1. Homepage
  2. Council housing
  3. Find a home
  4. Allocations Policy Consultation
  5. Proposed Policy (HTML)
  6. Acceptance onto the Housing Register
UK Parliamentary General Election 2024

Acceptance onto the Housing Register

Contents

Registration 

Bassetlaw District Council operates an Open Housing Register. 

Anyone aged 18 years and over can apply to go on the Housing Register. For applicants aged 16/17 please refer later in this page.

Qualification for Acceptance on to Housing Register

Applicants are entitled to make one application on the Housing Register.

On receipt of an application the Housing Register will be checked to identify any possible duplication of applications. If circumstances change an applicant may amend their application or register a new application. If a new application is registered the initial application will be removed from the Housing Register.

Identification and Verification

To ensure applicants are assessed correctly information is required to confirm their identity.  

For children and other household members, evidence is required confirming that they are a member of the household.

EEA Nationals

If you are an EEA National or subject to immigration control we may ask you for further information to determine if you are eligible to go on the Housing Register.

Proof of Identity

For every applicant on the application form we must see proof of National Insurance number and at least one of the following forms of proof of identity:

  • full birth certificate
  • medical card
  • marriage certificate
  • driving licence
  • passport
  • benefit entitlement letter

Proof of address can be made by providing a:

  • recent bank statement
  • Council tax bill
  • benefit letter or a recent utility bill or any documents as requested by Bassetlaw District Council.

Checks and References

On application we will make a number of checks to verify that the details and information provided to us are correct and up to date. When an offer of housing is made these details will be rechecked to ensure circumstances have not changed, these include:

  • A reference from a current landlord for Council and Housing Association tenants; for private rented sector tenants a reference may be requested
  • Proof of the applicant’s National Insurance number is required; in some cases further checks may be made for verification purposes
  • Verification checks on previous addresses
  • Previous criminal conviction checks, within the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
  • Pre offer checks, which may include a visit to the place the applicant currently lives
  • Appropriate checks to find out if the applicant or any person who will live with Checks to make sure that the applicant has not purposefully worsened their circumstances to obtain more priority on their application
  • Checks that the applicant does not have a financial interest in a property
  • Work-related checks will be carried out under the ‘Right to Move’ criteria

Age

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. 

Applicants aged 16 or 17 years will also be accepted in the following circumstances:

  • They have been accepted as Homeless and in Priority Need by Bassetlaw District Council and have a Support package through a recognised Support provider or
  • they have another Support Package from a recognised agency.

The support package must be in place as a condition of allocation of a property and must include an appropriate guarantor for the tenancy, including rent payments. A letter, including a support plan, must be provided at the time of registration from the support provider outlining commitment from the date of allocation, up to the time application is at least 18 years old.

Applications from a couple, one of whom is under 18 years of age, will be registered as a single person application in the name of the older applicant.  The application will be amended to a joint application on the 18th birthday of the second applicant on request retaining the original date of application.

Qualifying Persons

Bassetlaw District Council will fulfil its obligations under the current statutory provisions to ensure only “qualifying persons” are accepted onto the housing register.

Bassetlaw District Council cannot accept applications from persons who are not "qualifying persons" as defined under Section 160A of the Housing Act 1996. This is covered in detail in Section 6.

Local Connection

Applicants are accepted into one of the Housing Register Bands A – D if they have a local connection to the Bassetlaw District Council area. A local connection will be:

  • If the applicant has currently lived in the Bassetlaw District Council area for a continuous period of 2 years as their main home
  • The applicant does not currently live in the Bassetlaw District Council area or has not lived in Bassetlaw for a continuous period of 2 years but they have a close relative who lives in Bassetlaw, and has done for a continuous period of 2 years. A close relative is spouse, parent, child, sibling.
  • Where the applicant is currently serving, or has served, in Her Majesty’s Forces and wishes to reside in the Bassetlaw District Council area.
  • The applicant is a victim of domestic violence with a need to reside in the Bassetlaw District Council area – and has been referred by Women’s Aid under the terms of the move on protocol
  • The applicant is a secure, introductory or assured tenant of a registered housing provider in England with a need to move to the Bassetlaw area for work under the right to move (see Band C9 criteria)
  • The applicant has been continuously employed in the Bassetlaw District area for a period of one year, or has an offer employment that will last for more than one year

Bassetlaw District Council will carry out checks to ensure that applicants meet the local connection criteria, and further supporting evidence may be required.

Applicants who do not satisfy the local connection criteria will be accepted onto the register and placed in Band E. Applicants in Band E will not be able to move to a higher band unless they satisfy the local connection criteria.

Declaration of Interest

In order that that all applicants are treated fairly any applications from employees of Bassetlaw District Council, Bassetlaw District Council Elected Members and their close relatives must be disclosed via the application form.

Applications with a declaration of interest will be processed in the normal way, but offers of accommodation will not proceed without the approval of a Senior Officer of Bassetlaw District Council.

The definition of a close relative will include an applicant’s:-

  • spouse or partner
  • parent or parent in law
  • step-parent
  • son or daughter
  • son in law or daughter in law
  • stepson or stepdaughter
  • brother or sister
  • aunt or uncle
  • grandparent
  • grandchild

Property Ownership

Owner-occupiers will only be allowed to register a housing application if following a financial assessment they are unable to resolve their own housing need. The financial assessment will be based on the ability to purchase an alternative suitable property using the average house price in the Bassetlaw district.

 For owner occupiers who are awarded Band A or B Medical priorities please refer later in this page.

Effective Date of Application

The effective date of the application is the date when the applicant has provided all the documentation.

The date of your application may change if your application is awarded.

Change of Circumstances

A change in an applicant’s or their household’s circumstances may affect the applicant’s qualification for acceptance onto the Housing Register.

A change in circumstances will result in a re-assessment of their application.

If an applicant is changing their address they are required to provide up-to-date proof of the new address.

Where a change in circumstances entitles an applicant to move to a higher band the date of the application will be amended to the date of qualification to the new Band.

Where an applicant is in Band A, B or C but subsequently moves to Band D, the application date will revert to the original date of application.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to inform Bassetlaw District Council directly of any change in their or their household’s circumstances.

Last Updated on Wednesday, May 8, 2024