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Rochford Allocation Policy 2025-2030

Affordable Rent is intended to help those who would not otherwise have been able to afford housing in the private sector. It is designed to provide an alternative to traditional social rent and the additional rental charges help registered providers (organisations that provide affordable homes such as councils and housing associations) to build more homes to improve access to social housing.

The difference between Social Rent and Affordable Rent is that Affordable Rent will be slightly higher as it allows the landlord to charge up to 80% of market rent levels within the local area. But these rents will still be low and affordable. However, landlords may carry out a financial assessment as part of their shortlisting process to ensure it is affordable to each applicant, before they will proceed with an allocation.In most cases, where applicants are eligible to receive Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit, the rent would be covered by this payment.

For more information about the Local Housing Allowance rates in each local authority area please visit the relevant council’s website.Affordable Rented properties will be allocated in the same way that Social Rented properties are now through HomeOption and there will be no change to the services tenants will receive.

Translations  HomeOption is committed to helping all those registered to access the scheme. If you would like assistance or have any specific requirements, please contact your Council Housing Department to discuss this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Click the green 'Register' button at the top right of the screen.
We aim to process your application and to have emailed you a response back within 28 days. If you have elected to receive letter by post, your written correspondence may take a little longer to reach you. Some customers may be asked to prove their eligibility for UK assistance and recourse to public funds, if this is the case will not be able to process your application until we receive the requested documentation.
If you consider your health is being affected by your housing please complete the medical section of the application form and provide your full medical history which is usually free of charge from your GP
Read the Rochford HomeOption lettings policy first (see opposite) and see what we take into account when we assess your priority. If you still think your priority band is incorrect, then contact the Rochford HomeOption team to discuss your application further.
To be able to bid on a home, you will need to be registered, know your email address and password and details of the property you are interested in. Once we have registered your application, we will send you an acknowledgement of your application and you will be able to log into your account using your email address and password. You will be able to reset your password or change it if you forget it by using the links on the 'Sign In' page. If you find this difficult, please contact Rochford HomeOption team for assistance. You can then express an interest in homes by using this website.
Once the bidding closes, staff will start to process the shortlist. If you're at the top of the list, then they will contact you to discuss an offer. This will normally happen within a few days of the shortlist closing.
You may be asked to provide; • Evidence of your right to reside in the UK if you are not a British Citizen (e.g. passport & other relevant Home Office documentation) • Additional documentation to support your housing need All documents provided must NOT be originals, but must be up-to-date copies and valid. Before you are offered a property you may also need to provide additional evidence to support your application. The landlord making the offer will advise you about which documents to provide and when to provide them.
If someone in your household has a medical condition which is being made worse by their current accommodation, you need to make this clear on your application so that our housing providers can take account of your needs when you are offered a property.
It is important that you tell us of any changes to your circumstances so that your application can be amended, you can do this online, via your login.
Properties are advertised on this website, you will have the facility to set up property alerts.
This is covered in detail in the Allocations Policy.
In the past all the homes we have advertised under our social housing banner have been life time tenancies. Some properties are now advertised as fixed term tenancies. Rather than offering a tenancy that can be in place for life these tenancies will have a fixed term, some will be 5 years some might be 20 years. Fixed term tenancies will mainly apply to family homes & general needs flats. Supported and over 55's flats & bungalows will continue to be offered as lifetime tenancies. Please read each advert carefully to ensure you understand what you are applying for as our different housing providers will be offering different terms and conditions with their fixed term tenancies. In most cases, when the fixed term comes to an end, another fixed term tenancy will be issued. Only in exceptional cases would the registered provider not renew it. Exceptions could include: • Persistent rent arrears • Persistent delay in paying rent • Anti-social behaviour • Neglect of property • Under-occupancy of 2 or more bedrooms