Housing in Southampton | Renting from Southampton City Council or a housing association

In Southampton, you can apply to rent from the following social landlords:

You can apply to rent from them if you are in housing need.

If you have been in the country for less than two years, contact Southampton City Council to find out if you are entitled to social rented accommodation.

What is a housing association?

A housing association is a not-for-profit organisation that works alongside the council to help provide housing for those in most need. Housing associations have properties for rent. They also have schemes to buy properties, and specialist supported housing. To get a housing association property you should apply to the council in the same way that you apply for a council property, or contact the housing association directly.

How do I rent a property from the council or a housing association?

There are two stages:

Complete an application form.
Have your eligibility for housing assessed; go onto a waiting list; and bid for a home.

To apply to Southampton City Council, you must fill in a housing application form, which you can find at the Gateway or download from:

http://www.southampton.gov.uk/Images/Housing%20application%20form_tcm46-169415.pdf

Southampton City Council will look at the form and say whether you qualify for housing. If you do, the council will write to tell you how many points you have. The number of points decides which properties you can bid for.

You can ask for more information and advice on how to apply, or look online at:

http://www.southampton.gov.uk/housing/housingneeds/homebid/default.asp

To look at the information in a different language:

http://www.southampton.gov.uk/housing/housingneeds/homebid/translationdocs.asp

Bidding for a property to rent

When you have been told you are eligible for housing, you can bid for a property to rent. This means you choose the property you want to rent. The Homebid magazine comes out every two weeks, showing all the properties available from the council and housing associations. You can find the Homebid magazine in lots of places, including the library, Gateway and your local housing office. You can also look online:

Each property is worth a certain number of points. You use your points to bid for the properties. You can bid in different ways: text, use the website below, or fill in vouchers and drop them at the Gateway office. The Council will contact you if your bid has succeeded.

http://www.southampton.gov.uk/housing/housingneeds/homebid/homebid.asp

What should I expect if I get a council or housing association property?

If your bid succeeds, you will usually be offered a secure or assured tenancy in an unfurnished property. You will also be asked to sign a tenancy agreement setting out your rights and responsibilities.

How long will it take and what can I do in the meantime?

There is a long waiting list in Southampton and there are not enough properties for everyone. So even if you are on the housing register, it could be years before you get a property. In the meantime it is a good idea to look at other housing choices, such as renting from a private landlord.

Supported housing options

If you think you need specialist housing, there are several supported housing options. These include:

a refugee housing scheme
homelessness projects
projects, based at residential accommodation, for people with particular needs such as a learning disability or a physical disability
a 'floating' support service such as In Touch, where a support worker visits you regularly at home
sheltered housing if you are an older person, or have a disability.

To find out more about these options, and whether they are available to you, contact the housing associations or Southampton City Council.