting parish can be considered.

If the property still cannot be let an applicant/ or at least one of the applicants where there is a joint application meeting the above criteria for the Council area as a whole can be considered. The Council boundaries applicable at the time the property was either built or acquired will be applied where unitary authority status has been introduced.