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Welcome to the Housing Options Team Website
Appealing Homeless Priority Decision |
Our Aim and Promise to the Customer
Redditch Borough Council’s Housing Options specialist advice service can be accessed by everyone with a housing related query, including first time home hunters, existing council tenants, housing association tenants, private rented tenants and owner occupiers.
Our aim is to deliver a high quality service offering specialist and holistic advice on a wide range of housng options and issues.
We promise to ensure that all customers are made fully aware of all of the potential housing options available to you.
What Services do the Housing Options Team Provide?
The Housing Options Officers conduct interviews of approximately 45 minutes, which are intended to offer a wide range of specialist housing options advice. During the interview, an action plan will be written which will, following the interview, provide all customers with a specially tailored action plan, detailing all of the housing options advice given and any practical tasks considered pertinent to allow the customer to follow and assist them to improve their particular housing situation.
Here are some examples of the housing options which may be available to you:-
Registered Social Landlords and Housing Co-Operatives (Housing Associations) |
The Housing Options Team will advise you how to maximise your success in finding private rented accommodation through local newspapers, lettings Agencies, local shops etc. They will also be able to provide you with information regarding the likely cost of such accommodation including rent deposit, administration fees and the type of tenancy agreement that you should expect to have. In addition several local landlords are working with the Housing Options Team, accepting recommendations from the team about applicants who are suitable for their vacant properties. In specialist cases the Council may be able to assist you in finding a rent deposit, however this is at the Housing Options managers' discretion.
If you want to find out more about private rented Housing, or if you are a landlord interested in providing accommodation which could be utilised by the Housing Options Team, please refer to the following links below:
Advice on how to find private rented accomodation 
(30.00 KB) - A Housing Options Advice Sheet providing useful information on finding private rented accommodation.
Private Sector Housing Team - This is the department of Redditch Borough Council which works closely with private landlords and this page and its links contain much useful advice for tenant and landlord alike.
Contact details of local lettings agents (32.50 KB) - Click to Download a list of Local Redditch Based Local Lettings Agents.
The Housing Options Team operates a Choice Based Lettings system called Redditch HomeChoice with regards to the allocation of our housing stock. This way of allocation allows applicants to register their own bids for 2 properties they are interested in per week, subject to the properties being available to their priority banding and bedroom size.
The Choice Based Lettings scheme is designed to be a more transparent and fairer system of allocating Council and Housing association stock. Applicants' housing need will be assessed and awarded a banding and an amount of points to reflect their need. People with medical conditions that are severely affected by their housing situation will potentially also be given greater opportunity to move.
The Housing Options Officer can assist you with making an application to join Redditch Home Choice, or advice in regard of your priority for housing and how to use the system effectively.
To find more about Redditch HomeChoice, click here
Click to Download a copy of the Borough Council's Latest Housing Allocations Policy. 
(1.02 MB)
Registered Social Landlords and Housing Co-Operatives (Housing Associations)
Registered Social Landlords are an alternative provider of affordable rented housing to Redditch Borough Council and private landlords. Within the Redditch Borough, 25 RSL's own and manage stock, which include family housing, smaller accommodation and specialist/supported accommodation for the elderly.
Redditch Borough Council have negotiated legally binding "Nomination Agreements" with these RSL's which mean that at first let (on a new build site) 100% of nominations are taken from the Redditch Home Choice register and at second and all subsequent lets, 75% of nominations are from the Redditch Home Choice Register, so when a bid is placed by an applicant on Home Choice, this will generate a short list of interested applicants which will then be sent to the RSL for a tenant to be selected.
Redditch Co Operative Homes
Redditch also has an award winning Co-Operative Housing Association called "Redditch Co-Operative Homes" which owns over 200 properties in the Borough. Redditch Co-Operative Homes differs from many other organisations as it is a tenant led and managed housing co-operative, where the tenants have an active role in the daily management of their homes and communities and are central to many of the key decisions affecting their homes. Co-Operative Tenants are heavily involved in the design and development of new communities.
To find more about Redditch Co-Operative Homes, click here
Please note that some RSL' and Housing Co-Operatives have different allocations policies to the Council so some applicants may not be eligible for the same kind of properties that they would be with the Council.
Supported Accommodation
Supported accommodation is for people who wish to live independently, but require additional support with day to day activities. There are many schemes of supported accommodation in Redditch for different needs. There are also several organisations in Redditch who provide Floating Support; tailor made support offered on an ongoing basis usually in your own home. The Housing Options Team will be able to advise you of which organisations would best suit your needs and are able to assist with any referrals.
To read more about Supported Accomodation click here.
