The Association has very few properties available for letting at any one time. However, when a vacancy arises, our priorities for allocating empty properties are as follows:
 
Existing tenants. This includes tenants who are required to move so building work can be carried out to their present accommodation and other urgent transfer cases.
 
Council nominations. We are required, as a condition of our funding, to offer at least 50% of 1-bed and 75% of family homes to people nominated by the local council.
 
Community Lettings. As the Association’s aim is to preserve our local communities, children of tenants, key workers and others with a local connection and in housing need may be considered for independent accommodation.
 
Other nominations
 
The Association takes nominations from other housing associations and local councils, from approved referral agencies and from hostels/homes developed by the Association but managed by agencies. We will only consider people who are in housing need who have a strong local connection with the area. A list of our approved referral agencies can be obtained from the office.
 
Because of the housing crisis in London and the number of homeless households living in poor temporary accommodation (B&B, etc.) a high proportion of our homes will be let to homeless people.
 
Applicant Selection
 
All applications for housing are assessed on their merits - with the exception of tenants who we have to move in order to carry out improvement works to their homes. We aim to give priority to those applicants with a local connection and in housing need. The following factors are taken into account in assessing housing need:

• Current housing conditions, such as overcrowding;
• Health factors;
• Other options available;
• The length of time spent in poor housing;
• Social (such as family links or support needs) and economic factors.

Applicants are visited. Their case is then considered at allocations meetings. To ensure that our equal opportunities policy is carried out we monitor the age, sex, ethnicity and disability of those who are housed to make sure that applications are treated strictly on the basis of need and in terms of our published policy. We then allocate points to each case. Tenants and members of the community who believe they meet the criteria in the points system are invited to contact us about housing.

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