The information on this page applies only to existing NCHA tenants.
Looking to move home?
If you’re looking to move house, we may be able to help you. We can provide advice and support to find you a new home and discuss your options.
We don’t have a waiting list for homes, and we take people and families nominated to us by local councils.
Your first option is to contact your local council and apply to be registered on their waiting list. Councils make all allocations and nominations in accordance with the government legislation and must give priority to the following groups:
- People who are homeless as defined in the Housing Act 1996
- People who are owed a particular statutory duty by any local housing authority under certain provisions of homelessness legislation
- People occupying unsanitary, overcrowded or otherwise unsatisfactory housing
- People who need to move for medical or welfare grounds, including grounds related to disability
- People who need to move to a particular locality within the district to avoid hardship to themselves and/or others.
Councils provide the widest choice of homes available in that area at any one time.
Other housing associations may have their own housing waiting list, so it’s worth checking with them.
Is your home too big for you?
If you are looking to downsize to a smaller home, then we may be able to help you. If you are under occupying your home by at least one bedroom, then we can consider you for a move to another smaller NCHA home. For example, you have a family house and now your children have moved out, and you have spare bedroom(s).
If you claim benefits to help towards the cost of your rent, you may be subject to the single person under occupation charge (bedroom tax), if you have more bedrooms than your household needs. If you are affected, your housing element of Universal Credit will be reduced by:
- 14% if you have one extra bedroom
- 25% if you have two or more extra bedrooms.
We may not always be able to help, as if we have no suitable smaller homes in the areas you would like to move to. Or If nothing is available now, we can add your name to a waiting list of other households looking to move to a smaller home. You will then be considered should a suitable vacancy occur in the future, though this does not guarantee you a move to a smaller NCHA home.
If you interested in moving to a smaller home, please visit the ‘Contact us’ page to get in touch or speak to your Community Coordinator.
Mutual exchange
You might want to consider a ‘mutual exchange’. This is where you swap homes with another tenant, either from NCHA or another local authority or housing association landlord.
This is a formal process, so you will have to register and be assessed before a mutual exchange is allowed. There is more information on mutual exchanges on our website.
Any questions?
If you’re unsure about anything or have any questions, please visit the ‘Contact us’ page to get in touch or speak to your Community Coordinator.