Redditch Borough Council offers a range of schemes for Low Cost Home Ownership,which would enable you to purchase a home of your own at a cost which would be far less than buying a property outright on the open market. Several schemes are available including: Shared Ownership, Discounted Sale, Open Market HomeBuy, HomeBuy Direct and Intermediate Market Rent or Rent to Sale
To find out more about Low Cost Housing Options,click here.
The Government has recently introduced a National Mortgagee Rescue Scheme which is intended to provide assistance to vulnerable home owners if they are having serious difficulties in making their mortgage payments and are facing the prospect of becoming homeless if repossessed.
The Housing Options Team are able to refer clients who meet the required criteria on behalf of Redditch Borough Council to the Mortgagee Rescue Scheme which is operated in Worcestershire by West Mercia Housing Group on behalf of the six District Councils.
To find out more about the Mortgagee Rescue Scheme, click here..
Mutual Exchanges
A mutual exchange occurs when two (or more) tenants exchange their homes with another Redditch Borough Council tenant, a tenant of any RSL (Housing Association) or a tenant of another Council.
As a Redditch Borough Council tenant you have a legal right to exchange, although we can refuse for a number of specific reasons including if the exchange would result in the overcrowding orunder-occupation of one of the properties, or if we have started legal action for possession against one of the tenants involved.
Advantages of Mutual Exchange:
- You can exchange with another tenant inside or outside of the Borough.
- You may be able to exchange with a tenant of a Housing Association.
- You may avoid a lengthy wait for a transfer.
- You can inspect the other property thoroughly and be sure that it is suitable for your family before seeking approval.
Disadvantages of Mutual Exchange:
- You have to accept the new property in its present condition.
- The other party can pull out at any time up until you move.
- You will have to accept responsibility for alterations carried out by the present tenant.
How do I go about finding a Mutual Exchange Partner?
There are several ways which you can find a Mutual Exchange Partner.
You Can:
- Complete a mutual exchange form Download Form Here
- Add your property to the Council’s Mutual Exchange Database on the Redditch Home Choice System, by using your log in number and password, if you have these available. The website for Redditch Home Choice is www.redditchhomechoice.org.uk
- www.homeswapper.co.uk is a national website for tenants looking to undertake a Mutual Exchange with another tenant. This website includes properties both in Redditch and all over the UK. You can register your property by clicking here. (Charges will Apply)
- Contact the Housing Options Team for more information on Mutual Exchange at housing.options@redditchbc.gov.uk
Homelessness Advice
As well as conducting Housing Options interviews, the Housing Options Officers also conduct homelessness interviews. The purpose of a homelessness interview is for the Officer to assess the circumstances and housing need of a customer who is homeless or threatened with homelessness using relevant homelessness legislation, The Housing Act 1996 as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002.
Oficers will need to establish eligibility for assistance under the relevant legislation above by assessing the cause of homelessness, whether a customer is in Priority Need and a customer has a valid Local Connection to the Borough of Redditch (such as residency/previous residency, close family living in the Borough, employment in the Borough) before they can decide what advice and assistance is appropriate. This will also include the Officer making a consideration as part of their investigations if there is a duty for the Council to provide appropriate temporary accommodation.
If a customer is threatened with homelessness, The Housing Options Officer can also offer advice on your tenancy and your rights; is also able to liaise between your Landlord and Housing Benefit (also with the intervention of the private sector housing team if required) and is able to assist with any kind of tenancy sustainment or resettlement service.
Appealing Homelessness Decisions
If you are not happy with the decision that the Housing Options Officer makes in relation to your homelessness priority need, you have the right to an appeal. Your appeal against the decision should be stated in a letter written to the Housing Options Manager and once this has been received then we will have 58 days to respond with a decision on whether your appeal has been successful.
How to Make an Housing Options Appointment
Here are the times when the Housing Options Team are available daily for appointments
| Monday | 9.15am | 11.15am | 2.00pm | 3.30pm |
| Tuesday | 9.15am | 11.15am | 2.00pm | 3.30pm |
| Wednesday | 9.15am | 11.15am | ||
| Thursday | 9.15am | 11.15am | 2.00pm | 3.30pm |
| Friday | 9.15am | 11.15m | 2.00pm | 3.30pm |
If you would like to make an appointment, please contact the One Stop Shops in the Borough at Town Hall, Winyates Centre, Woodrow Centre and Batchley. Alternatively you could email then at contact.centre@redditchbc.gov.uk
Please note that if you have difficulty attending your interview please advise the One Stop Shop who will make a request for a special appointment.
Related DocumentsRelated Web Links
Department of Communities and Local Government
Department of Work and Pensions
Last modification: 10:29:41, 15th June, 2009 by South Housing Market Area
Review date: 02nd October, 2009
