Apply to join the housing register
Demand for social housing in Wandsworth is extremely high. Most people who join the housing register will never be offered social housing, or will have to wait a long time.
You should look at other housing options. Often the most realistic option is to rent privately.
Who can apply for housing
To qualify for joining the housing register you must:
- Be eligible for an allocation of housing under immigration laws
- Be 18 years old or over (55 or over for sheltered housing applicants)
- Not have refused any offer or nomination of suitable accommodation within the last two years
- Have a housing need (for example, you are overcrowded or the accommodation you are currently in is not suitable for medical reasons)
- Not have given false information in the past to get housing or benefit payments
- If you already have a tenancy, you must have a good history of being able to manage your tenancy and pay your rent
If you are at risk of homelessness
If you are homeless or you are at risk of becoming homeless, you should complete the housing options enquiry form.
If your circumstances have changed
If you have already made a housing register application and your circumstances have changed, you should tell us as soon as possible.
How we assess applications
All housing register applications are assessed in accordance with the housing allocation scheme. We will assess your application based on the information you have provided on your form and through our enquiries.
Your application will be assessed based on both:
- The information within the application form
- The information on the documents provided in support of your application
We may also make further enquiries where necessary.
Housing queues
The housing register has eight separate housing queues.
The general needs queue, the council tenant transfer queue and the older persons housing queue use a points scheme to determine the band the application is placed in.
The other five housing queues use different criteria to determine which band the application is placed. These can be found in the housing allocation scheme.
There are instances where applications will be given lower priority regardless of the points awarded to their application.
See full details of how we allocate housing.
Information you need to provide
When you apply to join the housing register, you need to provide:
- Information about your immigration status
- Names and dates of birth for everyone on the application
- National Insurance numbers for everyone on the application over 16 years old
- Details of all the places you have lived in the past five years (address, moving dates and type of tenancy, such as private or council property)
- Details of any homes you have owned or have any interest in
- Information about any mortgages you have or have previously had
- Total income and savings of everyone on your application (earnings, welfare benefits and total savings held)
You will not be able to submit an application without this information.
What happens after you apply
After you have submitted your application and provided the required documents, your application will be assessed by the Housing Register Team.
You have 10 days to provide the following documents:
- Passport or birth certificate for all household members over the age of 18 (if passports are not available, include a passport style photo with the birth certificates)
- Birth certificate and proof of child benefit for all children included on the application
- Proof of immigration status if applicable (please provide a share code from GOV.UK)
- Proof of income for all adults on the application (payslips and/or Universal Credit statements)
- Bank statements for all adult household members included on your application
- Proof of health conditions (medical documents you want us to consider)
If this information isn't provided within 10 days of your application being submitted, your application will be rejected.
After the application form is submitted and the required documents have been provided, you will receive a reference number. Please make a note of it and use it whenever you contact us about your housing register application.
You may need to provide additional information in support of your application. We will contact you when further information is required.
If your application is accepted
If your application is accepted, we will send you a registration letter which will include:
- The number of bedrooms you have been assessed as requiring
- The housing queue your application has been registered on
- The band your application has been placed in
- The number of points your application has been awarded (for applicants placed on the general needs queue, council tenant transfer queue or older persons housing queue)
You do not need to contact us once you have received your registration letter unless you need to advise us of a change in your circumstances.
We will contact you when we are in a position to make you an offer.
If you are not placed on the housing register
If you are not eligible or do not qualify for the housing register, you will be notified in writing. If you do not agree with the outcome, you have the right to request a review.
How to apply
You must submit your housing register application online. You will need to create an account first.
Long - This form will take a while to complete. Give yourself enough time. You can save as you go.